Eating breakfast together boosts your family's wellbeing

Covid-19 lockdown created new routines for many families but back to school and returning to some normality can still be a daunting task. As schools re-open, Keelings Berry Breakfast Time initiative aims to provide parents with healthy recipes that are easy to prepare so families can reduce morning anxieties and spend some quality time together.

There have been positive behaviours to come out of Covid-19. A recent Keelings lifestyle report revealed that 47% of family households said they ate breakfast together during lockdown. Families spent more time together during school closures, however, this does not have to change because of back to school.

The report also found that households with children went from spending 16 minutes at breakfast to 19 minutes; a 20% increase. In the morning, these minutes are precious!  This increase shows that families enjoy sitting down together but might not usually have the time to do it. Irish owned, family business Keelings, developed Berry Breakfast Time to share recipes that can provide busy families with easy to prepare breakfast solutions and help keep up healthy family eating habits, particularly those developed in recent months.

There are many cues for anxiety in the morning for parents and children, in particular where a routine has been absent.  A planned environment can help encourage moments of family connectivity and a short time of calm before the days commute to school takes hold.

“Establishing a morning routine that includes time for a healthy family breakfast is transformational to family life. As well as the health benefits for your children, it is a great time to chat and connect and has a psychological calming effect on children – a healthy family breakfast creates the right mood at the start of the day for everyone.” comments family psychotherapist Dr John Sharry, (Adjunct Professor of Psychology at UCD).

A healthy breakfast can be an excellent way of getting fresh fruit into children’s diets. This study also found that 72% of children had cereal for breakfast, while only 11% had berries. Breakfast is an important mealtime for getting fresh fruit into a child’s diet in order to provide them with the right fuel for school. A little planning can go a long way in terms of time saved, which is why prepping breakfast the night before can be a good idea. 

Breakfast is an important meal to start the day according to Nutritionist Aveen Bannon:

“Breakfast is the perfect opportunity to refuel your brain and body after a night’s sleep. By choosing a healthy breakfast you can fill up with lots of essential vitamins like fibre, calcium, iron, folate, vitamin C and vitamin B12. In fact, eating a healthy breakfast offers many health benefits, including improved concentration, which will really help children to settle back in during those first weeks of school. Aim to include a fibre rich food, a protein source and some fruit to maximise the nutritional benefits.”

Only 6% of adults said breakfast was a priority meal, but 8 out of 10 said they eat breakfast at home. Berry Breakfast Time aims to remind everyone of the importance of breakfast time and how effective it can be to return to a normal routine. Don’t forget the special moments made at breakfast time, without taking from precious time to get out the door!

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