Children’s breakfasts

There is a simple formula when it comes to feeding our brains: protein + healthy fat + fibre.

This holds true whether we are thinking about our ability to get through the afternoon with lots of energy and in a good mood, or whether we are thinking about how to support our children through a demanding day of learning, sport and navigating friendships.

A breakfast based around sugar does not set any of us up for a successful day.

Do you know how much sugar is in a serving of breakfast cereal?

This is an infographic prepared by Dr David Unwin which every parent should see:

Pair a bowl of breakfast cereal with a glass of juice (liquid sugar) and by lesson 2 I’d bet that the child is fidgeting, cranky, hungry and distracted.

So, what’s the alternative?

In a recent pilot study, a group of non-medicated children with ADHD adopted the following eating pattern:

1. At least seven servings of different plants each day.

2. Eat food within a 12 hour window each day.

3. Consume 125ml kefir drink each day.

4. Eat a microbiome-friendly, protein-rich breakfast from a prescribed menu.

5. Reduce consumption of added sugar and artificial sweeteners.

The parents reported some positive changes in behaviour, mood, sleep and gut function (less constipation, less wind, improved stool consistency).

The authors hope to conduct a larger scale study in due course.

I say, let’s not wait for that. It’s difficult to imagine that any child would not benefit from a protein-rich breakfast, reducing sugar and increasing vegetables.

So, what was on the menu for the children in the study?

The children were invited to choose a smoothie and/or a cooked breakfast (depending on appetite).

The smoothie could include a tablespoon of ground flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts with a handful of fresh or frozen mango, half a banana, 2-3 chunks of pineapple and/or a handful of fresh or frozen berries with 125ml of kefir.

My version is pictured and it was delicious. I put in:

1 tablespoon of flaxseeds

1 tablespoon of pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon of walnuts

1 tablespoon of almond butter

Handful of frozen mango

125ml of kefir

5 ice cubes

60ml filtered water.

The cooked breakfast could include scrambled egg, a slice of smoked salmon or a tin of mackerel, salmon or sardines on toast or with hash browns, with an apple, banana or handful of other fruit, with 125ml of kefir.

So, if your child comes home tired, cranky and hungry, if they are struggling to concentrate, if they are anxious or fretful, experiment with harnessing the power of food to support them. In my opinion, the guidance in this study is a great starting point when building a better day for our children.

Sources:

Unwin, D., Haslam, D. and Livesey, G. (2016) “It is the glycaemic response to, not the carbohydrate content of the food that matters in diabetes and obesity: the glycaemic index revisited”, Journal of Insulin Resistance, 1(1), 8a.

Lawrence, K. et. al. (2022) “Trialling a microbiome-targeted dietary intervention in children with ADHD - the rationale and a non-randomised feasibility study”, Pilot and Feasibility Studies, doi.org/10.1186.