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Healthy
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Start the Day with Breakfast
Breakfast is an important start to the day. When planning a quality and well-balanced breakfast for children, include milk and a variety of grains and fruits. Foods served for breakfast should be the source of half of the day's energy.
Young children need a well-balanced diet with a variety of foods. It is important to provide them with foods from each food group daily to help them meet their nutrient and energy needs. Although their energy needs are great, young children can only eat a small amount at each sitting. Make each meal and/or snack count.
Set the pace by offering nutritious items for breakfast. A wide range of food combinations can be served for breakfast. Whether hot or cold, the foods served can make a difference in how they learn and behave.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) administers food assistance programs including the school and childcare feeding programs. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) of the USDA provides technical assistance and funds for the meals and snacks served to children in qualified childcare programs. This program requires milk, fruit, and a grain to be served at breakfast. The serving size for each meal item varies according to the age of the child served. Reimbursement is provided to the sponsor or childcare program for serving adequate amounts of nutritious foods.
The CACFP requires that six ounces of milk be served to children ages three-five. Milk provides carbohydrates, protein, and fat, the energy building materials that support the growth and development of young children. Carbohydrates give young children quick energy. Protein builds muscles. Fat helps build energy stores that support their rapid growth and development. Children under the age of two should be served whole milk because they need it for their rapidly developing nervous systems. Many children over the age of two may have reduced-fat milk or skim milk. The exclusive use of reduced-fat and fat-free products is not recommended for most preschool-aged children.
The CACFP requires one serving of grain for breakfast. One serving of grain for children ages three-five is 1/2 slice of bread, 1/3 cup of cold dry cereal, or 1/4 cup of hot cooked cereal. Grains provide complex carbohydrates and fiber, which helps to regulate bowel habits. Balance the use of hot and cold grains during the week. Cooked cereals like grits, oatmeal, and cream of wheat can be served a variety of ways. Cheese grits, cream of wheat with chopped fruit, and flavored oatmeal are well accepted by most young children.
Cold cereals that are iron-enriched are good choices. Cold cereals can be topped with sliced bananas, kiwi, or strawberries for power-packed sweetness. Adding drained, canned fruit (processed in its own juice without added sugar) such as diced peaches or crushed pineapples also gives cold cereal a boost without the empty calories that sugar provides. Mini-bagels, muffins, and toast can be served with flavored cream cheese, jam, and cinnamon. Convenience foods such as pancakes, biscuits, and waffles are more costly items that occasionally can be included in the menu cycle.
The CACFP requires serving 1/2 cup of fruit or 100 percent fruit juice to three-five year old children. Fresh and canned fruits provide carbohydrates, vitamins, and fiber and are great additions to the milk and grain that you serve. Applesauce, frozen berries, and stewed fruit are good toppings for pancakes and waffles and offer more nutrients than syrup. Whole fruit is preferred to fruit juice because it is more filling, more nutrient dense, and contains more fiber.
The CACFP does not require meats for breakfast. "Traditional" breakfast meats, such as bacon and sausage, can be expensive and high in fat. These items should be served sparingly. Serving milk at breakfast provides young children with protein.
Providing the children in your care with a nourishing breakfast is an important part of the day. Set the pace by providing milk and a variety of fruits and grains for breakfast. Beginning the day with a good breakfast can help provide children with needed nutrients and the fuel for the activities that take place in the childcare program.
By Keecha Harris, RD, LD
Internet Resources
USDA Child and Adult Care Food Program , www.usda.gov
The American Dietetic Association, www.eatright.org, 800-366-1655
Food Guide Pyramid for ages 2-6, www.usda.gov/cnpp , 800-687-2258
Oregon Dairy Council, www.oregondairycouncil.org, 503-229-5033
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