The SNAP-Ed Senior Assistant conducted a series of 7 classes with a school parent group that met once a month at 8:00a.m. During the lesson on Breakfast Made Easy for Everybody, they all discussed how hard it was to find time to eat breakfast. Seventy percent of the group skipped breakfast because they thought it would help them reduce their calorie intake for the day but found that they were still unable to lose weight despite skipping the meal.

We talked about the disadvantages of missing a morning meal. Various studies have found that by skipping breakfast you are more likely to be overweight. Less likely to meet recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption and more likely to consume unhealthy snacks. We went over how breakfast is considered an important meal because it breaks the overnight fasting period, replenishes your supply of glucose and provides other essential nutrients to keep your energy levels up throughout the day. We then shared ideas on easy recipes, how to keep quick and easy foods on hand and how to prepare and pack the night before. 

At the end of the series of lesions the Senior SNAP-Ed Assistant reviewed what was taught. The group was most impressed with how adding simple fruits and dairy products to their morning routine helped them have more energy throughout the day and controlled their hunger better than skipping breakfast. They were also getting more fruits and protein in their diets by eating breakfast. 

Two of the parents said that they have started packing a healthy breakfast and meeting with a group to go walking every morning. They both said that they have more energy and are losing weight now.