Getting children to eat breakfast before school is usually not as simple as putting food on the table. There may be only a few minutes to spare, a child who does not like what is being served or someone who is barely awake enough to eat.
A new national poll suggests those everyday realities are common. Three-quarters of parents of children ages 6 to 12 reported at least one obstacle to providing what they consider a healthy breakfast on school days. Picky eating was the most common challenge, followed by children being slow or grumpy in the morning and families not having enough time.
The findings come from the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan. The July survey included responses from 1,037 parents of children ages 6 to 12 and was weighted to reflect the U.S. population. It offers a snapshot of what parents say happens at breakfast, rather than a direct measurement of what children eat or how their morning meal affects their health or school performance.
The reassuring part is that most children are eating something before school.
About 68% of parents said their child usually eats breakfast at home, while 23% said their child eats at school and 5% said breakfast happens on the way. Just 4% said their child does not usually eat breakfast on a school day.
But the amount of time available can be limited. About 35% of parents said their child has 15 minutes or less to eat breakfast, while 47% reported 15 to 25 minutes. Only 19% said their child usually has 30 minutes or more.
“Breakfast is an important opportunity to give children foods that can help them feel satisfied and ready to start their day, but families are often trying to make that happen in a short window of time,” said Susan Woolford, a pediatrician and co-director of the Mott Poll.
What children are willing to eat also plays a major role.
Among parents whose children eat breakfast at home or on the way to school, 53% said the child usually decides what to eat. About 69% of parents said offering something their child likes is very important, while 37% placed a high priority on quick and convenient foods. One in four said it is very important that their child can prepare the food independently.
Those priorities make sense on a busy morning, but they can also affect what the meal looks like.
Parents were asked how often their child’s breakfast included several nutritional components. About 39% said protein was included most school days, 37% said the same for fiber and 36% for whole or cut fruit. About one-third said their child usually ate a breakfast low in added sugar.
Those numbers should not be read as a complete assessment of children’s diets. The poll did not evaluate the overall nutritional quality of each breakfast, and a meal does not need to follow one exact formula to be nutritious.
Instead, the results highlight the tradeoffs families are making between nutrition, convenience and what children will actually eat.
“The goal does not have to be a perfect breakfast every morning,” Woolford said. “Small, realistic changes that add protein, fiber or fruit to foods children already enjoy can make a difference.”
The poll offers examples that do not require completely changing a family’s routine. Parents might choose a higher-fiber cereal, add peanut butter to toast or keep fruit readily available. Food can also be prepared ahead of time when mornings are especially rushed.
Giving children some control can also be part of the equation.
Parents who said their child usually chooses breakfast also reported fewer days when the meal included protein, fiber or fruit or was low in added sugar. That does not mean children should have no say in what they eat. Woolford suggested that parents can instead decide which options are available and let children choose among them.
“Children having a say in what they eat can be a positive part of developing independence, but parents can still shape the choices that are available,” she said. “Instead of making breakfast a battle, parents should provide nutritious options and then let the child decide which of these foods they want to eat.”
The biggest obstacles reported by parents were also decidedly ordinary. Forty-four percent cited picky eating, 33% said their child is slow or grumpy in the morning and 30% said there is not enough time. Only 11% identified television or other screen use as a breakfast distraction.
Breakfast can also be social. About two-thirds of parents said their child typically eats with a sibling and about half said a parent is present. Sixteen percent said their child usually eats breakfast alone.
For families who struggle with breakfast, the poll authors emphasize flexibility rather than perfection.
“There is no single breakfast routine that will work for every family,” Woolford said. “A realistic goal is to find foods that fit the family’s schedule, provide nutritional value and that a child will actually eat.”
The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health is produced by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, the University of Michigan Department of Pediatrics and the Susan B. Meister Child Health Evaluation and Research Center. The survey was conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs using its KnowledgePanel.