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Take a Bite Out of Breakfast

The busy morning rush is no reason to skip breakfast. Consider these ideas to make sure your family starts the day fueled and energized.

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Updated:

October 9, 2025

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Bowl of cereal. Credit: Photo by Scott Bauer / USDA Agricultural Research Service

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Keys. Phone. Bags. Breakfast? As we walk out the door in the morning, we check to make sure our family has everything needed for the day ahead. But during the morning rush, it can be easy to forget to eat.

A great way to get into a healthful daily routine is with a nourishing, well-balanced breakfast. The word "breakfast" literally means to "break" the "fast." When we wake up in the morning, our bodies have been without food since our last meal or snack the night before – a kind of fasting. If we do not eat in the morning, we may be fasting for nearly 18 hours before lunchtime rolls around.

There is a lot of truth to the age-old saying "breakfast is the most important meal of the day." According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (2023), children and teens that eat breakfast tend to do better in school because they have more energy and are better able to concentrate. Eating breakfast is associated with positive benefits like decreased irritability and improved memory, attention span, and even test scores. An empty stomach does not just growl; it can often lead to belly aches and headaches. This would make it difficult to focus on much, including reading or math.

Start the day right

The key to a healthful breakfast is making sure it is well-balanced. A well-balanced breakfast fuels our bodies with the energy and nutrients needed to run well. Ideally, breakfast should include foods from at least three of the USDA’s MyPlate five food groups: protein foods, grains (especially whole grains), dairy, fruits, and vegetables (U.S. Department of Agriculture, n.d.).

Luckily, there are lots of options for getting a well-balanced breakfast. For one, a low-cost and worry-free choice is school breakfast. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Education (2022), over 400,000 School Breakfast Program meals are served every school day across the state. Many school districts offer a hot school breakfast served in the cafeteria or provide a grab-and-go morning meal in the classroom. School meals must meet strict nutrition standards. If your family is short on time in the morning, consider what the school cafeteria is preparing and make a plan for your child to eat when they get to school.

If your family will be making breakfast at home, here are just a few quick and easy breakfast ideas to keep in mind:

Make a yogurt parfait the night before and store it in the refrigerator. In a bowl or to-go cup, spoon layers of your favorite low-fat yogurt and sliced fruits, along with granola or chopped nuts. Keep it covered in the fridge overnight, and you will have a grab-and-go breakfast for the next morning.
Do you think oatmeal is dull and boring? That is far from the case! Oatmeal is a nutritional powerhouse. It is a great source of vitamins and minerals, and has lots of fiber to keep your belly full for hours. Think of oats as a blank canvas and "make it your way." One idea to try: Heat your oatmeal with milk instead of water for added protein and calcium. When oatmeal is hot out of the microwave, stir in a dollop of peanut butter or other nut butter for a filling, heart-healthy add-in. Top it with sliced fruit and enjoy.
Who doesn't love a smoothie? Smoothies can be fun to sip while fueling your body in the morning. In a blender, combine low-fat milk or yogurt, fruit, and even oats or peanut butter. Blend your favorites on high to the desired consistency, adding a liquid such as milk, 100% fruit juice, or water to thin it out if needed. A good tip is to use frozen fruit when making smoothies (such as frozen berries); they act like their own ice cubes in the smoothie, so there is no need to add ice. Another tip: smoothies can also be a fun way to sneak in extra vegetables. Spinach is a great add-in, as it has a very mild flavor and won't be detected, except for maybe that greenish color.
When you are really squeezed for time, consider grabbing two or three of the following on your way out the door: a hard-boiled egg or two, some string cheese, a handful of nuts, or your fruit of choice. When eaten together on the run, these grab-and-go foods can make a filling breakfast meal.

Think outside the (cereal) box

If you are not a big fan of traditional breakfast foods, there are no strict rules for what you can or cannot eat for breakfast. Why not make a quick ham and cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread for your morning meal? Or perhaps reheat some of the leftover casserole from last night's dinner? There is nothing special about eating "traditional" breakfast foods for breakfast. Your body will be happy with any combination of healthful foods.

One last thing to keep in mind: kids learn a lot from the adults around them. A great way to get children to eat breakfast is for parents and caregivers to role model and eat it themselves. When parents eat breakfast, children see it is important too. When both parents and children eat a morning meal, everyone is fueled and ready for the day ahead.