Before you send your children out the door and off to school there may be something they’re missing-and it’s not their backpacks or lunches. Today many families find the morning to be too hectic and then often skip breakfast. “Numerous studies suggest that schoolchildren skip breakfast more than any other meal of the day,” says Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, “That means some kids go as long as 15 hours-or more-without food.” That doesn’t just leave their stomachs growling, it also impacts their ability to learn.

A nutritious breakfast for children helps them to focus and concentrate better in the classroom and perform better on math, reading and standardized tests. They also have fewer behavior problems and are less likely to be tardy. Conversely, the Academy’s The State of Family Nutrition and Physical Activity Report: Are We Making Progress? finds that even a child who is well nourished but skips breakfast can have problem-solving difficulties that are serious enough to lower their test taking ability. Continue reading →