08.06.10

Between our two families, we have four great kids to care for - two boys and two girls. Being a mom has of course brought us immense joy, fond memories and a lot of laughs - but it hasn't always been easy. While we know the fun that comes with raising kids - we're also very familiar with the daily challenges that are part of the package, too.

All too often, mealtime presents some of the biggest "mom headaches" - and breakfast is arguably the toughest mealtime of them all. The kids are sleepy. One has lost his homework; the other got a hairbrush stuck in her hair. You're late for a meeting and everyone is cranky. Getting a nutritious meal on the way to the bus/meeting/minivan/etc. can seem daunting.

As registered dietitians, we took this issue and made it our mission. We want to help busy families eat better because we believe that kids - even picky ones - will eat nutritious food without complaint as long as it looks and tastes great. We've been having a blast demonstrating how true this is - and it's even true during those harried mornings.

Half the battle in changing your family's nutrition habits is setting the tone in the right way, at the right time. Back-to-school season is a great time to introduce new rituals that will make your family stronger. Everyone's schedules change - and with them, so do eating patterns.

Start this school year right by making a pledge to serve milk to your kids every morning as part of their breakfast. Milk is naturally nutrient-rich like no other beverage, and people who miss out on a serving of milk in the morning often have a difficult time making up for the shortage later in the day. Not only that, but milk provides nutrients kids needs to start the school day out right - with B vitamins for energy, protein for lean muscle and calcium and vitamin D for strong bones. It helps everyone in your family maintain a healthy weight - because, as research suggests, eating breakfast, especially a cereal and milk breakfast, is an important strategy to maintain a healthy weight.

Besides all of the incredible nutrition-based reasons to serve milk in the morning, there's also something else that might need improvement: your child's attention span. Studies suggest that breakfast skippers have a harder time concentrating in the classroom, which could interfere with learning and school performance.

For tips and tricks on how to get your family into gear this school season, visit our back to school checklist.

About the Authors

Janice Newell Bissex and Liz Weiss are registered dietitians and The Meal Makeover Moms. As two of the nation's top experts on family nutrition, they're on a mission to help busy families eat better. Authors of The Moms' Guide to Meal Makeovers, Improving the Way Your Family Eats, One Meal at a Time, The Moms are expert at giving family-favorite recipes a healthy makeover. The Moms are also co-founders of the online Meal Makeover Moms' Club and MealMakeoverMoms.com, where they provide many helpful tools, recipes, tips, videos and a weekly radio podcast. Liz has written and reported on nutrition and health for CNN, PBS, The Health Network, Time Life Medical and ABC Boston for nearly two decades. Janice has served as nutrition consultant to the U.S. Senate and nutrition director for the New England Heart Center in Boston. They can be found on Twitter, @LizWeiss and @JaniceBissex, respectively.