Many children do not have breakfast before going to school. But how to make him want to eat if he is not hungry? What are the energy needs according to their age? Advice from Laurence Plumey, nutritionist.
Un good breakfast is essential for the child, especially since this first meal is the most important of the day. So what to do when your little one doesn’t have a big appetite in the morning? Sometimes still asleep, children do not always want to get up earlier to take the time to eat. As a result, they eat quickly and breakfast is not associated with a moment of pleasure and sharing, with the family. Breakfast must provide the child with the main energy needs of the day, or 20 to 25%, so that he can stay in shape until noon and be sufficiently concentrated in class. “A full breakfast should have these three components: carbohydrates (bread, cereals, biscuits, chocolate, jam…), calcium (hot chocolate, yoghurt, cottage cheese) and a fruit or compote“recalls Doctor Laurence Plumey, nutritionist and author of the book The big food book published by Eyrolles. For a child from 7 to 11 years oldthis first meal should represent an average of 350 to 450 calories, and for a teenager from 12 to 17 years old, about 500 to 630 calories. Discover Laurence Plumey’s advice and mums’ tips to make her want to have a treat in the morning.
1 – Wake up your child 15 minutes earlier to have breakfast
If your child is not hungry, try to understand why. Perhaps you get it up in a hurry, at the last minute, which leaves little or no time for have a good breakfast. This moment is indeed essential to start the day well. “To avoid the race in the morning and that he goes to school hungry for lack of time, wake him up 15 minutes earlier“advises Laurence Plumey, nutritionist. The child will then have time to get up quietly and have breakfast in peace..
2 – Stay vigilant about bedtime
Lack of sleep affects a child’s appetiteexplains Laurence Plumey, nutritionist. A toddler needs 9 to 10 hours of sleep (9 hours for a teenager). Therefore, if he goes to bed or eats too late at night, he will wake up tired and with no appetite. It is therefore important to sit down to dinner at fixed times, and not to exceed a certain hour. Conversely, if he eats early in the evening and sleeps enough, it is unlikely that he will not be hungry when he wakes up. But it is not enough that he goes to bed at 8 p.m.! Some little ones spend hours on their smartphone or in front of the television! The rule: no telephone orscreen in the bedroom.
3 – A family breakfast
It is not by letting your child eat alone at the table that he will want to have breakfast. On the contrary, show him a good example and share this moment together, sitting down with him. “It’s a pleasure to have breakfast with the family, especially since everyone then separates for the day.“, says Laurence Plumey. This also gives him the right benchmarks for his adult life. Take three balanced meals a day, in addition to snacks, will prevent your child from being inclined to snack afterwards. And if he doesn’t skip breakfast, he will also have less risk of overweight and obesity!
4 – Pour milk, then cereal
Does your child like cereal? This is the perfect time to get him to consume enough calcium. The milk that makes up its main diet from birth is therefore to be consumed daily, starting with breakfast. Start by filling it with milk, and then add cereal and dried fruit. Remember that three dairy products a day are recommended (yogurts, cheeses, milk, etc.) as part of a balanced diet. You can also offer him a fruit milkshake, or a white cheese in which you cut pieces of peach or apple… according to tastes and desires.
5 – Prepare homemade cakes
Because you are an organized mom, and to avoid breakdowns at the start of the week, Anne has the good idea to prepare delicious madeleines on the weekend. So he has enough left to breakfasts of the week. Most ? You involve your child during the preparation. It is he who pours the flour, the sugar, and who mixes everything, to taste them proudly afterwards. A two-in-one trick that allows you to entertain your child during a cooking workshop on Sunday, and that will make him want to eat his own madeleines. You can also empower him in the morning by offering to set up the breakfast table with you, if he wishes.
6 – Buy him small boxes of cereal
Cynthia Kafka is a teacher, blogger (Hush, talkative mom!), and mother of two children. In order to their make you want to eat in the morningshe favors small packets of cereals, individual. This allows both not to waste the cereals if they are poured in too large quantities and at the same time to let the child choose among the different kinds offered (honey, chocolate…). Every morning, a different taste to try: children love it!
7 – No television in the morning
Cynthia, mother of Marissa and Léandre allowed her children to have breakfast in front of the television. But she quickly realized that by the end of the cartoon (which corresponds to the time you have to dress them to go to school), her toddlers had only swallowed a mouthful of their sandwiches, and a sip of their orange juice. Obviously, so captivated by television, they forgot the essentials. Since then she decided to start with a family breakfast, as soon as you wake up. Then, once dressed, teeth brushed and ready to go, they are allowed to watch a little television, if there is time left of course! “This morning meeting has now become essential“, she declares.
8 – Go shopping with the family
It’s not easy to choose between chocolate chip cookies and those filled with strawberries… Especially since children’s tastes change all the time! To avoid any confusion, Léa, mother of 8-year-old Pierre, takes him to choose his favorite products in store. She asks him to choose his packets of cakes, cereals or even his favorite fruit juice. Thus, he gets up in the morning eager to taste all these new flavors… and now, no more excuses for not having breakfast!