Breakfast Blunders

Ellen says: An alarm sounds in your home every morning, and it's not coming from your bedside clock radio. It's coming from the kitchen, where your child'd breakfast habits may be causing an unhealthy commotion.

Groan at the latest facts: Of the 467 ten-year-old children in one study, 16 percent skipped breakfast, and they didn't bother to make up for the calories or nutrients at other meals, The 41 percent who grabbed breakfast at home didn't do much better, eating junk foods higher in sucrose than the rest of the survey kids who ate at school.

The kids who ate breakfast at home chose cakes, cookies, and desserts instead of healthier foods. Why? when both parents work, it's tougher to supply kids with healthy breakfasts. But even a busy family can start their morning with a healthy nutritional bang. Why not prepare fruit based muffins ahead of time ? Keep bagels, low fat or non fat yogurt , cereals, fruit, and skim milk available so children have plenty of choices that need little or no preparation.