ST. GEORGE — It’s National School Breakfast Week this week, and the Washington County School District wants to remind students and their families to make breaking a priority.

Almost everyone has heard the proclamation that breakfast is “the most important meal of the day” at some point in their lives. However, according to a press release from the school district, studies indicate 20-30 percent of children and adolescents skip breakfast in developed countries, and this is a concerning trend.

The American Heart Association released a scientific opinion in 2017 that states that eating breakfast daily helps promote healthier dietary patterns. The World Health Organization found that those who frequently ate breakfast had better micro-nutrient and diet intake with more fruits and vegetables and less soda.

The consequences of skipping breakfast extend past missing out on important nutrients. Studies reveal a significant association of breakfast consumption with decreased weight gain, Type 2 diabetes risk factors and metabolic risk factors. Furthermore, recent research supports breakfast consumption as an important factor in academic performance through improved cognitive function.

During the week certain schools within the Washington County School District will have different activities, posters and fliers emphasizing the importance of breakfast for students of all ages.

Some activities that may be featured include coloring contests, raffle tickets, breakfast voting and parfait breakfast sampling. The school district invites students to enjoy a tasty and nutritious school breakfast to get the day started off right.

Need a quick nutritious breakfast? Try these

Large batches of waffles and pancakes made on weekends can make quick weekday meals when stored frozen in the freezer. Simply microwave or toast the frozen breakfast product in the morning.

Place individual bags of frozen banana, fruit, spinach and other items in the freezer. Blend with milk or yogurt in the morning to make a quick smoothie.

A simple piece of bread toasted and topped with peanut butter and banana slices also makes an easy meal for the ride to school.

A couple other recipes

Blender gluten-free pancakes

• 1 banana — the riper, the better.
• 2 eggs.
• 2 tablespoon of peanut putter.
• 3/4 cup of milk.
• 1/4 cup of natural applesauce.
• 2 cup of oats.
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla.
• 1 teaspoon of coconut oil (optional).
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder.
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Throw all of the ingredients into a blender in the order listed and mix well, then just pour and cook on medium heat in frying pan. Feel free to add chocolate chips, blueberries and whatever else strikes your fancy. Refrigerate extras for a quick breakfast.

Egg muffins

• 12 eggs.
• Salt to taste.
• Pepper to taste.
• Favorite egg toppings (chopped peppers, spinach, ham, cheese, spices).

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Blend eggs well and add desired amount of salt and pepper. Mix in favorite ingredients. Pour into 12 greased muffin cup or tins and bake for 20 minutes. Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for four days or the freezer for two months.

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