Is Cereal A Good Breakfast Choice For Your Kids?
Do you like the idea of cereal for breakfast because it is easy to serve and your children like the taste?
But isn’t all cereal just full of sugar? Are there any nutritional benefits to cereal?
Let’s take a look...
Consider Iron
With careful label reading you will find some cereals can be a good source of iron and fiber. The recommended daily intake for iron by age is:
Ages 1-3: 7mg
Ages 4-8: 10mg
Ages 9-13: 8mg
Ages 14-18: 11-15mg
That may not sound like a lot, but the most bioavailable (aka best absorbed) source of iron is meat. And three ounces of beef is only 2 mg of iron.
Thankfully, there are a lot of plant-based sources of iron as well. Some plant-based sources are higher in milligrams per serving. For example, one cup of white beans is 8mg.
However, plant-based sources of iron are not absorbed as well due to natural inhibitors in the diet. Therefore, a diet of both animal and plant-based sources of iron is best, as animal sources improve the absorption of iron in plant-based sources.
If your child does not have a balanced diet of meat and veggies, consider carefully selecting cereals as a way to ease the scale in the right direction. Fortified cereals can have up to 18 mg of iron, not to mention additional fiber!
Consider Fiber
If a cereal has 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving, it is considered a good source.
The American Academy of Pediatrics and Institute of Medicare suggests several ways in determining adequate fiber for children, which is 19-38 grams of fiber per day depending on age and calorie intake.
One way to tell if your children are getting enough fiber is a regular bathroom routine. There is a high prevalence of childhood constipation. Low fiber intake increases risk of other health consequences as well.
If your child does not eat a lot of fruit, veggies, and high fiber grains, once again cereal can help!
Consider Protein
When incorporating cereal in your breakfast routine, what protein source could be served as well?
Protein is helpful to feel full. Dairy choices could be served on side or with the cereal. Kefir or Fairlife milk would boost the protein over cow’s milk. Nuts sprinkled in or fruit with nut butter can also be tasty! Cereal has its advantages and it can be part of a complete breakfast!
Choosing Cereals
Here’s what to look for on the nutrition label when selecting cereals for your kiddos.
10 grams of added sugar or less
5 grams of protein
3 grams of fiber
That’s it! Keeping these 3 things in check means you are not giving your children a bowl of sugar for breakfast.
Note: Most all cereals are fortified with vitamins and minerals. If it says 10-19% DV it is considered a good source of that nutrient.
If you could use help navigating these considerations and others for your child’s nutrition, feel free to CONTACT ME.
I’d love to help you and your family.
