Does Your Morning Meal Measure Up?

Is your breakfast making the grade on nutrition? Check these three morning must-haves for a nutritious breakfast.

How does YOUR breakfast stack up? Does it include?

• Healthy whole grains: These grains are the “powerhouse” of grain foods. They’re good for your heart, and can even help with weight management. Try oatmeal or a whole grain breakfast cereal to start the day with a much-needed serving of whole grain.
• Fiber-full fruit: We need one to two cups of fruit each day, and breakfast is a great time to get a head start on your day. Opt for whole fruit, instead of juice, and top your cereal with bananas or strawberries, or make a fruity smoothie (INSERT link to smoothie recipe).
• Naturally nutrient-rich milk: Whether in a glass, on top of your favorite cereal, or in a latte, milk provides nutrients you need, at breakfast.

IT’S JUST NOT BREAKFAST WITHOUT MILK. DID YOU KNOW?

• Not only is a half cup of lowfat milk a tasty complement to any crunchy cereal, it triples your calcium and phosphorus at breakfast. In fact, when you pair whole grain cereal with milk you’re getting all four “nutrients of concern” – calcium, potassium, vitamin D and fiber – the nutrients most likely to be lacking in America’s diets.
• Grabbing an English muffin and coffee while reading the newspaper? Make it a café au lait with six ounces of milk added to a half cup of strong coffee and you’ll get nine essential nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin D, calcium, riboflavin and phosphorus.
• Ever wonder if you should add milk or water in your oatmeal? Adding milk, instead of water, provides nine times more calcium than oatmeal made with water.