Coach Bonneville’s
Weekly Wellness Wisdom
Healthy habits start at home and start young! Teaching your children good health and wellness is a gift they will reap benefits from their whole lives! Each week publisher (and teacher, coach, trainer) Coach Michael Bonneville will provide little tips, tricks and ideas to help you bring healthy habits into your home - or just fine tune the routines you have!
They say "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" and for a good reason! Your morning meal helps break your overnight fasting period and is replenishing your glucose supply as well as other nutrients that will boost your energy levels and alertness during the day! With the morning rush getting to work, bus stops, daycares and school it is easy to grab and go something that might not provide your body with the nutrients it very much needs.
Sometimes children don't feel hungry in the morning and want to skip this important ritual. Teaching your children to eat a healthy breakfast every day helps them build an important habit for life. Below are some guides for discussion and ideas to get in this important first meal!
Why should we eat breakfast?
Start by explaining to your children that food gives him/her the energy they need to do schoolwork and to play. Ask him/her, “Can we drive our car without gas in the tank?” When he/she says, “Of course not!” you can tell them that food is like fuel in his/her tank.
What should we have?
Help your child learn how to put together a healthy breakfast. Using old magazines, have him/her cut out pictures of foods. Then, he/she can glue several “meals” on separate paper plates. Discuss his/her choices. Have they included a protein like eggs, milk, or yogurt? Do they have whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-wheat toast, or whole-grain waffles? Did he/she add fruit?
What’s for breakfast?
Looking for easy breakfasts that your children will love that is not cereal, toast or oatmeal? Try these!
Eggs cup: Spray the inside of a mug with nonstick spray. Whisk two eggs with a little fat-free milk, and pour into the mug. Stir in pieces of low-fat cheese, ham and/or veggies. Microwave for 1 ½-2 minutes, until the eggs are set.
Pineapple sundae: Scoop nonfat vanilla yogurt into a clear glass. Top with pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges (canned in their own juice and drained). Sprinkle with shredded coconut. (Can do this with any fruit to mix it up and make it fun!)
Quinoa bowls: To save time pre-cook quinoa and keep in the fridge. Take 1 cup cooked quinoa with ½ – ¾ cup milk (cow, almond, coconut, oat all fine), ½ teaspoon vanilla and ½ tablespoon maple syrup. Top with granola and assorted cut up fruit.
Green Smoothies: Give a creative name so kids want to drink it! Use this formula for perfect smoothies every time! 3 cups greens, 2 cups liquid (milk, fresh juice or even water) and 1 to 2 cups of fruit (fresh or frozen)
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Coach Michael Bonneville is publisher of Macaroni Kids SE Orlando and Winter Garden-Ocoee with his business partner, Jill Todd. Together they own JM Marketing & Consulting and Bonneville Football Academy. He is the co-founder of Bonneville Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower homeless, poverty and at-risk youth to find and create a belief in themselves and inspire them towards lifelong personal growth. Coach Bonneville is a business owner, teacher, motivational speaker, coach and fitness trainer. For more information: https://coachbonneville.com
