Although breakfast is the most important meal of the day, high schools students often disregard this well-known fact because of lack of spare time in the morning and lack of hunger due to the early hours it is necessary to eat at. It is important for the overall health of teenagers that the trend of missing breakfast changes.
Not only is skipping breakfast bad because is stunts energy levels for the day, people who don’t eat breakfast are more likely to snack during the day, especially on foods that will not contribute to good health and effective learning. “My morning is usually pretty rushed so I almost never have time for breakfast but I always make sure to pack a snack or two for the day,” senior Julia Bogart said.
With the boost of energy that breakfast can provide, snacking won’t be nearly as necessary to get students through the day. According to Betterhealth.vic.gov.au, “Breakfast breaks the overnight fasting period, replenishes your supply of glucose and provides other essential nutrients to keep your energy levels up throughout the day.”
One of the bigger concerns with teens edging out nutritious breakfasts is that coffee drinking has become more and more common as well as other high energy drinks. Becoming coffee dependent at such young ages stunts growth and development and can cause heart problems later on.
Wanting to change your eating habits in the morning but don’t have enough time? Here are a few tips and tricks to easy enjoyable eating:
Peanut lovers, this one’s for you: peanut butter and banana toast is an easy, delicious start to the day. This is more for early risers who have an extra few minutes in the morning to make this fresh. Other alternatives for ingredients include raisins instead of banana slices, or jam instead of peanut butter. If you need something even more exciting to get ahead of the day, avocado toast is another great option. Because of all the nutrients in avocados, it is the best way to start your day with plenty of energy for school.
If you don’t eat peanut butter, or just need something that is less time consuming, a tasty fruit smoothie could be the way to go. If your mornings are rushed like mine, this is a great and easy option that you can prepare at night so it will be ready to go by morning. This also allows for variation in flavor based on the fruits your prefer, and can be mixed and matched every day for something new.
Although this next one is definitely not for everyone, yogurt with granola and/or fruit is always an easy, kick-start-the-day option. Similar to a smoothie, it is quick and flavors can be easily mixed up so you are never bored with your breakfast. And for those rushing the most to get out of the house on time, the easiest alternative is simply a banana and/or nuts.
