HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-07-21, Page 19THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21,1999. PAGE 19.
Smart breakfast habits start with parents
"What’s for breakfast?" should be
at the top of the checklist as parents
and children prepare for going back
to school. Nutrition experts agree
that parents should lead by example
when it comes to teaching their
children healthy breakfast habits.
According to a recent telephone
survey of 200 Canadian parents
commissioned by Kellogg's, 65 per
cent stated that they think breakfast
is more important for children than
it is for adults.
While 99 per cent of respondents
indicated that nutrition plays an
important role in helping children
perform better in school, breakfast
remains the most likely meal to be
skipped.
Over one third of parents
surveyed reported that they often
eat nothing for breakfast.
Parents who set a good example
at breakfast play a key role in
helping their children develop
healthy eating habits for life.
"The best way for parents to
encourage their children to develop
healthy breakfast habits is to eat a
balanced breakfast with their
children," said Johanne Trudeau,
registered dietitian and manager of
nutrition communications at
Kellogg Canada Inc. "Making the
time to have breakfast with
children provides an opportunity to
talk about the school day ahead."
Experts agree that breakfast is
important for enhancing children's
learning, creativity and physical
performance. A wide range of
research show that children who
skip breakfast do not perform as
well in the areas of problem
solving, information selection,
recall and use of newly acquired
information, language skills and
creativity when compared to
children who eat breakfast.
Research also shows that when
children skip breakfast, they almost
never make up for missed nutrients
later in the day.
Balancing Breakfast
Did you know that the Canadian
agriculture and agri-food industry
is the third largest employer in
Canada, generating about $95
billion in domestic retail and food
service sales each year? Help our
farm vehicles to stay safe on the
road by allowing yourself extra
time and patience. The Huron Perth
Safe Farming Coalition reminds
you to watch for slow moving
vehicle signs and to be extra alert at
night watching for the red and
amber reflective tape on large
vehicles.
Install
Smoke
Alarms
IT’S THE LAW.
The Ontario Fire Code
requires that every home
have working smoke alarms.
. Install \
them in
your home
or cottage
today!
A balanced breakfast gives
children the energy and essential
nutrients they need to do their best
at school and at play. According to
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy
Eating, a balanced breakfast
includes choices from at least three
of the four food groups - grain
products, vegetables and fruits,
milk products, and meat and
alternatives. A balanced breakfast
can be as quick and convenient as a
bowl of ready-to-eat cereal with a
fruit, a glass of milk and juice.
"A balanced breakfast gives
children the nourishment they need
to grow," said Trudeau. "Children
who eat breakfast consume more of
life's essential nutrients and
perform better in school. About
one-quarter of children’s daily
energy and essential nutrient needs
should come from food they eat in
the morning."
"Parents should know that
breakfast need not be eaten all in
one sitting. The key is for children
to eat a balance of nutritious foods
throughout the morning, said
Trudeau.
When schedules are too hectic
for a sit down morning meal
parents can pack a breakfast for
kids to eat on the go. A nutritious
breakfast to go can be as simple as
a cereal bar, fruit, or a juice box
and cheese sticks.
Back to School Breakfast Test
To find out if your family's
breakfast habits make the grade try
Kellogg's second annual Breakfast
Test.
Yes No
□□Did you and your
children eat breakfast
today?
□□Did your breakfast
include grain products,
milk products and fruit?
□□Did you know that
children who eat break
■fast perform better at
school?
□□Did you know ready-
to-eat cereals provide
iron and zinc, minerals
that encourage
children's healthy
growth?
Plan Ahead for...........
Huron Pioneer Thresher & Hobby Association Inc. 38th Anniversary
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,
September 10, 11, & 12
It will soon be time for one of Western Ontario's most
successful events, the Huron Pioneer Thresher Reunion in Blyth.
This year the Thresher Reunion is celebrating its 38th successful
year and once again The Citizen will publish a special souvenir
edition for both regular readers and visitors. An additional 3,000
copies will be distributed to visitors and exhibitors attending the
reunion.
This edition will feature original stories about the people who
come to the Reunion and those who have helped make it a
success.
Take advantage of this opportunity to promote your business or
service.
Call Jeannette McNeil or Les Cook at 519-523-4792 or Fax
519-523-9140 to reserve your space or to discuss your
advertising plans.
□ □ Do you stock breakfast
foods your children
enjoy eating?
If you answered yes to one or two
questions ... (C-)
Your family's breakfast habits
need some work. A simple way to
get children to eat a balanced
breakfast every day is to serve their
favourite ready-to-eat cereal with
milk and fruit or juice.
If you answered yes to three or
four questions ... (B+)
There's room for a little
improvement. Keep in mind that
children need a balanced breakfast
to give them the energy and
nutrients they need to do their best
at school and at play.
If you answered yes to all five
questions ... (A+)
Well done! You know the
importance of a balanced breakfast
Playing role in food safety
As a result of a new public
education campaign called Fight
BAC!™, Huron County residents
will become increasingly aware of
an invisible enemy - bacteria -
which may be on their food, hands
or in their kitchens.
Huron County Health Unit has
joined national industry,
government, health, environmental,
and consumer groups in this effort
and will be working to spread the
word that although bacteria may be
out there, harmful bacteria can be
stopped through the use of some
simple food handling and storage
practices.
Huron County is urging people to
Fight BAC!™ to reduce the risk of
food-borne illness. Although the
exact incidence of food-borne
illness in Canada is unknown,
Health Canada estimates that there
are up to one million cases of food-
borne illness each year. Consumers
can protect themselves and their
families from getting sick by
following some basic rules for
handling food safely at home.
"The Health Unit is proud to be
part of this major food safety
initiative'," said Klaus Seeger,
senior public health inspector. The
for children's healthy growth and
development and are making
nutritious breakfast choices for
your family.
Smart Breakfast Tips
Today's busy lifestyles means
that finding time for the most
important things, like breakfast, can
be a challenge. A few simple
survival strategies can make it
easier even for young school-aged
children to help themselves to a
balanced and nutritious breakfast in
minutes.
Z Stock up on a variety of
breakfast foods kids enjoy.
Z Have kids set the table with
special breakfast bowls and
utensils before bedtime.
Z Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on
the kitchen table.
Fight BAC!™ Campaign will raise
public awareness about four ways
consumers can keep food safe from
harmful bacteria:
CLEAN -
Always clean your hands,
utensils and cooking surfaces
thoroughly with hot water and soap
before, during and after preparing
food. Sanitize countertops, cutting
boards and utensils with a mild
solution of bleach and water. All
produce should be washed under
cool running water prior to eating
or cooking.
SEPARATE-
Keep raw foods and their juices
separated from other foods during
storage and preparation. Keep
separate cutting boards for raw
meats and vegetables. Keep foods
covered.
COOK-
Prepare foods quickly, cook them
thoroughly and serve them
immediately. Don't let potentially
unsafe foods linger at room
temperature as bacteria can grow
quickly. The danger zone is
between 4°C (40°F) and 60°C
(140°F).
CHILL -
Refrigerate or freeze perishables,
Z Let kids choose their favourite
breakfast cereals.
Z Keep milk and juice in
easy-to-pour containers.
Z Set a good example for your
children to follow and be sure
to cal breakfast each morning.
Z Have convenient foods handy
for "Breakfast-to-go" - cereal
bars, fruit, cheese sticks and
juice boxes.
Parents interested in more
information on the benefits of
breakfast for children's healthy
growth and development can
contact Kellogg's by dialing 1-888-
876-3750, or by writing to the
Registered Dietitians at Kellogg
Canada Inc., 6700 Finch Avenue
West, Toronto, Ontario, M9W 5P2.
prepared food and leftovers within
two hours. Make sure the
refrigerator is set at 4°C (40°F) or
colder, and that the freezer unit is
set at-18°C (0°F).
"There is a need for co-ordination
at all levels of industry,
government and non-government
organizations to publicize and
emphasize the relationship of food
safety in reducing food-borne
illness in the Canadian population,"
said Seeger.
The Health Unit's campaign is
part of a Canada-wide safety
education effort spearheaded by the
Canadian Partnership for consumer
Food Safety Education, a unique
public-private partnership of over
40 federal and provincial
organizations committed to
reducing food-borne illness through
ongoing education about safe food
handling practices.
Additional information on food
safety and food-borne illness can
be obtained from the Huron County
Health Unit. For more information
on the national FightBac campaign,
visit the Partnership website at:
www.canfightbac.org