In the morning, you might be tempted to let your child sleep a little longer before leaving for school and then slip a bag of biscuits into the school bag. Unfortunately, this little pouch is not enough to satisfy his needs. For maximum energy, we offer you solutions!
Indeed, a child who does not eat breakfast has not eaten anything since his dinner the previous evening, and moreover he has nutritional needs in accordance with his growth and vitality.
Your child's brain will also be put to the test during the 3 to 4 hours of the morning: your child will have to listen, understand, assimilate, retain, write and speak. A 16-hour fast will not allow him to do this.
Moreover, the teachers share their impressions: from 11 o'clock onwards, the children who have not had breakfast can no longer keep up...
For your child to be fit, he or she needs to eat enough. So, plan a 10-15 minute family breakfast, all seated at the table, to start the day in a happy, unhurried way. A little buttered bread or cereal (no more than a handful of 30 g for a young child - the rest in milk), a hot chocolate (or a glass of milk or yoghurt) and a piece of fresh fruit (or stewed fruit without added sugar).
WHAT IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT VERY HUNGRY IN THE MORNING?
There may be several reasons for this:
- He gets up very early (before 7am) and at that time no one is hungry; this is normal. So if you have a long journey, take a bag of biscuits, a carton of chocolate milk and a clementine - or bread and a piece of cheese and compote in a bottle (without added sugar).
- Another possible cause is that the child is sleep-deprived and has eaten too much and too late (after 8pm, with a bedtime after 9pm), so is still digesting. The solution is to have the child eat dinner between 7 and 7.30 p.m. and offer him a light meal. For example, a 6-year-old child only needs a plate of vegetables and starchy foods for dinner - a dairy product and a piece of fruit.
Try it and see!
Dr Laurence PLUMEY
Nutritionist. Paris Hospitals IDF
Professor of Nutrition
Author of numerous books for the general public
