Breakfast Brain Food

It’s that time of year again! School time! I hope that everyone’s year gets off to an exciting start. Being sure to take time to enjoy a nutritional breakfast is one of the ways that children and parents alike can keep that high level of enthusiasm throughout the school year or even just a regular work week.

When we don’t supply our brains with enough energy for the day we tend to become irritable, lethargic, and even develop headaches. The best solution to avoid these things is to make sure our body is taking in the calories and nutrients it needs to help us think clearly the whole day. The best place to start is with breakfast.

Breakfast literally means “to break the fast.” When we wake up in the morning it has been about eight hours or more since the last time we’ve eaten any food. A healthy breakfast can improve our attention and concentration on our morning tasks. Teachers often report that children who don’t eat breakfast become restless and inattentive by late morning. Breakfast is also important because it provides about ¼ our daily calories and nutrients. A nutritious breakfast is exactly what a growing child or teenager needs, without it they are unlikely to make up this nutritional loss through other meals/snacks during the day.

Now that we know the importance of breakfast, let’s consider what a healthy breakfast looks like. A healthy breakfast usually contains three components: whole grain, protein and fruit. Whole grains give you energy and fiber, protein helps keep you full and fruit gives you vitamins, antioxidants and more fiber. With this combination of food groups you are sure to stay satisfied and be energized. Here are some examples of nutritious breakfast ideas: a whole wheat muffin, peanut butter and mandarin oranges; or a banana apple muffin (recipe below courtesy of Texas A&M AgriLife’s Dinner Tonight program); cheese and grapes.                                                                                                                                              

And finally, be sure that as the parent you set a good example for your children. Parents serve as role models for healthy eating behaviors to their children. It is vitally important to make breakfast a part of your family’s daily routine.

Banana Apple Muffins

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour

1  teaspoon baking powder

½  teaspoon baking soda

¼  teaspoon salt

½  cup unsweetened applesauce

¼  cup skim milk

¼  cup granulated white sugar

½  teaspoon vanilla extract

1  large egg

2  medium ripe bananas peeled and mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Wash your hands and clean your cooking area.
3. Combine white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Whisk applesauce, milk, sugar, vanilla, and egg until well combined. Gently add bananas to wet ingredients.
5. Fold flour mixture into wet ingredients, just until combined.
6. Divide muffin batter among 12 lined muffin tins.
7. Bake 18-20 minutes, until cooked through.

Nutrient information per serving: 12 servings per recipe. Calories-110; Total fat-.5g; Sodium-110mg; total Carbohydrate-22g; Dietary fiber- 3g; Sugars- 8g and Protein- 3g

To learn more about healthy breakfast options, contact Wise County’s Texas AgriLife Extension office at 940/627-3341.