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Breakfast earns an A+

Send your kids to school with a nutritious breakfast and they might come home with higher test scores and less behavioral problems. There's no doubt about it—breakfast is a big deal. Decades of research have shown that kids who make this meal a habit have better diets, healthier bodies, higher test scores, lighter moods and more mental stamina.

No matter how hectic your mornings are, it's worth taking the time to make sure your kids get good food before school starts.

Does breakfast really make a difference?
Food fuels the body with glucose, the main energy source for the mind and muscles. This refueling is especially important in the morning because the body hasn't had any food since the night before.

Children’s daily nutrient intake also tends to be higher when they eat breakfast, according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA). Whole-grain cereal with milk and a glass of citrus juice, for example, delivers lots of vitamin C, calcium, thiamin, riboflavin, fiber, iron and folate.

Children who eat breakfast are also more likely to have lower blood cholesterol levels and are less likely to gain weight, miss school or visit the school nurse than children who don't have a morning meal, says the ADA.

In 2003, studies that involved thousands of schoolchildren in the United States, Korea and Spain reinforced direct links between eating a regular breakfast and healthy weight, school performance and better test scores.

Make a breakfast plan
Mornings can often be the busiest part of the day. To help make sure breakfast stays on your family's schedule no matter how pressed for time you are, try these tips from the ADA and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Set your table the night before. Save yourself a few precious minutes by setting out dishes, cereal, bagels, bread, fruit or instant breakfast mix before you go to bed. Use last night's leftovers. Don't fret if it's not traditional breakfast food. A slice of pizza or macaroni and cheese warmed up in the microwave can still provide needed nutrients.

Keep your cupboards and fridge stocked with quick, healthy breakfast foods, such as granola bars, bagels, bananas, yogurt, cottage cheese, dried fruit, instant oatmeal, whole-wheat toaster waffles, and fruit or vegetable juice.

Be flexible. If your child can't or won't eat first thing in the morning, offer fruit juice at home and pack a breakfast to go. English muffins or bagels with peanut butter, a low-fat cheese sandwich or whole-wheat banana nut bread will travel well. You can also ask if your child can have breakfast at school—many school cafeterias are starting to offer morning meals.

The best breakfasts include foods with carbohydrates, proteins and fats, according to the ADA. This type of meal can satisfy hunger and maintain blood sugar levels for hours. Sugary foods cause a quick rise in blood sugar and energy that fizzles out in about one hour.

The bottom line on breakfast
A morning meal gives kids an edge on hunger, energy and brainpower. Even if it means setting alarm clocks 20 minutes early, find a way to make breakfast a regular at your house—your kids aren't ready for school without it.