I was sitting in the airport this morning, getting ready to dig my spoon into a bowl of steelcut oatmeal with raisins, bananas and brown sugar when I decided to post a picture of it on my Instagram account. Oatmeal seemed like a good choice to get my day started without bogging me down. While uploading the photo with caption, “…simple is best”, I got to thinking about a chart I recently came across regarding the importance of breakfast, especially related to children and their education. You and I, as adults, know the challenge of focus and retention when we get a rumble in our bellies. Imagine that hurdle as a child, already struggling to stay in tune with the teacher, mind wandering to the playground, cartoons and friends. A solid breakfast inclusive of some protein, carbs and healthy fats can help get the brain and body on track for the day.
Breakfast fuels learning. (photo courtesy of No Kid Hungry on Facebook)
That being said, back to the chart. It is available from Share Our Strength and their NoKid Hungry campaign, bringing awareness to things like the fact that regular breakfast can help students average 17.5% higher on math test scores and that those same students are less likely to experience hunger as adults. These types of facts hit home for me, considering that 51,000 children here in my home of Ventura County aren’t confident as to where their next meal will be coming from. Organizations like FOOD Share of Ventura County work hard everyday to combat hunger, but it takes everyone’s help to share a bite. It starts in the morning.
Breakfast in the classroom. (photo courtesy of BreakfastEveryday.org)
Mom and dad used to say that breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and it’s hard to argue with simple facts about why that is. Click here to view the whole chart and to find schools in your area offering school breakfast programs.
To find organizations in your area needing help, or to get hunger assistance for your and your children, try the resources below.
www.feedingamerica.org
www.nokidhungry.org
www.foodpantries.org
Everybody's Hungry 