How healthy is your breakfast?
We’ve all heard lots about how cereals are “part of a balanced breakfast.” But let’s be honest… how many kids actually eat the part that’s nutritious. You know… the other stuff pictured around the cereal bowl in all those ads: an egg, a piece of toast, some fruit, and juice. A lot of mornings, most of us are lucky if we get something (anything) into them before they run to catch the school bus.
When my kids were still in diapers, my cousin (who is a nutritionist) gave me a stern talking-to about the health benefits (or lack there of) in cereal. Since then, some of my friends have taken to calling me the “cereal nazi.” I wear that badge of honor with pride, and have trained my children to read the side of the cereal box before ever asking if it can grace our pantry shelves.
Yes, my kids are the ones running down the aisle feverishly trying to find cereals with at least 3 grams each of protein and fiber, but as few grams of sugar as possible (4 grams = 1 tsp. added sugar. Most nutritionists and doctors suggest you look for cereals with less than 5-10 grams.). If you’ve never tried it, you have no idea how difficult this little task actually is. Most cereals have barely 1 gram of protein! In fact, a bag of Doritos will do more to starve off your kids’ hunger than a whole box of some cereals. And with few schools allowing morning snacks, I need to get as much protein as possible into my kids each morning to keep their brains focused on learning (without being distracted by a rumbling tummy). It’s amazing how a bowl of cereal with 10 grams of protein will really keep you satisfied until lunch.
Thankfully, we’ve all grown to love the Kashi cereals, and the few made by Kelloggs and Post that pass the test. And every now and then I buy one of “the other cereals” (such as my guilty pleasure – pictured above). But we don’t eat those for breakfast… instead, we’ve found they make great desserts (after dinner) on those days when an extra special treat is needed. Isn’t that what a product like that is for?
Get the facts… to check out how your favorite cereal fares when it comes to nutrition. And if you’re looking for easy alternatives to cold-cereal in the morning, how about a cheesy breakfast bean dip with chips, or toast with sliced apples and peanut butter (one of my daughter’s favorites)? Need more? Here are 100 more quick and healthy breakfast ideas.
I love my iPhone, that’s a given. But this morning I wasn’t exactly “feelin’ the love” about that little contraption. I was walking along a peaceful road near my house, when a jarring voice cuts through the silence of my headphones and commands, “Run 2 Minutes.” My lungs screamed against this command, but I attempted the second of the two-minute runs in today’s program.
Now that I’m six weeks out, I can finally say “why didn’t I do this sooner?!”
In case all the pink packaging on store shelves hasn’t clued you in, October is 


