Choco Pops, Fruit Gummy Candy, hazelnut nougat cream and Froot Loops were popular highlights on the breakfast table in our childhood - and still fill the shelves of supermarkets. The problem: cereals, cocoa mixes and fruit yoghurts for children pretend to be a healthy breakfast , but are usually real sugar bombs. Apart from a sugar rush, they do not provide many nutrients that are important for development.
This can be done better! We show what a healthy breakfast for children looks like and provide you with delicious recipe ideas.
That's why a healthy breakfast is important for children
Whether it's for running around in the daycare center, for better concentration at school or for a soccer match on the soccer field: children need a lot of energy. During the growth phase, the right supply of nutrients is important not only for performance, but also for physical and mental development and for building a strong immune system.
Healthy nutrition for children clearly begins with the first meal of the day and lays the foundation for a good start to the day.
Why?
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After fasting at night, energy stores are empty and need to be replenished so that the body and brain can function properly.
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Without breakfast, it's difficult to think - and to concentrate anyway. In order to be able to participate properly in school and pay attention, breakfast is absolutely necessary.
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Not only we know hangry, but also our children: If you leave the house without breakfast, you become irritated more quickly and are also in a bad mood
This is what a healthy breakfast for children looks like
Breakfast doesn't have to be super elaborate - after all, it's already hectic enough in the morning before school! But breakfast should definitely not be missed.
According to the German Nutrition Society, the distribution of macronutrients for children - similar to that for adults - looks like this: around 55% of energy should come from carbohydrates, 30% from fats and 15% from protein. However, what matters is which carbs, fats and proteins end up on your plate.
Complex carbohydrates
Carbohydrates serve as the main source of energy for the body and brain. In contrast to fats and proteins, carbohydrates can be converted immediately. Simple sugars can be converted into energy most quickly - these include simple table sugar or glucose (dextrose). Wheat bread, toast, nut nougat creams, jams and fruit contain many simple carbohydrates and cause a rapid rise in blood sugar in the morning, but also cause an equally rapid decline afterwards. The result: cravings, difficulty concentrating and snack attacks.
The longer and more complex the molecular structure of the carbohydrate, the longer it takes for it to be utilized. These so-called complex carbs include, for example, whole grains, oat flakes or starchy vegetables. The tricky thing about a quick power boost from simple sugars is that as quickly as it's there, it's gone again. In the morning, it is therefore advisable to include complex carbohydrates in your breakfast so that energy is available throughout the morning. Another advantage: complex carbs keep you fuller for longer.
In addition to fruit, oat flakes, spelled, whole wheat, rye, quinoa, amaranth and all kinds of cereal flakes are ideal sources of carbohydrates for a healthy breakfast for children - whether in the form of bread, porridge or pancakes.
Good fats
Too much fat in the morning puts a strain on digestion and makes you sluggish and tired. Nevertheless, the first meal of the day should always contain fats, as they are involved in building organs, muscles and cells and are also particularly valuable for brain function. The body also needs dietary fats in order to be able to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.
And don't forget: fat carries flavor. But it depends on which fats children eat: Vegetable fats should be preferred, as they contain healthy unsaturated fatty acids that the body cannot produce itself - such as avocado, olive oil, nuts, seeds or nut butter. However, saturated fats should be avoided: fried foods, butter, margarine, animal products, sausage, cheese, pastries, palm and coconut oil.
Protein and fiber
Proteins are of enormous importance in the diet, especially during growth. Its building blocks, the amino acids, are responsible for building and maintaining muscles and promoting growth. There is plenty of protein in whole grains and pseudo-cereals, legumes, dairy products, soy, eggs, nuts and meat. Since excessive consumption of animal products can lead to obesity and other health problems in the long term, plant sources should also be increasingly used when choosing protein.
Another plus: In contrast to animal protein sources, plant protein contains fiber. The insoluble plant fibers ensure long-term satiety, promote healthy digestion and have a positive influence on blood sugar levels.
Vegan or vegetarian breakfast for children?
The study " Vegetarian and vegan nutrition in children and adolescents ", which the German Nutrition Society published in the 14th DGE Nutrition Report (VeChi Youth Study), showed that the different types of nutrition have little influence on the nutrient supply of children and adolescents. Study director Dr. Ute Alexy from the University of Bonn and Dr. Markus Kelle from the Institute for Alternative and Sustainable Nutrition (Ifane) said: "The results show that both with a vegan and vegetarian diet and with a mixed diet with meat, the supply of the main nutrients as well as most vitamins and minerals is sufficient for the majority of study participants."
Even with a plant-based or vegetarian diet, the supply of vitamin B12 is sufficient for most children. It was positively highlighted that the proportion of fiber in the diet was very high in vegetarian diets.
These ingredients are ideal.
Milk rolls with Nutella or sugary chocolate pops are popular with children, but they don't provide many good nutrients other than a sugar high. The following foods are better:
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fresh and seasonal fruit
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Bread and rolls made from whole grain wheat, spelled, rye or a mixture
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regional vegetables, raw or cooked
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unsweetened mueslis
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naturally sweetened breakfast porridge based on cereal flakes
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Nuts and pure nut butter
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Yoghurt and milk (unsweetened), also plant-based
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vegetable spreads
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unsweetened herbal or fruit tea, water, juice spritzers with a mixing ratio of 1:4 (juice:water).
The Best Alternatives to Sugar
What would a childhood be without sugar? Children love it sweet (and let's be honest: we do too). However, you can certainly manage to use sweetening alternatives instead of refined sugar at one point or another - especially at breakfast.
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Sweet with fruit. This can be done, for example, with a ripe banana pressed into the breakfast porridge or with fruit puree such as apple, pear or mango. Dates are also ideal for adding more sweetness to dishes. Tip: Puree the dates with a little plant milk or water into a cream and use them to sweeten.
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Coconut blossom sugar instead of refined sugar. The advantage: In contrast to granulated sugar, coconut blossom sugar and syrup still contain numerous micronutrients (such as potassium, iron and zinc).
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Make your own muesli and crunchy muesli. Products from the supermarket are real sugar traps. If you mix your own muesli and granola , you know exactly what's in it. Pimped up with dried fruit like raisins and crunchy nuts, the DIY muesli is guaranteed to be enjoyed by children too.
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Use pure nut butter. Nut spreads usually contain a lot of ingredients - but the least of them are nuts themselves. Better: use pure nut butter from the organic market or nut butter creams that are sweetened with dates or sweetening alternatives.
Tips for Preparation
“Here is your sugar-free, vegan organic wholemeal spelled bread with vegetable spread and vegetables” probably attracts very few children out of bed and to the breakfast table.
Eating should be fun for children, especially breakfast! That's why the three golden rules are:
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It must be colorful.
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It must be varied.
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It must look appealing.
If you normally love to prepare your own fancy breakfast bowl, then you can really let yourself go when preparing it for children's breakfast: fun and cheeky decorated slices of bread, cereal and pancakes are fun for the kids (and often make them forget that they are actually there). eat very healthy).
With berries, sliced fruit, nuts, nut butter and vegetables, you can quickly turn bread and muesli into funny animals, faces or plants that will make even the most grumpy morning person start the day with a grin on their face.
Need some inspiration? Follow immediately.
Breakfast ideas: 6 recipe ideas that will delight children
Breakfast is ready! With these recipes, kids are prepared for school and daycare.
Muesli and porridge
Muesli with plant milk provides lots of complex carbohydrates and fiber that will keep children full until lunchtime - whether cold or cooked as porridge. The muesli is sweetened with maple syrup or coconut blossom syrup. The kids can go wild with the toppings: coconut flakes, dark chocolate drops, nuts, fresh berries... Why not try the banana toffee porridge or be inspired by our 12 favorite porridge variations .
If the mornings are too hectic, you can prepare overnight oats the night before. All you have to do is take them out of the fridge the next morning and add fruit and other toppings.
Smoothies
For those who can't eat much breakfast, smoothies are the salvation. They taste like ice cream, but are full of fresh fruit and vitamins. In addition, you just have to put all the ingredients in the blender and you're done. The smoothie is naturally sweet with dates, berries and banana. Optionally, cereal flakes, seeds or nut butter can also be added. If you use a lot of frozen fruit: let the smoothie stand for a while before drinking it so that you don't get a brain freeze before school.
Colorful Hot Bowls
If you don't always want to have oatmeal for breakfast, then hot breakfast bowls are the perfect alternative: rice pudding made from rice pudding flakes or homemade semolina pudding are high in fiber and can be prepared in a flash. The perfect breakfast for children and their stressed-out parents.
Creative Breads
Sandwiches are boring? No way! It just depends on how you serve it. Decorated with colorful spreads, lots of fresh vegetables and fruit, bread becomes really exciting again for children. These creations are also ideal for snacks.
Vegetable pastes or pure nut butter, which are pimped with vegetable sticks and sliced fruit, are ideal as a spread.
banana bread
If the kids have to leave early in the morning and there's no time for breakfast, banana bread is a great way to make a healthy first meal to take with you. It's practical because you can prepare it the weekend or the night before. The dough made from oatmeal and nuts will satisfy your sweet tooth and also provide plenty of good energy to start the day.
Pancake Animals
Pancakes are considered an unhealthy breakfast, but you can easily prepare these popular cakes in a healthy way. How to do it? Instead of wheat flour, you can use spelt flour or buckwheat flour.
Even porridge can be used as a base for the pancakes . The pancakes are topped with banana slices, berries, apples, peanut butter, jam, hazelnut cream without refined sugar or maple syrup. Perfect for a weekend breakfast with the family!
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