Start the Day Right with a Healthy Breakfast

As you all know my get in shape gear had a slight set back with since I have been sick. While I haven't been up to exercising, I still make it a point to start of the day right with a good breakfast. I am always trying to get more fiber in my diet and one of my favorite ways to get more is by eating cereal for breakfast. My personal favorites are by General Mills: Cheerios, Chex Mix, and Fiber One are regulars in our pantry.

I was pleased to hear that General Mills recently announced a:

Commitment to further reduce sugar in cereals advertised to kids under 12 to single digit grams of sugar per serving. The company has already been reducing sugar in cereals while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.

That's great news to me because, as a mother of a toddler and former elementary teacher who used to see the terrible lunches students routinely brought to school, childhood obesity and the unhealthy eating habits of our youngest has long been a concern of mine. Cereal is a convenient and quick way to start the day. I like to add fresh fruit on top to also get even more fiber and a serving of fruit in all at once.
Did you know that ready-to-eat cereal eaters consume less fat, less cholesterol and more fiber than non-cereal eaters? Cereals also deliver important vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients, making cereal a top source of key nutrients in children´s diets.

Other cereal benefits:

• Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5% of sugar in children´s diets.
• Ready-to-eat cereal is the No. 1 source of whole grains in a child´s diet today.
• More frequent cereal eaters tend to have healthier body weights and lower Body Mass Index measures.

Studies also demonstrate the benefits of eating breakfast. A 1998 study showed that children who eat breakfast tend to perform better at school. Compared to children who skip breakfast, children who eat breakfast score higher on tests, are less likely to miss class or be tardy, have fewer reported discipline problems, and make fewer trips to the office.

For more information about kids and cereals, please visit Cereal Health and Wellness..

Right now if you visit here you will find a $1 off coupon for one of four General Mills cereals.

Disclosure: Italicized information and free cereal coupons were all provided to me by General Mills through MyBlogSpark. This post also relates my own personal opinions and thoughts, that are just that...my own, and were not influenced or biased in any way.