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Wake the kids with a morning helping of something different

By Manuel Villacorta
 

Q: My kids are bored with traditional breakfast foods like eggs and oatmeal. What are some fun things I could serve that would still get them off to a good start?

A: For a growing child, this is the most important meal of the day. Without a nutritious breakfast -- or worse, nothing at all -- kids quickly run out of energy and have a much harder time learning. But the right fuel can boost concentration and help general brain development. To give kids a good start, combine complex carbohydrates, such as fruit or whole grains (for long-lasting energy) with calcium-rich dairy (to promote strong bones and teeth). With that in mind, here are some fun breakfast ideas your family won't even realize are good for them:

• Serve pizza It contains all the right components for a healthy breakfast (freeze slices from your child's favorite pizzeria, then simply microwave for a few minutes).
• Have a fiesta Melt cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla and serve with salsa.
• Shake it up For kids who hate breakfast, try this cool treat. Combine 1 cup low-fat milk or vanilla yogurt with 1 banana, a handful of frozen berries and 1 packet of instant breakfast powder, and blend until smooth. 
• Skip the sweets Besides leading to weight gain and diabetes, sugary foods like donuts cause your child's energy to plummet, leaving him cranky and tired. A better choice: cereals that have less than 4 grams of sugar per serving (read the labels!). Not sweet enough? Mix it half-and-half with your child's favorite sweet cereal. That way, you reduce the overall sugar, but he'll still eat it.

Expert Manuel Villacorta, M.S., is a registered dietitian and a pediatric nutritionist in San Francisco.

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