Mornings can be chaotic, and it’s easy to reach for quick and convenient options like sugary cereals when getting your kids ready for school. But what if that simple breakfast choice is setting them up for a tough day in the classroom? Many popular cereals are loaded with sugar, which can affect focus, energy levels, and behavior—long before lunch even rolls around. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at how these breakfast staples might be doing more harm than good and explore healthier, easy-to-make alternatives that will keep your kids energized and ready to learn.
Sugar in Cereal
1tsp = 3gms = 1 packet of sugar.
These are Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch – 1 serving = 9gm of sugar.
The bowl on the right is 1 serving for both. Who ever eats one serving of cereal? No one ever. Bowl in the middle is 2 servings, bowl on the left is 3 servings. Which one is the bowl with the serving size your kids eat mostly?
So by eating this kind of breakfast before they leave the house, the kids have already surpassed the amount of sugar that their body’s can process properly. So don’t be surprised at your next parent teacher conference that the reports are: talking out of turn, not sitting in seats, not finishing classwork on time, need for redirection a thousand times to say on task, and cutting crayons at random times.
Ingredients are listed in order of most to least amount found in the product. For Lucky Charms Ingredient #2 Sugar, #5corn syrup = sugar, #8 dextrose = sugar, and all the food coloring added. Play dough has less ingredients and food coloring then this product.
Cinnamon toast crunch has #3 Sugar, #6 Fructose = sugar, #8 Dextrose = sugar, and color as well. Lets not forget Maltodextrin and BHT. BHT is used to make tires, some plastics, and diesel fuel. Yumm!! These chemicals do nothing good for the brain or any other part of the body.
So though easy and delicious, Cereals are generally not great options for a Good Breakfast before school. Oh, wait, Cheerios you ask, how does this cereal compare?
What are better breakfast options?
So what is a parent and kid to do for a fast breakfast in the morning that will provide them with focus, memory, concentration, and great restraint? How can you include Protein, Fiber, Fruits, and not much sugar??
- Whole Wheat Bagels with Nut Butter and Berries.
- Whole Wheat English Muffins with Hard Boiled Eggs and Mozzarella cheese.
While sugary cereals may be a tempting and convenient breakfast option, they can have lasting negative effects on your child’s energy, focus, and behavior throughout the school day. By being mindful of what goes into their breakfast, you can set your kids up for better concentration, improved memory, and overall success in the classroom. Swapping out sugar-laden cereals for nutrient-rich alternatives that include protein, fiber, and healthy fats doesn’t have to be complicated. Small changes, like a whole wheat bagel with nut butter and berries, can make a big difference in supporting their mental and physical well-being. Let’s fuel our kids with the right kind of energy to help them thrive!
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