Start the Day Right Why Breakfast? After going all night without eating your body needs to refuel, which is why breakfast is so important. Breakfast eaters tend to eat better, have healthier body weights and be more physically active than people who don’t eat breakfast. People who eat breakfast tend to get more fiber, calcium, vitamins A and C, zinc, riboflavin, and iron 1. Why Cereal? Nutritious, affordable and convenient, a cereal and milk breakfast is one of the best choices out there. Providing a tasty combination of protein and grains, a breakfast of cereal and milk offers many important nutrients that you may miss if you skip the breakfast bowl such as, fiber, calcium, Vitamin D and potassium. Carbs from grains help to efficiently recharge after the overnight fast and protein helps rebuild protein lost daily by the body. Protein is a building block for the body; and grains have carbs that provide energy. Together, grains and protein help you fuel right. Many available cereals are a good source of fiber (3 grams or more) – good news for the 90 percent of people in the United States who do not get the recommended amount of fiber in their diets 2. Cereal contributes less sugar than you may think – less than 4 percent of daily added sugar intake comes from cereal 3. Research has shown that people who start the day with a cereal breakfast tend to weigh less 4. Today’s hectic lifestyles make it easy to neglect healthy eating habits, especially in the morning. Although breakfast is the most commonly skipped meal, it’s important to get your day started right with a well-rounded helping of protein and other nutrients. A simple bowl of cereal and one half cup of skim milk gives your body grains and protein it needs to help start the day right*. WITH CEREAL & MILK Cereal with milk is part of a complete breakfast that allows you to easily include important nutrients in your daily diet. Visit for more information to help you choose the best cereals for you and your family. Tips for selecting the right cereal: Understand nutrition labels. Paying attention to the serving size, calories, protein, fiber and vitamin and mineral percentages will make you more informed about what you can get out of each particular cereal. Look for options that are a good source of fiber (at least 3 grams per serving) to help you get a jump start on the fiber you need each day. If you find yourself wanting variety in your cereal before you finish the box, experiment with additions such as fresh or dried fruit, or nuts, to get even more nutrients. For further information, head over to for an interactive tool to help build your own breakfast cereal bowl. Tips for Making a Healthy Breakfast a Regular Routine: Prep the night before. Get out your bowl and spoon and your cereal of choice before heading up for the night. That will make it easier for you in the morning to get your breakfast. As a parent or guardian, act as a role model and show good breakfast habits. Make breakfast time a family time to check in for the day ahead. Build self-reliance with kids “making” their own bowl of cereal. Have a cereal tasting to find the cereals most liked (teach to look for a good source of fiber, at least 3 grams, and whole grains). Portion out cereal for grab and go options and calorie control. 1 Rampersaud GC, Pereira MA, Girard BL, Adams J, Metzl JD. Breakfast habits, nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc.2005;105:743-- ‐ Kellogg’s Cereal: The Complete Story 3U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) th Edition 4de la Hunty A and Ashwell M. (2007) Are people who regularly eat breakfast cereals slimmer than those who don’t? A systematic review of the evidence. BNF Nutrition Bulletin. 32:119–129 *Kellogg's offers over 20 cereals that provide a good source of protein with 1/2 cup skim milk