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Make breakfast a moment of pleasure

Make breakfast a moment of pleasure

Screaming, crying, and finally, your child is sulking and you are late! The children's breakfast can turn into a real ordeal if your toddler refuses to cooperate. So how do you make breakfast a moment of pleasure?

Panic on board! My child refuses breakfast

It's hard to start the day with cries and tears... However, when our children refuse to have breakfast, it's a crisis. We fear that our child will run out of energy at 10 a.m., and we absolutely want him to have breakfast when he wakes up. But there is nothing to do, your toddler starts crying and tells you that he is not hungry. How to find common ground? Force it? Capitulate and let him go on an empty stomach?

Hunger is not there in the morning? Still comatose, your child may need a little time to adapt to wake up and find an appetite. Sometimes too much of a meal the night before is the cause of a lack of appetite in the morning.

Breakfast:why is it important?

It is customary to say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and there is a reason! Whatever the age of the child, eating a full breakfast is essential to refuel energy and start the day on the right foot. A school day is very trying for children. To stay focused throughout the day, a full breakfast is essential.

Skipping breakfast causes a drop in energy around 10 a.m. This is when the child will tend to snack and eat more fatty foods to satisfy hunger. Over a long period of time, this type of behavior can lead to above-average weight gain.

What is a full breakfast?

To avoid the 10 a.m. slump, a child's breakfast should include the following:

– 1 dairy product:milk, yogurt, cheese;

– 1 cereal product:bread, galette, rusk, cereals;

- 1 drink:water, hot chocolate;

– 1 piece of fruit:fruit juice, compote, fresh fruit.

Some tips for making breakfast for a child

Does your child refuse to swallow his bowl of milk? Is breakfast time dragging on? There are tricks to restore his appetite and encourage him to devour his first meal of the day.

  • Make dinner lighter :limit protein intake in the evening, and favor starchy foods. After a night of fasting, your appetite will be there when you wake up.
  • Vary the pleasures :your child refuses his bowl of milk and his cereal? Offer him a slice of cheese. He doesn't like sweets? Try the savory.
  • Move the breakfast time :is he not hungry when he gets out of bed? Have him shower and get dressed first. This little time may whet his appetite.
  • Involve him in the preparation :maybe your child will enjoy having lunch something he made himself. For example, you can ask him to prepare the table for the next morning, or put him to work in the kitchen (make a fruit salad, make homemade muesli, etc.)

Foods to avoid for breakfast

To prepare a balanced breakfast, it is better to avoid foods that are too fatty or too sweet (consuming fast sugars as soon as you wake up can cause a drop in energy in the middle of the morning):

– Chocolate cereals are very fatty, consume no more than once a week.

– The " special breakfast " biscuits are generally very rich.

– Energy bars are also too sweet for breakfast.

– Fruit nectars are loaded with sugar. It is better to give preference to a pressed fruit juice.

As a general rule, favor slow sugars for breakfast. This " good " sugar avoids the drop in energy in the middle of the morning. These slow sugars are found in wholemeal or bran bread, oatmeal, starches, porridge, homemade muesli, fresh fruit juices.

No more breakfasts that turn into a nightmare! With a few simple tips, turn this meal into a moment of pleasure and sharing. Your child won't have a slump at 10 a.m., and you'll start your day with peace of mind knowing your toddler has the energy to take on new adventures.