It’s that dreadful month of the year again. The month where staying up until midnight is the usual, when anxiety and jittery nerves fill your soul, and when cramming takes over your days. Welcome to the month of midterms!
According to healthychildren.org, twelve percent of children ages 8-12 skip breakfast, and by the time kids reach adolescence, thirty percent skip breakfast each morning.
Although you might be going to sleep late and rushing to get to school the next morning, consuming breakfast is crucial. Teenagers who don’t eat breakfast are running off of a meal consumed about ten hours prior. A balanced breakfast enables a student to have more energy and better concentration.
The “sleeping late and rushing to school” excuse is common in high school, but studies show the possible detriments of skipping the most important meal of the day.
“We know that the biggest predictor of overeating is undereating, many of these kids skip breakfast and lunch, but then go home and don’t stop eating,” said Dr. Marcie Beth Schneider, M.D., FAAP, a member of the AAP’s Committee on Nutrition and an adolescent medicine physician in Greenwich, Connecticut, as quoted in an article by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
The rationale to skipping meals is actually causing individuals binge eat at night, resulting in unhealthy habits.
Many high school teenagers say that they would eat a healthy breakfast on the go, but don’t know what to eat. Quite frankly, it’s simple.
There are many different choices that are quick, easy, and healthy that could provide an early morning energy booster. A breakfast that includes a balance of protein and complex carbohydrates is likely to boost a student’s school performance for the remainder of the day.
Instead of eating sugary cereals, coffee and energy drinks that will induce a crash later in the day, affecting blood sugar and energy levels, try whole grain toast with peanut butter and banana, a delicious balance of the salty, nutty taste from the peanut butter, the creamy sweetness from the banana, and an extra crunch from the toast.
While you can opt for white bread, whole wheat is a healthier alternative. That extra kick of fiber can definitely make a difference when it comes to test taking.
Also, a quick yogurt parfait with honey, granola, and berries is a sweet and nutritious choice. Yogurt is a great source of calcium and berries are loaded with natural sugars and carbohydrates.
For your salty side, quickly whip up some eggs or egg whites that are full of protein and nutrients and will keep you full throughout the day.
Eating a healthy breakfast in the morning is crucial, especially the day of a big test. A few extra minutes in the morning to set a quick bite can boost your test scores tremendously.