With September approaching, families are starting to shop for school. Stores are filling with new end-aisle displays. Parents are wondering if they should wait for deeper discounts or will they miss the moment? Excitement mounts as parents and kids peruse the most popular, most desired in school supplies, clothes, backpacks and shoes. With their hair looking the best and faces freshly scrubbed, parents will be taking that memorable picture at the front door on the first school day. Schools yards will be palpable with excitement and nervousness. Parents will have a lump in their throat as they wonder where the time has gone. Is their child really ready for this stage of their life?

Being prepared to learn involves more than pens, pencils, calculators and other school supplies. Some purchases are made because outward appearances are part of self-confidence. However, schooling is also about being ready to learn. A Cochrane review of 36 research studies concludes that regularly eating breakfast has a positive effect on academic performance. The evidence is clearest when the data is most quantitative—mathematics and arithmetics—and in undernourished children. And it shouldn’t be a surprise. Brains require glucose to think and learn. At 2% of our body weight, the brain uses 20% of the calories consumed. Children who skip breakfast perform poorer on tests later in the morning than those who eat breakfast.

Eating breakfast provides more than calories. Increasing micronutrient intakes (iron, zinc, folate, vitamins A, C, B6, B12, DHA and EPA) in school-aged children (6-10 years) improves verbal learning and memory—even in well-nourished children.Many popular ready-to-eat-cereals (RTEC) are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals. Children who frequently consume RTEC have higher nutrient intakes than those who skip or eat other types of breakfasts. As a parent, you should realize that organic and natural RTEC are not typically fortified, so they are less nutrient-dense.

It is important to read the Nutrition Facts panel when choosing breakfast options. Compare the percent Daily Value (% DV) provided for essential nutrients (vitamins and minerals) as well as the sugar, fat, protein and fiber content. And don’t forget long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA), especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The research on the importance of DHA for normal brain development in children is increasing. Richardson and colleagues (2012) recruited healthy children who were in the bottom third of their class in reading. The 362 school-aged children (7-9 years) were randomized to receive either 600 mg DHA daily (versus corn/soy oil control). After 16 weeks of supplementation, they reported improvements in reading, especially in children with lower reading skills.

So the two tips are:

1.     Send children to school with breakfast in their tummy.

2.     Have that breakfast be a source of essential nutrients: vitamins, minerals, omega 3 fatty acids and dietary fiber.