Powering Your Brain Back to School

As we dust off the summer fun, how can we ignite our brain to get ready for reading, writing, and all that homework. In this blog, we will look at key foods to add to breakfast, lunch and after school snacks to boost that brain power. If you missed the segment from Monday click on the link for this blog live on We Are Austin.

 

Breakfast

Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day. It help to jump start our bodies and brains. Let’s set ourselves up for success by choosing food that power our brains first thing in the morning

•  Overnight Oats
  • Let’s be real for a second. The morning time is like the decathlon. You have a ton of different task that must be executed with precision in a short amount of time and on little sleep.
  • Wouldn’t it be nice not to need to make breakfast? Overnight oats to the rescue!
  • In a jar pour in 1/2 c oats with 1 cup of milk
  • Add in any fruit you like. We tend to use frozen fruit like blueberries
  • Add in yogurt or protein powers to make sure to get your 30 gm at breakfast. Then shake it and place in the fridge overnight.
  • Check out our Pinterest Page for more recipe ideas.
• Yogurt Parfait
  • top it with walnuts (a good source of brain-saving omega-3s)
  • berries (one of the most concentrated sources of antioxidants).
  • Protein from the yogurt, combined with fiber and whole grains from our delicious Kind Granola gets digested slowly for steady energy (and better concentration) all morning long.
•  Eggs & Toast with a Twist
  • Eggs – 30 gm of protein at breakfast has been shown to help boost kids brain concentration and help with keeping you full all the way to lunch
  • Toast topped with avocado- move over butter! If you have not tried this, it is a MUST
  • Avocado’s – are loaded with omega-3 fatty acid, dietary fiber, vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C.

 

Lunch

Fueling your body and brain mid day requires some simple ingredients

• Whole grains for sustained energy
• High quality protein
• Colors – for antioxidants

With this recipe it makes packing those lunch boxes easier.

•  Old Faithful
  • – I can’t tell you how many of my clients tell me they LOVE PB &J for lunch yet feel like they need to change b/c it’s not healthy all wee need to add is some bright colors
• Not a sandwich
  • Another comment I hear in my office is I get one more sandwich in my lunch box I’m going to scream.
  • Are you ready for one of my favorite products?! If you follow us on Instagram you have seen a few post about Yumbox! You can fill them up according to the pictures or be creative with other ideas. Kids really do get excited about lunches and tend to meet their nutritional needs when using this product. Dietitian Approved!

 

Afterschool Snack

All to often we forget HOW IMPORTANT after school snacks are for you and your kids health! They will help your child’s blood sugar stay balanced to keep their energy levels even. Choosing low-sugar snacks that combine protein and some slow-release carbohydrate (like fruit or whole grains) will help avoid the up and down in their moods.

•  KIND Bar
  • From Drill Team, soccer, football, piano after school can be just as fast pace as that morning rush. Having these bars can truly be a life saver. I love KIND bars for a few reasons
    • 1- they don’t melt!! With Texas heat continuing for awhile I can throw this in anyone’s bag or purse and not worry about it changing or melting on anything
    • 2- you can see what it made out of- nuts, seeds and fruit wrapped with some honey that meets all our requirements for a brain and body booting snack
  •  Study Power Trail Mix
    • Pumpkin seeds- full of Zinc to boost your memory
    • Almond’s – A study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline,
    • Whole grain cereal -Like everything else in your body, the brain cannot work without energy. The ability to concentrate and focus comes from the adequate, steady supply of energy – in the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing whole grains with a low-GI, which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day.

 

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Thank you for stopping by,

Adrien