The Breakfast Club
Sesame Street gives nutrition advice
My 7-year-old daughter has found Sesame Street — a welcome change from the same two live Raffi concerts we’ve been watching for years (no offense, Raffi — we truly adore you, but we’ve heard your songs and commentary many thousands of times by now).
While I am quickly getting to know all nine Emily-approved episodes by heart, I still adore the quirkiness of the characters (Prairie Dawn is my spirit character) and subtle adult humor.
Good lessons, too, though Elmo whines a bit too much for my taste. Regardless, I’d much rather have “Sesame,” as we call it, as the screentime of choice compared to many of the alternatives out there.
I just wish they’d consulted me before producing the Breakfast Club segment. I (mostly) agree with the sentiment:
“Have a morning meal and you’ll see how good you feel!”
Especially for growing children. Eating breakfast regularly can support attention, concentration, academic performance, energy, and mood.
So what’s the problem? Generalizations miss nuance, and you know I love some good nuance.
“[To join the Breakfast Club], all you have to do is be a breakfast eater. The most important meal of the day!”
Many of you will remember my I Got it Wrong Post, where I wrote about my changed stance on the necessity of breakfast for adults. The overarching message? It depends. Trust your hunger. If you don’t eat right away, make sure to listen to your body before you get too hungry, and then fuel yourself for sustained energy.
My thoughts about children and breakfast are slightly different, due to their stage of growth, evolving awareness of their needs, and the eating schedule many children in preschool and elementary school must adhere to.
After all, these children can’t interrupt circle time or a math lesson to say, “My body is telling me that I’m hungry!” We have to work within some constraints.
That being said, I recommend that parents make breakfast available, sit with their children as a model (even if you aren’t eating, because most kids want to be doing what the grown-ups are doing!). But please, please, please, don’t make breakfast a power struggle. Raising lifelong eaters who have a good relationship with food, their bodies, and speaking up for their needs relies on food and mealtime being positive experiences. Not “you aren’t leaving the table until you have another bite” struggles.
My biggest pet peeve with Sesame Street’s Breakfast Club song, however, is not that the children are eating breakfast (it certainly seems like a positive experience to me).
It is what they are being served.
As my husband jokingly announces every time the segment airs, “Where’s the protein?!” I’m so proud :)
But he’s got a point. I went back and watched it again and took notes on all of the foods mentioned and displayed:
eggs
bacon
bowl of cereal (described as “a.m. material”)
juicy fresh fruit (“to make your engine go toot” — they must have been desperate for a rhyme here, or maybe this is some of that subtle adult humor)
milk
juice
Overall, not bad.
But not necessarily balanced either. Kinda reminds me of the commercials for sugary cereals that I would see between cartoon shows as a kid, described as “part of a complete breakfast,” which essentially had an entire breakfast (healthfulness questionable) with the bowl of cereal on the side. So it was essentially the dessert to the healthy breakfast. It sure worked on me.
Of the above list, eggs, milk, and that fresh fruit make the grade.
Bacon, cereal, and juice, on the other hand? For most kids, I’m not even sure if I give them a passing grade.
Bacon occasionally, fine. But please, not a regular staple for “the most important meal of the day.” The salt, fat, and preservatives don’t leave much room for good other than palatability. Let’s find another protein for those growing bodies.
The cereal is anyone’s guess. A high fiber, low sugar option? Sure, that works, though they’d still need to make sure there is some protein and maybe a little healthy fat consumed with it, such as nuts, seeds, or Greek yogurt? (I’m dreaming, I know). It’s much more likely that the cereal is dessert in a bowl (Lucky Charms were my childhood favorite, after all) or a lower sugar option with the nutritional value of white bread — processed carbs without much else.
And juice? I once had a patient who stormed out of my office when I mentioned that all of the juice he was drinking was likely related to his high blood sugar levels. He was adamant that juice was healthy, because “it comes from fruit after all!!!” For a minute, I actually questioned myself.
The concern about fruit juice, even if it is fresh-squeezed or 100% natural, is that it is a concentrated source of carbohydrates that hits your bloodstream fast, and then you are left with an empty tank. There is a reason we use orange juice when someone has low blood sugar — it brings it back up quickly. This is not what most kiddos need to start their school day.
So what DO I recommend1? For all of you longtime readers, it comes back to my macronutrient equation: protein + healthy carb + healthy fat.
And while common breakfast foods are listed above, the foods themselves don’t really matter. Leftover chicken in the morning? A great protein to add to the list if that is your thing.
What is more important is mixing and matching at least one option from each column to get the nutrients and lasting energy to start the day.
What I love about this approach is that it can be as easy as your life needs. Grab-and-go breakfasts, such as string cheese, fruit, and some slivered almonds, take zero prep and leave you without any dirty pans or dishes.
In fact, I have had several parents create their own breakfast and lunch charts, allowing the kids to mix and match as they wish.
Thanks to Sesame Street for years of fun and mostly good advice. The nutritional content leaves a little to be desired, but I’m happy to take it from there. Let’s just hope Em approves some new episodes soon so I have some new content inspiration.
Thanks for being here,
~Allison
Disclaimer alert! Every child is different, and the recommendations that I provide are meant to inform and inspire but are not meant to replace medical advice. Please see your doctor or nutrition professional if you have questions about your child’s specific needs.
Great article and good advise for young and old alike
Love this article. 💕