Horrid Red: Pink Flowers

Crunch time for breakfast; Sugary cereals have come under fire, but there are alternatives for children.

The Herald April 8, 2004 | Lorna MacLaren BREAKFAST is quite rightly considered the most important meal of the day. However, an investigation has found many of the most popular varieties of cereals are far from the healthiest options. Is this really a surprise?

A report by Which? magazine revealed many cereals marketed at children contain excessive sugar, salt and saturated fat. Parents offering Coco Pops and chocolate-covered Frosties to their offspring in the morning were probably aware that grapefruit or porridge is a better option, but, under pressure to get families awake, dressed and out to school or nursery, may have just been relieved to see those young ones eating anything at all.

That is if we even bother with breakfast. Research indicates that between a third and a quarter of 12 to 13-year-olds leave home without having eaten and many buy cola and crisps on the way to school. Yorkhill Hospital dietician Kerry Walker points out that the Which? magazine report was not all bad news and there are some healthier boxed cereals available.

“Ready Brek, porridge oats, Weetabix, Alpen are all healthy options,” she says. “Parents must not panic. Feeding children Frosties and milk is far better than nothing at all Being hungry mid- morning prompts them to turn to chocolate and fizzy drinks. Having breakfast boosts concentration levels and energy. It is not too difficult, however, to avoid starting your child on sugary foods and try and provide healthier, but interesting alternatives. Young people are quite happy with natural flavours if that’s what they are used to. Once hooked, it’s hard to break the habit.” We asked three experts to suggest healthy breakfast ideas that were quick to make and fun to eat. Three busy families tested them for us. healthybreakfastideasnow.com healthy breakfast ideas

Celebrity chef Nick Nairn lives in Perthshire with his wife, Holly, and baby, Daisy. He is an outspoken advocate of healthier eating for Scottish children. Anne Bannerman is acting head chef at the Grassroots ethical health food outlet in Glasgow’s west end. Part of her job is to take the natural food message into schools. Kerry Walker is a paediatric dietician based at Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow who educates children, families and organisations, on the benefits of nutritious food.

Healthy breakfast No 1 by chef Nick Nairn The breakfast: put a layer of cereal in the bowl with some dried fruits sprinkled on top.

Top it with yoghurt and some fresh banana and, if required, a little drizzle of honey.

“My daughter, Daisy, is only 18 months old and already homes in on the honey, so I have to mix it up so she eats everything,” says Nick. “Children used to the sugar-filled cereals will have to have their tastebuds re-educated. You can either let them go cold turkey and take them off the sugar altogether – if you can stand the tantrums – or sweeten their cereal with honey or soft fruits, which you can cut down over two weeks. It will take that long for them to begin to properly taste things again and enjoy the different flavours of the fruit and cereal.” “The reality is that most parents don’t have time to make their own muesli. In that case it’s best to buy a brand with lots of fibre and low, or no sugar, and salt. We use the Dorset brand at home. A supermarket cereal such as Weetabix would also do. To make things more interesting, especially for children who are used to sweet cereals, dried fruit is the key. Juicy raisins and dates are great.

Tested by:

Fiona McLintock’s children from Glasgow – Alistair, 15, who likes a sausage in a roll for breakfast; Lindsey, 10, who likes Chocolate Weetos; Catriona, seven, who prefers Coco Pops; and Jack, four, who likes Special K.

The verdict:

Mum Fiona was pleasantly surprised by the positive response to the alternative breakfasts. She says: “My daughters loved the cereal/ yoghurt combination, although they passed on the honey which was too sweet for them. Alistair ate it very reluctantly and then admitted it wasn’t too bad. Jack said he would eat the cereal and fruit separately, but not together. I found that by getting the kids involved in planning the ingredients they were more keen to try it. This is something we will definitely do again.

Healthy breakfast No 2 by Grassroots chef Anne Bannerman The breakfast: a spicy eggs dish is really warming and fun to eat. It does take time to prepare, however, so it’s probably best suited to a weekend or keeping it overnight in the fridge for a Monday morning. You can also adapt the ingredients and use your favourite vegetables. go to website healthy breakfast ideas

For a family-sized amount whisk up around 10 eggs while gently frying some finely-grated courgette and carrot in a little olive oil. Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and one of garam masala for spice. A splash of maple syrup will sweeten things up if you want. Add the vegetable mixture to the eggs and beat it in. Pour the mix into a heated loaf tin and bake at around 170C, until the middle of the mixture is just about firm to the touch and slightly brown. Cut it up into slices and eat it by itself or with wholemeal toast.” “Young people are more adaptable than you think and if you offer them alternatives to processed foods most are willing to try,” says Anne.

“I find that dried fruits are really enjoyed by all age groups and the younger ones actually think they are sweets.

Tested by:

Mary Freeman, a 17-year-old schoolgirl from Stirlingshire, whose favoured breakfast is a bowl of honey nut Cheerios. Mary was a little unsure of trying the baked egg option – she adapted it slightly by using mushrooms.

The verdict:

“It was much nicer than I thought it would be, but I wouldn’t like it every morning,” she says. “I’m not sure if baking eggs is healthier than scrambling, and scrambled egg would be a lot quicker. I usually only have a cooked breakfast if I get up later but I will have the spicy eggs again, probably at the weekend.” Mary’s mother added that the hot breakfast option did have the unexpected bonus of ensuring Mary sat down at the table to eat (and chat) instead of sneaking back to bed with her Cheerios.

Healthy breakfast No 3 by dietician Kerry Walker The breakfast: A bowl of porridge with milk is great and will fill them up until lunchtime – but add chopped banana or other fruits to sweeten. Fresh fruit juice is good in the morning.

Tested by:

Helen Brown’s children of Glasgow – Kristin, six, Robyn, three, and Gregor, one. All have healthier cereals including Weetabix and Shreddies and Kristin likes Cinnamon Grahams as a treat.

“It can be difficult to get a child used to sugar into eating something more healthy,” says Kerry.

The verdict:

Mother Helen says: “Lack of time is a huge factor for parents trying to get children out to school and nursery in the morning. I’m lucky because Robyn and Gregor enjoyed the porridge without any sugar or salt. Kristin says porridge makes her sick but liked Weetabix, with no sugar on it, and fruit juice. Breakfast is such an important meal. I try to send them out with full tummies as it’s a great start to the day.” Lorna MacLaren