Before you send your kids out the door and off to school there may be something they’re missing – and it’s not their backpacks or lunches!

Eating breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day. Kids who eat breakfast are more alert, perform better on school tests and have fewer behavior problems than kids who skip breakfast. Conversely, breakfast skippers tend to feel tired and irritable in the morning.

After sleeping eight to 10 hours, your child’s body needs to replenish its “fuel” by eating a nutritious breakfast. A balanced breakfast is the key to supplying your child’s body with the fuel it needs to keep going all day long. A combination of protein and carbohydrates helps to maintain the blood sugar and ward off hunger. Many kids eat breakfast; however, they feel tired and hungry only after a few hours. If this sounds like your child, chances are she’s not eating the proper mix of food.

Some foods to avoid are:

• Sugared cereal
• Scones
• Donuts
• Cinnamon rolls.

After eating a breakfast like this the blood sugar levels will surge. But after an hour they’ll plummet, leaving your child hungry again.

A balanced breakfast should include high fiber foods:

• Whole grain breads and cereals
• Fruit
• Vegetables
• Dairy
• Low fat protein.

As a busy mother of four and a working mom, I understand how hectic things can get in the morning.  Some healthy grab-and-go breakfast ideas I use with my kids are, a hard boiled egg with a mini bagel and a banana, or low fat drinkable yogurt, grapes and dry cereal in a paper cup. For those kids who love snack bars, try a low fat granola bar with mixed berries in a sandwich baggie and low fat milk in a paper coffee cup.