Fuel the school day with an A+ breakfast

When you send kids off to school, a healthy breakfast fuels their school day, prepares them to learn and sets the tone for the rest of the day. Adults can enjoy the same benefits from a good breakfast.

Even so, studies show breakfast is the most-skipped meal of the day. On average, 13% of school-aged kids and 27% of 12- to 19-year-olds skip breakfast, which means going up to 12 hours without eating.

When you eat breakfast, you're breaking the fast since your last meal, and your body is ready to power up for the day.

What makes breakfast so important for kids?

Study after study shows that breakfast provides many benefits for children and their learning experience.

Those who eat breakfast:

• Can score significantly higher on standardized math, spelling and reading tests.
• Develop a healthy breakfast habit that can carry over into adulthood.
• Have better brain function, memory, attention and energy.
• Perform better on vocabulary tests, math problems and challenging mental tasks.
• Show increased focus, alertness, improved moods and ability to deal with frustration.
• Tend to have lower body weight and struggle less with weight-related challenges in life since they may not be eating unhealthy foods or overeating later in the day.

Kids of all ages have plenty of reasons why they skip the morning meal. Some are picky eaters or don't like traditional breakfast foods. Teens may skip breakfast because they think they'll gain weight. Faced with hectic schedules of homework, extracurricular activities and part-time jobs, students may not prioritize time for breakfast.

Building blocks of a balanced breakfast

A balanced breakfast has three key building blocks: protein, healthy fat and carbohydrates. These nutrients provide calories for energy, support growth and contain essential vitamins and minerals.

Longer-lasting energy comes from lean proteins and fats, while grains, starches and fruits give you a quick energy surge. Both types are necessary for your health and performance.

The fun part about breakfast is that you can eat any type of food — it doesn't need to be traditional breakfast foods like toast or bacon and eggs.

Think outside the cereal box and consider:

• Leftover veggie pizza or lasagna, cold chicken or meatloaf from last night's dinner on a whole grain bun with a piece of fruit.
• Roll up a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs and cheese in a whole-grain tortilla with a side of fruit.
• Stuff a whole-wheat pita with peanut butter, banana slices and raisins.

Breakfast bowls are trending and can be savory or sweet, warm or cold, and are a great way to use leftovers.

Try these breakfast bowl ideas:

• Arrange quinoa, slices of hard-boiled egg or tofu chunks, avocado, chopped onions and grape tomatoes on a bed of kale and drizzle with low-fat ranch dressing.
• Spoon seasoned black beans into a bowl, add chopped tomatoes and green onions, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Serve with a whole-wheat tortilla.
• Top leftover roasted sweet potatoes with chopped tomatoes, a poached egg and a pinch of red pepper flakes or splash of hot sauce.

More traditional breakfast choices may be:

• Granola with fresh or frozen berries, topped off with Greek yogurt.
• Old-fashioned oats with some cinnamon, nuts and apples. A make-ahead option for oatmeal is overnight oats.
• Whirl up a smoothie with milk, Greek yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit, and flaxseed or chunks of avocado. For a nutritious bonus, add some cauliflower to make it extra creamy
• Whole wheat toast spread with peanut butter and a banana on the side.

Whether you're getting your kids ready for a successful day at school, preparing to start another busy workday or tackling your to-do list, eating a healthy breakfast fuels your body and energizes your mind.

Try this recipe for your next breakfast:

Overnight Orange Cinnamon French Toast

Makes 10 slices

8 slices whole-wheat bread
8 eggs
1 cup orange juice
1 cup skim milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Lightly coat a loaf pan with cooking spray. Tear the bread into chunks and place in the pan. In a medium bowl, combine the eggs, juice, milk, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Whisk until well-mixed. Pour the egg mixture over the bread, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Heat oven to 350 F. Remove plastic wrap from pan and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

Nutritional per slice: 182 calories, 6 grams total fat, 303 milligrams sodium, 24 grams total carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 8 grams sugar, 9 grams protein.

Caitlin Terpstra is a dietitian in Nutrition in Owatonna, Minnesota.