How can we help our kids learn through nutrition? Part 1

Don’t forget to start with breakfast, and be sure to include protein. Our children need protein especially in the morning. Protein will provide their bodies with sustained energy and the amino acids that are essential to create neurotransmitters in the brain. In other words, without protein our kids can’t think straight. Protein will also balance blood sugar levels, which will help keep hyperactivity, daydreaming, and losing focus at bay. Protein is essential for a child that has been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD.

Here are some good protein sources and serving sizes that work well for breakfast: yogurt (I like “Yokids” by StonyField because it is lower in sugar and doesn’t have all the “junk” in it), 10 almonds, 1egg, 2 TBS peanut butter, 1/3 cup of sunflower seeds or other nuts, or high protein cereals like Ezekiel. Of course meat is also a good protein source. I don’t know about you but I don’t have the time or the desire to cook in the morning. If your kids don’t like nuts, you could try sneaking them into their diet by grinding them in the blender and then adding them to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, cookie recipes, or into smoothies.

Speaking of smoothies, they can be an easy and fun way to get quality nutrients into our kids’ diet. The base to the smoothies we like to make is usually frozen bananas that have been slightly thawed and a small amount of milk. The bananas give the smoothies an ice cream like consistency. Next, I will add yogurt or protein powder as our protein source. Finally, just add what ever sounds good maybe blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, peaches, etc… Be creative and let the kids help. Makenna, my 5 year old, loves to watch the “tornado” in the blender. Valory, my 10 year old, likes to invent new smoothie recipes. Caleb, my 8 year old, enjoys just throwing the fruit in and watching as it’s being destroyed.

Just adding protein to your family’s diet in the morning could make a noticeable difference – give it a try for a couple of weeks and see if it makes a difference for your family as it has for mine.

Michelle