Morning meals are crucial for students

Amanda Holliday is a registered dietitian and a clinical professor in UNC’s Department of Nutrition in the Gillings School of Global Public Health. Below, she shares her knowledge about the importance of eating breakfast and suggestions for students who eat breakfast on-the-go.

Do most UNC students eat breakfast?

I really don’t know. But if they’re like most other people, they probably don’t eat breakfast consistently. People get in a hurry. I think our society just moves faster and faster every day, and we get in a hurry and we eat on the run. So, if we do eat breakfast we eat something quickly on our way out the door or while we’re commuting.

 

Some quick, low-calorie breakfast options

 

Cheerios (one cup) - 103 calories

2 percent milk (one cup) - 138 calories

Oat bran bagel - 145 calories

Apple slices (one cup) - 57 calories

Quaker multigrain oatmeal (half cup)- 133 calories

Chobani Yogurt - 100 calories

Hard peanut butter granola bar - 116 calories

Granola bar with oats, fruits and nuts - 111 calories

What are the health benefits of breakfast for students?

Well, certainly we know that students who consume breakfast score higher on tests. Your brain is more alert and, therefore, you’re going to do better. Your performance on whatever task you’re doing is going to be better. Breakfast is the first fuel of the day, so our brains need it, and all of our body systems benefit from some fuel early in the day.

How does eating breakfast affect students mentally?

Well, you’re providing energy for your brain. But I do think that they’re mentally not as sharp as when they eat breakfast. I think many of us can attest to that. When you skip a meal, you don’t feel as good.

If you had to put together the perfect breakfast for a college student who has only a few minutes to prepare it, what would you suggest?

Well I think that oatmeal is good. You can buy plain oatmeal very cheap. You can just do a cup of oatmeal and one and three quarters of a cup of a liquid. You could do a cup of low-fat milk and the rest water. Then you can add some dried fruits, maybe some raisins or dried cherries, and just throw that in there … throw in some walnuts or almonds. Then have a cup of yogurt.

Now what if you have a college student who has absolutely no time? What is an on-the-go item that he or she could eat?

A piece of fruit and a good granola bar. There are some really tasty low-fat granola bars that incorporate almonds, walnuts and dried fruits in them that are tasty and that would be easy. Then they can eat an apple on the way to class and eat their granola bar.

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