What counts as a healthy breakfast?

From our experience of visiting children in schools, many children either go to school without having eaten breakfast, or they’ve eaten breakfast but it was sugar laden and full of additives. The effects of having sugary breakfasts to start the day means a spike in blood sugar levels and insulin, and then the crash comes as the body starts to crave more sugar.

For someone who is regularly consuming lots of added sugar in their diet (read this post to see the age appropriate maximum sugar levels), ultimately their insulin levels will be raised consistently and over time this can lead to insulin resistance which can also lead to obesity and diabetes.

You can make a huge impact on your child’s health by just reducing the amount of added sugar they are getting at breakfast time. Be sure to add lots of fibre to slow digestion and help them get through to lunchtime without feeling hungry. Some ideas are:

• Soft boiled egg with wholegrain dipping soldiers
• Porridge with berries (stay away from the instant pots which contain lots of sugar!)
• Homemade muesli
• Wholegrain toast topped with natural peanut butter and banana slices (yum!!)

Don’t forget the water! Make sure your child is drinking at least one glass of water at breakfast time, to help with digestion and to stay hydrated.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

A-life is a leading provider of:

• Healthy Workshops
• Fun Fitness
• Alcohol & Drug Awareness
• Staff PE Training

A-life bring the primary school curriculum to life with hands-on activities that are accessible for all ages and abilities and have been carefully designed to meet many objectives in the Science, PE and PSHE curriculum. With 13 years’ experience and expert coaches, we receive outstanding feedback from staff and pupils alike. Perfect for your Health Week, A-life workshops are packed full of curriculum and fun and provide excellent value for money with prices from as little as £1.65 per pupil.