Breakfast: An indispensable meal

Breakfast is the most important meal of your sports-child’s day. Although sometimes eating breakfast may not seem convenient to him or her, the benefits clearly outweigh the difficulties.  

Children who eat breakfast tend to:

• Eat a more nutritious, lower fat diet the rest of the day;
• Have lower levels of blood cholesterol;
• Enjoy better success with weight control (when needed);
• Be mentally alert and more productive – in school and on the field;
• Have more energy to enjoy exercise either in the morning or later in the day.

Nevertheless, some young soccer players frequently skip this meal. If your child skips it too, s/he is likely to concentrate less effectively in the late morning, study less efficiently, feel irritable and short tempered, or fall short of energy for his/her afternoon soccer practice.

Excuses like “I don´t have time” actually mean “I don’t make it a priority”… But s/he should!

Did you know, for instance, that dieters who skip breakfast tend to gain weight over time, because they get too hungry and then overindulge at night!? 

If your child doesn’t feel hungry by morning, s/he may have eaten too many snacks the previous night. If that’s the case, encourage nutrient-dense snacks, such as cereal with milk or oatmeal!  Preferably, waking up ready to eat breakfast can become his/her priority.

On the other hand, if your little warrior’s “not time for breakfast” excuse is because of an early game or practice, there’s a solution too.  Tell him/her to eat at least part of the breakfast beforehand, to get his/her blood sugar on the upswing and avoid an energy crash. Then, your hungry soccer player will eagerly finish the rest of the breakfast after his/her workout.

So what should a breakfast consist of?

First of all, bear in mind that breakfast should represent one-quarter to one-third of your child’s daily calories. For example, if s/he needs 2500kcal a day, make sure to target about 700kcal in the morning.

A wholesome recovery breakfast that combines many carbohydrates with a little protein promptly replaces the depleted glycogen stores and helps refuel and heal the muscles so they’ll be ready for the next training session.

Here are some breakfast examples:

• Low-fat yogurt with cereal, orange juice and a banana;
• Blender drink (piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt/skim or low fat milk and cereal);
• Whole grain bread with peanut butter/low fat cheese/sliced turkey and jam plus fruit juice;     
• Skim or low fat milk with  crackers, peanut butter and an apple;                             
• Low-fat yogurt/skim or low fat milk with crackers, raisins and almonds/peanuts.

Notice that my first two suggestions included cereal. Cereal is a popular breakfast option because it is quick and easy to prepare, as well as rich in carbohydrate, fiber, iron and calcium and low in saturated fat and cholesterol. Also, some evidence points that cereal can be helpful for weight control.

Please realize your child doesn’t need to be seated at a table to eat breakfast. I often find myself enjoying my morning meal while walking to the train station!

Be creative. There are many ways to reach your goal of enjoying a high energy morning meal.

Recommended reading for more information: 

·         Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook

·         Food Guide for Soccer: Tips & Recipes from the Pros (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com)

Now I want to hear from you,

Does your child eat breakfast regularly? If not, why so?

Which are his/her favorite breakfast foods?

Stay tuned!

Wishing you and your child the best health and performance ever,

Diogo Ferreira, RD

Sports Nutritionist, Lisbon, Portugal

“Promoting best health and performance through nutrition”