Why your child is hungry – and sullen – AFTER breakfast
Sugar burns right up; replace those cereals and “nutrition bars” with real food
Doesn’t seem right, does it? Your child eats a filling breakfast, hops up from his or her chair seemingly energized and bright-eyed.
In about two hours, in school, just when your young scholar needs the energy most, s/he crashes. The “sugar high” from the frosted, empty calorie cereal or “energy bar” has worn off, and the body is both hungry and craving another hit of sugar.
Uh oh.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta/Strong4Life urge you to swap lasting nutrients for quick-burning sugar. Consider, they say:
- Cereal with lower sugar (6g or less) and higher fiber (3 grams or more). Add fresh fruit for a sweet treat.
- Choose crunchy granola bars over bars that are chewy, have chocolate or are cereal bars.
- Swap pastry for a whole grain English muffin topped with plain yogurt + fresh fruit.
- Top waffles and pancakes with nut butter + sliced banana instead of syrup.
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta also offers some grab ‘n go breakfast ideas. Check them out.
