Title

Eat Smart: Enjoy Breakfast Every Day!

(FN1433, Revised July 2024)
File
Publication File:
Summary

Eating breakfast fuels the body with needed nutrients, provides energy for an active day, gets you ready to learn and helps you keep a healthy body.

Lead Author
Lead Author:
Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., Food and Nutrition Specialist
Other Authors

Shannon Medenwald, Program Assistant (former)

Availability
Availability:
Web only
Publication Sections

Table of Contents

Kids learn better if they eat breakfast!

Why should you eat breakfast?

  • Not only does breakfast start your day with a smile, it:
  • Fuels your body with needed nutrients
  • Provides energy for an active day
  • Gets you ready to learn
  • Helps you keep a healthy body weight

Not enough time?

Be sure to manage your morning to make enough time for breakfast. You may need to go to bed earlier the night before to wake up sooner in the morning.

Make Healthful Choices

When choosing breakfast, aim for variety. Do you know your MyPlate Daily Food Plan? Visit https://www.myplate.gov/ to find out the amount of each food group kids and adults need daily. For breakfast, try to eat foods from at least three or four different food groups, such as the grains, fruits and the dairy groups.

Try these quick, easy and great tasting breakfast ideas:

  • Oatmeal with applesauce and a glass of low-fat milk
  • Ready-to-eat cereal with milk and fruit
  • Peanut butter and banana sandwich
  • Bagel with cheese and 100% fruit juice
  • Pita bread with yogurt and strawberries

Try this fun and simple recipe: Make-ahead French Toast

8 slices bread (½-inch-thick slices)
5 eggs
1½ cups low-fat milk
¼ cups sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

Suggested toppings: Fruit, syrup or sugar-cinnamon mixture

1. Lightly grease a 13-by-9-by 2-inch baking pan. Cut each slice of bread into two even strips. Arrange bread strips in pan.

2. In large bowl, mix eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer on low speed until well blended, five minutes.

3. Pour egg mixture over bread strips; cover. Chill four to 24 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 425 F. Bake until eggs are set and toast is lightly browned, about 30 to 40 minutes.

5. Serve with toppings of choice.

Nutrition Tip: Try using whole-wheat bread instead of white for more nutrients.

Makes four servings, about two slices each. Each serving has 330 calories, 9 grams (g) fat and 46 g carbohydrate.