Many people say, “I am never hungry in the mornings; all I need is a cup of coffee. “
Would your body agree with you?
The word breakfast literally means to “break the fast.”
Nutrition can simply be defined as the food we eat and how the body uses it. Eating breakfast will increased the likelihood of getting the nutrients and calories that the body requires on a daily basis. A wide variety of foods including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lower fat milk/dairy products, lean/lower fat protein sources, and water are recommended for persons without any dietary restrictions. Eating breakfast will help everyone to get an early start on the day’s food requirements. A major role of food is to provide energy and nutrients to enable the body to perform both physically and mentally throughout the day. As the day starts, make sure that the family fuels up with nutritious foods. Adults are encouraged to set the example. Go to my pyramid.gov (United States Department of Agriculture) website to determine the daily food needs of individual family members.
Once the individual family member’s daily food requirements are know, make plans to ensure that these are met. Family members should become experts in planning healthy breakfast options. Reminder, the meal does not have include only what may be considered “typical breakfast foods.” An important step is to plan weekly breakfast menus that are quick and easy to prepare in a limited amount of time. The in-home preparation of foods will help control both the nutritional content as well as the cost of the meal. As part of the preparation, read food labels to make sure that you are actually eating what you think you are. Read the food claim on the front of the package but also remember to determine what else is in the food by using the “Nutrition Facts” information panel. Please visit nutrition.gov (shopping, cooking, and meal planning) for an explanation of the “Nutrition Facts” panel.
Breakfast can contribute to the families’ overall health and well-being. Success begins with the first step!
Mable Everette, Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), has worked as a Registered Dietitian in Los Angeles, California for more than 20 years. Mable Everette is the founder and CEO of Community Nutrition Education Inc. (CNES Inc).The CNES Inc was established in 2006 for the specific purpose of promoting healthy nutrition and obesity prevention through community based collaborative research, service, training and mentoring of the general public, health care professionals, and students.
Dr Everette has a vast array of experience in the field of nutrition. Experiences range from college teaching to consulting projects for various nutrition programs targeting senior citizens; adults; pregnant women; school-aged children; and preschoolers and their families.