Top 5 Breakfast Ideas For Kids and Young Athletes

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day...and they're right! If you want to make sure your kids are getting the fuel they need, check out this video with Andrea Benton from Raisingboys.TV, a mom of two boys, and Nadia Vidas, a registered dietitian. They present five great breakfast options for kids and young athletes.

What’s so special about breakfast, you ask? Well, food eaten during breakfast serves as fuel for the rest of the day. If you don’t gas up your car first thing in the morning, how can you expect to get anywhere?

In addition, many studies show that skipping breakfast leads to cravings for fatty food later on in the day? So if young athlete skip breakfast, that means that they might resort to foods like potato chips later in the day. Uh oh.

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg lettuce. There are so many factors to consider when discussing nutrition for your young athlete. There’s protein, which is required for strong bones, healthy organs and big muscles. And then there are carbohydrates, which are vital for growth and a healthy digestive system. And with so many other food groups out there, just coming up with a meal for your young athlete can be a real challenge.

As a rule of thumb, try pairing a carbohydrate with a protein to sustain energy and keep your kid playing longer. Kids burn calories at an amazing rate, especially when they’re working out, so it’s important to provide them with the energy they need.

There is a common misconception that eating fatty foods will make the eater...well, fat. However, the truth is that many fatty acids are essential to good health. The body cannot make its own substitutes for these acids, so the only way to create them is to add them to your young athlete’s diet. They’re particularly important to the brain and nervous system, allowing for quick and clear thinking. Some of the best sources of fatty acids are oily fish such as sardines and tuna.

For meals, timing is pretty darn important. That means providing the meal for your young athlete about an hour or two before game time. That’s just to ensure that your young athlete can digest the food before the game starts. Trying to digest while also playing a sport is kinda hard.

Want some more breakfast ideas? Check out the video above!