Transcript No Slide Title

Break the Fast!
The importance of eating breakfast
Why Breakfast Is Important
• Skipping breakfast can cause you to feel
tired, grumpy, and irritable in the morning.
• By the time you wake up, your body may
have gone without food for 8 hours or more.
• Eating breakfast helps jump-start your
metabolism.
Why Breakfast Is Important (continued)
• Breakfast eaters are more likely to have a
healthy body weight because of a higher
metabolism.
• Even a small snack like a glass of milk or
fortified soy beverage can be beneficial.
• Encourage your children to eat breakfast.
They require a more nutrient-dense diet to
maintain physical and mental growth.
• Involve children in preparing breakfast; they
are more likely to eat foods that they have
helped make.
Characteristics of Breakfast Eaters
• Breakfast eaters
– have more energy to focus on school and work
– have higher nutrient intakes and better diet
quality than breakfast skippers
– are good role models for their children
Breakfast Ideas
• Here are some ideas for breakfast at home
or on the go:
– hot cereal made with lower-fat milk, sprinkled
with berries
– English muffin topped with lean ham and
cheese and 100% real fruit juice
– cheese served with cantaloupe and a lower-fat
muffin
– yogurt mixed with berries and bran cereal
– hummus on pita bread with applesauce on the
side
Not Enough Time?
• Set the table before you go to bed.
• Wash, chop, slice your ingredients the night
before.
• Set your alarm clock for a few minutes
earlier.
• Store dried and canned fruit, dry cereal,
juice boxes, melba toast, and peanut butter
in your desk drawer for those rushed days.
Balance Is the Key to a Healthy
Breakfast
• Choose food from at least 3 of the 4 food
groups from Eating Well with Canada’s
Food Guide.
• Mix and match from these food groups to
plan a healthy breakfast.
• Remember that you don’t have to eat
traditional breakfast foods. Have soup,
crackers, and cheese if you like.
Vegetable and Fruit Ideas
• Here are some examples of vegetables and
fruit for breakfast:
– fresh fruit
– fruit cups packed in juice
– applesauce
– 100% fruit juice boxes
– vegetable juice (low sodium)
Grain Products Ideas
• Here are some examples of grain products
for breakfast:
– bread, bagels, rolls, buns, and English muffins
(emphasize whole grain products)
– low-fat muffins
– small boxes of cereal, or pack your own
– whole wheat bread sticks, melba toast
Milk and Alternatives Ideas
• Here are some examples of milk and
alternatives for breakfast:
– milk (skim, 1%, 2%) in small cartons or
reusable containers
– soy milk in small containers
– individual yogurt or yogurt drink (less than 2%
milk fat)
– cheese or cheese strings
Meat and Alternatives Ideas
• Here are some examples of meat and
alternatives for breakfast:
– boiled, scrambled, or microwaved eggs
– lean meat slices or pieces
– hummus
– nuts
– peanut or other nut butters
Foods and Beverages to Limit
• Limit food and beverages high in calories,
fat, sugar, or salt (sodium).
– Foods to limit include cakes, pastries,
chocolate, candies, cookies, granola bars,
doughnuts, ice cream and frozen desserts,
french fries, potato chips, nachos, and other
salty snacks.
– Beverages to limit include alcohol, fruitflavoured drinks, soft drinks, sports and energy
drinks, and sweetened hot or cold drinks.
References
• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
Healthy Lifestyles Department. (2003).
Breakfast ... Break the Fast. Fact sheet.
www.hpechu.on.ca
• Hastings and Prince Edward Counties
Healthy Lifestyles Department. (2004).
Breakfast on the Run. Fact sheet.
www.hpechu.on.ca
Adapted from Anneke Vink, 2007.