Eco back-to-school: Eco breakfasts for eco kids

Last week  and this week, the Eco Women have been talking about how to get your child geared up for school.  But what about fueling her young body?  What’s the best thing to feed him?

As any pediatrician will tell you, skipping breakfast is not an option if you want your child to be healthy.  All humans need food for fuel in the morning and growing children really need their nutrients to get their day started.  Foods that provide a good balance of protein, fruits, and healthy grains and not too much sugar or saturated fats are the way to go.  You also want to make sure your child starts the day well hydrated, so a glass of milk, juice, or a smoothie are important too.

Here in Recycla’s house, one daughter is a morning person who likes a big breakfast before school, while the other one would prefer to sleep in and then skip breakfast.  Because of that, one daughter will each something as simple as a  bowl of cereal with milk and banana slices and a glass of juice.  The other daughter might have whole wheat toast with a little butter and cinnamon, fruit salad (just fruit, not added sugar), and a yogurt smoothie.  Recycla’s husband makes great whole wheat pancakes and the girls often start the day with pancakes, fruit, and a tall glass of milk.  In the winter, one favorite breakfast is oatmeal (plain, not flavored) made with milk, a drizzle of maple syrup, and some raisins stirred in.

Sometimes breakfast is eaten on the run, and if that’s how things roll in your eco lair, take a look at this post written by Captain Compost, who offers some terrific ideas for healthy and organic convenience foods.

The foods that you buy your children are very important.  One thing that Recycla will not feed her children is conventional cereal.  The ingredients lists for those are filled with stuff she doesn’t want her family to eat, including genetically modified grains and high fructose corn syrup, not to mention the fact that so many of those cereals are high in sugar and low in nutritional value.  Instead, the family buys organic cereals that not only have better ingredients, but often also give part of their revenues to environmental non-profits.

Here are a couple of Recycla’s daughters’ favorites:

Hands down, Recycla’s children’s favorite organic cereals are made by EnviroKidz. With such flavors as Panda Puffs and Gorilla Munch, there are a variety of options to please every palate. Nutritionally, the cereals average 6-8 grams of sugar and 2 grams of protein per serving.

Instead of putting cheap plastic toys in each box of cereal, EnviroKidz makes the boxes themselves interesting. Each has photos of various animals and facts about them. There are puzzles and games to stimulate young minds too. Best of all, each box of EnviroKidz cereal tells kids what they can do to help the environment. Every year, EnviroKidz donates a portion of their profits to help environmental causes.

Recycla’s family also likes various cereals made by Kashi, including Autumn Wheat, which is her children’s favorite. As with the previously mentioned cereals, Kashi products are low in sugar, but some of them actually contain more protein. Autumn Wheat, for example, has 5 grams per serving.

When served with milk, some fruit, and a cup of juice, these cereals give Recycla’s children the energy they need to start the day ready to save the environment. They’re healthy, they’re organic, and they’re good for Planet Earth.

Tell the Eco Women:  What do you and your family like to eat for breakfast?

Images courtesy of the companies’ websites. The Eco Women are not employed by the companies mentioned here, nor were they paid to review these products. Darn.