Here's a low-cost and very healthy breakfast of champions for young children:

[oh reiki ur so fine]

2 bananas: .60

1 navel orange: .70

half an avocado: .40

That is only $1.70!

[oh reiki ur so fine]

1. I write this because that tired meme about healthy meals taking time and costing so much

is getting old.

[SharonAnn]

144. $1.70 a day for breakfast per child = $52 a month per child for breakfast ($12 a week)

How does that fit into a low income food budget? If there are two people in the family, it's $24 a week, just for breakfast.

It may be the best and most affordable choice, but does it fit within the budget people have for food?

[noamnety]

2. That's a lot of sugars and no protein.

The end result - a spike in insulin and the resulting hunger before lunchtime. It's whole foods, but as far as being balanced, it has some problems.

Also, $1.70 is higher than what I'd consider low cost for a child's breakfast and I know a lot of my students can't afford that, but I also know that's hard for some people to understand. I don't spend anywhere near that on my own breakfasts.

[demmiblue]

3. You (and the rec) do not understand what a healthy and economical breakfast is for young children.

Please do a little more research.

[LAGC]

4. Troll has been PPR'd.

He disrupted poorly.

[live foods 4 life]

138. Please you do it.

For the love of God, do it!

[Luminous Animal]

5. Well....

Oatmeal with spinach and molasses and soy milk. (Sounds weird but kids don't even notice the spinach.)
Fruit.

[flvegan]

6. It's nice that we have so many trained nutritionists here on DU to chime in.

Do I need the sarcasm smilie?

[winter starling]

14. Eff trained nutritionists!

Many of them are learning from the SAD (Standard American Diet) manual! I wonder how many "trained nutritionists" urged people to eat hydrogenated margarine over butter in the '70s and '80s.

[sendero]

35. Exactly...

..... is it the training that tells them to flip flop every 10 years on the healthfulness of certain foods?

It's more "medical science", where "common sense" is assumed to be true until real science proves it is not.

[Paulie]

7. When you're back

The big problem is getting them to eat that. My best shot is pancakes with butter and some no sugar added jelly on the side. Or an oat "O" cereal with milk. Avocado for breakfast would end up on the floor.

[Hekate]

9. I used to hide a whole meal inside the pancakes, easy

* Pancake batter made with canned milk (i.e. double strength) and one or two extra eggs.
* Slice banana on the buttered griddle, pour pancake batter over, cook the usual way.
* Or can do this with frozen blueberries, sliced apple, etc etc.

No need for syrup, as the fruit becomes extra sweet this way. If you want, though, you can take plain whole milk yogurt (it's not sour) and stir in a very small amount of jam, honey, or frozen orange juice, and use that instead of syrup. It adds more milk/protein.

Delicious, nutritious, not expensive. Has all the food groups. Children (and adults) need protein in the morning, not a sugar hit. You and I seem to have actual experience.

Hekate

[winter starling]

15. Fruits in their natural state are NOT "sugar hits."

Sugar hits come from refined carbs that go straight into the system. Fiber prevents the blood sugar to spike dramatically.

[Hekate]

18. Friend of Reiki's are you? Welcome back!

Two bananas may have fiber but they have a LOT of sugar, fruit sugar though it may be.

Glad you can live on this "diet" -- but don't try it on your kids, okay? Give'em one banana and an egg and whole wheat toast. Don't forget the milk. They are building bone and muscle and brain out of what they eat.

Hekate

[pinboy3niner]

27. Will the third time be the charm?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=297744&sub=trans

Two down, so far...

[Hekate]

28. Persistent little troll, isn't it?

My goodness....

[Warren DeMontague]

30. I think some people were trolling DU before DU even existed.

Clicking away at a non-existent keyboard, waiting for the first commodore 64 with one of those screeching 300 baud modems that you stuck the phone into the rubber cups on.

[Matariki]

41. roflmao

[JHB]

76. up to 4 so far. Enough for solo pinochle

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. I have a suggestion

Get yourself a glucometer. Do a fasting baseline test. Eat your two bananas, do it again at fifteen minutes and half an hour. If you are normal, you will see a spike. If you are diabetic do not wolf down two bananas. It could be dangerous. No, am not kidding.

[binderfullofmormons]

36. Honey, do you know about 80-10-10?

That is a low-fat, high-fruit raw vegan eating style (not a diet because it's not temporary).

It's 80% raw fruits, 10% raw fats and 10% protein (in the form of huge amounts of green leafies).

Dr. Graham, the author of a book on the subject, states that it's actually FAT that is implicated in improper sugar metabolizing. So diabetics can actually do this diet and one young women is living proof.

[nadinbrzezinski]

49. I'll pass

Don't want to tempt keto acidosis.

[reiki_im_home.]

64. LOL- protein is totally acidic!

According to Dr. Graham, not getting enough fresh fruit CAUSES ketosis!

[nadinbrzezinski]

66. I really will try to avoid the ICU

You might laugh, but sugars of 600 are not healthy.

I also like my sight, my limbs and my kidneys.

Balanced, all in balance my dear.

[JHB]

74. aaaaand down goes #4. Bridge, anyone?

[hootinholler]

94. See below, we're in poker territory now. n/t

[LancetChick]

79. That is a highly inaccurate statement.

Ketosis is caused by burning fat for energy in the absence of digesting food and glycogen stores in the liver. Replenishing our glycogen reserves can easily be done by eating fruit, but by no means depends on fruit, since any other source of carbohydrate, as well as protein, and to a lesser extent, fat, can do the same thing.

[JHB]

71. #3 down. How many slices does that pizza have?

[Honeycombe8]

47. A child shouldn't eat TWO bananas,anyway. But you have to eat the av0cado w the banana

before you take the glucose test. Remember, the breakfast consists of three things: banana, orange, av0cado. I think that's a weird breakfast....two fruits and a fat fruit. Must be a joke post.

[nadinbrzezinski]

50. The bananas and the orange are pure carb loading

And this is just five to six portions of fruit in one seating.

[Honeycombe8]

52. Complex carbs and fiber are a good thing.

Refined carbs are the bad babies.

Natural, raw foods = a very good thing.

Too much fruit in one meal, I agree. That must be a joke post. And kids don't like avacados.

But the glycemic load isn't that bad, because of the fiber:
orange = glycemic index 5 out of 250 (4g of fiber!)
banana = glycemic index 8 out of 250 (3g of fiber)
avocado (1/2 small) = glycemic index 2 out of 250 (6g fiber!)

But it's low on protein.

[nadinbrzezinski]

53. Yup, but it is still carb loading

There is a reason carbs should go with some protein.

This breakfast is not a good breakfast.

[avocado breath]

83. ((facepalm)) Totally, completely

sucky food combining, dear! You ALWAYS eat fruit by themselves!

[nadinbrzezinski]

91. What you never heard of cottage cheese with fresh cut strawberries?

Really?

[live your bliss]

129. LOL- pineapples, you mean...

In any case, some fruits you can get away with that but I DARE you to mix cantaloupe with cottage cheese. Been there, crapped that out...

[Honeycombe8]

45. This is true. Everything but pure protein turns to sugar in the system. "Hits" are fiber-less

sugars that enter the bloodstream quickly (refined sugar, honey). Even refined sugars, though, can be slowed down by eating protein with them.

[LancetChick]

78. Actually, protein does convert to glucose, just not as efficiently as carbs do.

It's a process called neoglucogenesis. How efficiently protein converts to glucose seems to vary, not just from person to person, but from meal to meal, depending on how much carbohydrate is consumed with the protein. As a type 1 diabetic who produces no insulin of my own, I have to inject enough insulin for, say, a 3-egg omelet with no toast, to cover about 30 grams of carbohydrate.

And to no one in particular: the glycemic index I find to be of little use. Carbs that have fiber digest (for me) at about the same rate as carbs without. Adding protein and especially fat slows digestion in a very obvious way, and eating a high volume of food slows things down most of all.

As someone pointed out, the breakfast in the OP has insufficient protein, especially for a growing child. And two bananas is a lot of food. When I go on one of my occasional banana rampages and consume 3 bananas in a sitting, I'm FULL, and I'm a 5'11' adult, not a child.

[nadinbrzezinski]

80. As a type two, one full banana will spike

Two, I will feel like well...

I try to get small bananas and make sure I get cheese with it.

[Honeycombe8]

113. Yes....if you eat protein with it, it slows down the spike.

[live foods 4 life]

139. No it won't.

Ever heard of 30 bananas a day? There are all sorts of living foods diets!

[nadinbrzezinski]

141. So you are telling me that the objective information

From a glucometer is false? Who knew!!!!

[Honeycombe8]

114. Is that true? Someone was telling me that recently, but I didn't believe him.

He eats a high fat, high protein diet. With low-carb veggies.

[nadinbrzezinski]

143. Yes, it's true

The downside with that are the ketones.

[winter starling]

16. The reason children are picky is because their PARENTS are the same way!

I simply don't get why some adults seem phobic about trying new flavors instead of eating dead flesh all the day long.

[Paulie]

29. I try!

But it's always "I'll try it next time." Maybe when older.

[Scout]

54. nope. my parents are not picky eaters, but i am.

and they are not "phobic about trying new flavors instead of eating dead flesh all the day long."

i'm sure you are winning oh so many converts to your way of eating!

[SidDithers]

24. When you're back!....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=profile&uid=297547&sub=trans

Repeat dispruptor.

Well played, indeed.

Sid

[cali]

8. wow, I haven't seen an avocado for .80 cents in quite some time.

Around here the price is usually about 1.99 for a Haas Avocado. Also this troll, as has been pointed out, knows shit about what constitutes a healthy breakfast for a child.

why are trolls so consistently stupid?

[noamnety]

10. Their prices were high for my area

I just bought two avocados (the small kind) for 69 cents each today, oranges for 25 cents each, and I'm pretty sure bananas are way less than their cost. That just depends where you live - and whether you have access to a car to get to stores with good prices, which a lot of people don't.

The bigger concern for me was all starches and sugars, except the healthy avocado fats.

Protein could be eggs or milk if you eat them, or nut butter on one banana or apple, etc. Or a scoop of protein powder mixed into oatmeal. There actually are easy healthy cheap meals, this just didn't meet my standard because it's important to start the day with the protein - especially if you are school aged and restricted by rules from eating a snack or second meal at the time your blood sugar crashes from 3 pieces of fruit.

I'm guessing they got banned for something else though, right? I mean we aren't banning people for poor breakfast planning are we?

[gollygee]

12. His transparency page says "repeat disruptor"

And if you look at his 12 posts, they're all snarky flamebait. None would on their own make you do more than raise your eyebrow, but every single post is snarky flamebait. Nothing at all productive.

[gollygee]

11. Also, it assumes you have an even number of children

But in a lot of cases the whole cost of the avocado (more than 80 cents) would be part of it.

A little protein would help in the breakfast too. And less high-sugar fruit. My kids would crash an hour after eating that.

[winter starling]

13. Um...I guess this isn't common knowledge

but an avocado has 5 grams of protein! Very decent and besides, we get too much protein in the average American diet. And you don't crash from whole fruits, honey. Sugar from fruits is not the same as sugar from processed carbs. The fiber is intact and it's a natural sugar.

[winter starling]

17. Aldi's had nice-sized avos for .39 last week!

The Haas kind, which are very rich!

And nice insult.

[Hekate]

19. Loss leader for the store

You can get fresh pineapple in Colorado at a good price sometimes, too -- the store will take a loss on one attractive item like that to draw customers into the store, where they will naturally fill their carts with other stuff.

Glad you found a bargain in your area.

[reiki_im_home.]

61. Huh? The regular prices for avos at Aldi's over by here

is .79. So even at their highest price I can buy them like crazy. Also, Whole Foods offers them sometimes at $1!

[mainer]

69. Price of one egg: 10 cents to 30 cents

(The higher price is for free-range eggs.)

Nutrition: 31 grams of protein.

Penny for penny, an egg is about the most economical protein you can feed your child. And almost every state has its own egg industry. In fact, almost every county has a source for locally grown eggs.

Cheap. Local. Nutritious. (And no, I don't work for the egg industry, but I happily buy eggs from my local farmers.)

[Aerows]

77. I hated eggs as a kid

and I'm not too fond of them now. I did (and still do), however, drink plenty of milk and eat cottage cheese. It's not a bad source of protein either, and you get some calcium.

That could work for the egg-hating crowd.

Well, correction - I hate eggs unless they are hard-boiled. Then I can throw out the yolk and eat the tasty part. Fried or scrambled, though, forget it. Ick.

[Hekate]

100. Wonderful food, and economical

When my two kids were little we were poor. There was no space in my budget for food that didn't pack a lot of nutrients for two growing bodies. Every day they got milk and they got eggs, in addition to vegetables of every color.

I don't know who this person is who is posting under several names at once, but I hope to hell s/he doesn't have children, because all I see is deficiency diseases in their future. Rickets anyone?

[Retrograde]

20. Prices vary widely within the US

Not to mention season to season. In my neck of the woods, the cheapest avocados I've seen this year are $1.50 each at the farmers' market. OTOH, I can regularly find single bananas for less than $0.20 each.

I'm not up on current nutrition trends for children, so I'm not going to comment on the OP, but anytime someone brings up costs it seems to set of a spate of posts

[reiki_im_home.]

62. Today at Whole Foods in suburban Chicago

they are $1.50. Are you in CA? Because these avos are usually either from there or Mexico. You're getting screwed in you live there!

[mainer]

21. These are not "green" nutrients in the winter or on the east coast

The ecological cost of shipping an avocado makes it a poor choice for much of the U.S. If you want to abide by locavore philosophy, I would go with milk or eggs for a protein source. An egg is far cheaper than half an avocado. In fact, very few foods can rival the nutrition packed into one egg.

[Art_from_Ark]

32. The avocados are going to be shipped to the store, regardless

It's not like someone is special-ordering them and having them shipped by private plane.

[mainer]

33. And oil will be sucked from the earth nevertheless

so you might as well drive a Hummer.

I love avocados too, and agree they're a great source of nutrients. But just because "someone's shipping them by plane anyway" doesn't mean it's a green way to eat.

[Art_from_Ark]

34. Not a good analogy

I make a conscious decision not to drive a Hummer because it guzzles too much gas and hogs the road. I have direct control over that decision. However, the grocery store is going to be selling avocados regardless of whether I buy them or not. And since avocados can be stored in an unripe state for several days after picking, they do not have to be shipped by air. They can often be shipped by train, if need be.

By your logic, no one should buy any food not produced in the local area. However, that would mean that stores in much of the country would run out of food in the winter. Certainly places like New England and the Upper Midwest cannot grow enough food in their relatively short growing seasons to last them through the entire year.

[Matariki]

40. The logic is clearly a supply and demand issue - and the analogy IS a good one.

If enough people only buy in season, preferably local, produce then the demand for out of season food is significantly lessened and stores will stop "carrying them anyway".

[reiki_im_home.]

59. Lame. You never eat bananas?

[reiki_im_home.]

57. Who said I was a locawhore? Fail sauce

@ trying to derail the topic, which was LOW-COST HEALTHY breakfast for kidlets!

You know...instead of 2 bags of Flamin' Hotz washed down by a neon no-juice sugar water drink with the foil lid?

[reiki_im_home.]

60. Wow, you NEVER eat bananas and pineapples!

[mainer]

75. You seem to say kids should eat avocados every day.

Avocados, to begin with, are an expensive crop to grow, and the fruits themselves are considered a cash crop among California growers. Which makes them uneconomical for anyone on a budget. Bananas, at least, are grown in abundance and are pretty much a continuous crop in tropical climates, as well as a crop that you can easily grow in your own backyard if you live in that climate.

I'm not arguing about the nutritional value of avocados; I'm questioning your choice of a "caviar" fruit as a daily breakfast item.

[avocado breath]

81. Are you actually living in Maine? Are there Aldi's by you?

This week avos are going for .49 each! And they are not dinky, either. Hardly caviar. Wow, so many excuses, no little time...

[xmas74]

104. I went to my local Aldis today.

The avocadoes on the shelves were not worth purchasing. They were rotting.

What's your hang-up with avocado? Do you work for the avocado lobby or something?

Fact is-avocado is something that doesn't often go on sale around here. It's usually on the expensive side and more than most of the working families I know can afford.

[mainer]

107. I don't know what Aidi's is.

Nor do we have a nearby Costco or Whole Foods where I live.

But we do have a local market where avocados are very expensive.

[Retrograde]

96. Expensive to grow?

The things grow on trees ! Leaving aside the relative merits of the two fruits, I disagree that avocados are harder to grow than bananas. Once you've made the investment in the land and planted the avocado trees, it's mainly waiting around until they can be harvested - like other tree crops. Tree crops are becoming more popular in California because they're not as labor intensive as, say, lettuce. They're sub-tropicals, which limits where they can be grown, like bananas. I have a bearing avocado tree here just south of San Francisco, a region that does not support fruiting edible bananas: when the blasted squirrels leave any fruits there's more than enough for me and anyone on the street who wants them.

Bananas are cheaper as a rule because they're grown in regions with very low labor costs that historically have not been very kind to small farmers. There's more acreage devoted to bananas than avocados, making them more common and hence cheaper.

[mainer]

97. The acreage where avocado trees grow is expensive acreage

mostly in California. It takes several years for a planted tree to bear fruit, and they have very specific climate needs. That's why avocado growers will sometimes find their trees striped bare by thieves -- they're growing green gold.

True, they just "grow on trees." A lot of things just "grow on trees." Some of them more expensive than others.

[Bluenorthwest]

106. Avacados grow on much of the cheapest real estate in the Americas. Native to Peubla

Mexico, the US growing areas in CA, AZ and TX are the far Northern end of the range. I can't stand the things. But 'they grow on expensive land' is not very true, nor is it true that they are difficult to grow or that they take much longer than other tree produce. Much shorter than many is the fact of that.

[mainer]

109. Then why are they so expensive?

If they're so gosh-darn easy to grow and sprouting up everywhere?

[Bluenorthwest]

105. Just fyi way more Americans can grow an avacado in the yard than a banana...

They are not expensive to grow, they are in high demand so the price is high. Back in my dad's day, avacados were known as 'poor man's butter' because they were 'garbage food' to most Americans. They were free for the taking.

[mainer]

108. Try growing an avocado anywhere in New England

It's clear there's a great deal of regional ignorance involved here. Avocado trees cannot stand frost.

[gollygee]

140. They aren't cheap to grow in Michigan either

Which is too bad as I LOVE avocados. But they apparently cost much more here than where a lot of DU posters are. When they're on sale they're $1 a piece at Meijer. But usually they cost more than that.

[riderinthestorm]

22. My kids fave is a whole wheat bagel or english muffin smeared with PB. She also grabs fruit

and runs out to the bus.

Other days its a yogurt and fruit.

Since she always eats her breakfast on the bus it has to be mobile without being messy.

Both of her top two choices are under a buck.

[Honeycombe8]

44. Sounds good! Healthy, not a sugary cereal, filling. nt

[riderinthestorm]

70. Yup. She never makes time for breakfast on school days which means no sugary cereals - yay!

I make sure the grab-and-go breakfast food is healthy and waaaayyyy easier to quickly reach than the rest. She's usually literally RUNNING for the door with her breakfast in hand. Then she leisurely eats it during the 45 minute ride to school.

On the weekends she loves apple/cinnamon/raisin oatmeal, or banana pancakes, or french toast made with our home made whole grain bread.

She decided to be a vegetarian @ 2 years ago and has been pretty faithfully keeping a healthy diet ever since. She researches the vitamin needs and other dietary requirements for it.

Don't get me wrong, she's a teen and definitely loves her Oreos and other junk food. But on the whole, especially in the am, she does an excellent job staying on a healthy diet.

[obamanut2012]

23. No real protein or grains

PB on multigraintoast and a banana would be better, and cheap.

[reiki_im_home.]

63. Hell to the naw!

Gluten intolerance is rampant in our society, due to hybridized wheat.

[nadinbrzezinski]

68. You have heard of gluten free bread

Right?

[avocado breath]

86. Nasty stuff.

I used to work in a health food store. That rice bread was gross.

You really can find other things to eat besides bread.

[nadinbrzezinski]

89. You used to work in a health food store

And we all know gluten free bread is only made from rice...(Which shows ignorance)



I suggested one for a sandwich. (Though it needs to be toasted)

As to other stuff, I could give you a few clues on that...

So this is what persona number four? For one thread? Really?

[jeff47]

120. Thanks for demonstrating you don't know what you're talking about.

Wheat products have had gluten since we started making wheat products in antiquity. And humans have hybridized wheat since antiquity.

Modern wheat doesn't have significantly more gluten - too much gluten makes it difficult to bake the product. The people saying there is more gluten are trying to defraud you into buying a more expensive product. Just like all the previous "danger food" fads.

[brokechris]

25. my favorite

is a nice scoop of Greek yogurt--I buy a container large enough to last one week for about 2.50. I throw in a bit of granola and some berries---delicious, nutritious, cheap and simple (no cooking)

[Matariki]

26. Protein?

you need to get some protein in there.

[binderfullofmormons]

37. I wish you would read other posts before commenting...

Not to be rude in the least but it creates the need for a clarification post.

Avocados have 5 grams of protein. Kale by weight has the most protein of any food. And dare I say it's way more assimilatable than dead flesh!

Over-consumption of protein is a real problem in this nation. You might wanna look it up.

[Matariki]

38. Don't you have anything better to do than create one profile after another to troll this place?

Clearly, you're not wanted here - well, your behavior isn't wanted. So, why don't you take up a new hobby, or get laid, or get a puppy or something.

[EOTE]

65. Do you not find yourself just a tad bit pathetic?

Or incredibly pathetic? Is playing an ignorant fuck stick on the internet a hobby of yours? Or is it more of a full time thing? Also, if you take the time to answer, does it hurt being so ignorant?

[avocado breath]

87. Your post was just full of insults so you hardly look intelligent...

And I am with your mom, by the way...

[EOTE]

92. Yet another sock puppet account?

You took time off masturbating and eating cheetos to do this? Really, how many accounts do you intend to make? Do you have any idea how insanely pathetic that makes you? I encourage you to keep it up just so others can see how your type truly lives. I'm not big into feeding the animals, but I'm sure there are others here who are interested in seeing the results of 8 generations of inbreeding.

[Matariki]

95. This person is PERENNIAL to DU. She's been doing this for years.

Sadly, I suspect she suffers from some mental illness and probably on SSI, allowing her time to spend her days trolling the internet from her public library. While I feel sorry for her, she's still annoying. But then, I guess that give her *some* purpose and sense of identity - DU's perennial pesky troll.

[EOTE]

98. How sad.

I wonder how long it will be for her to create yet another account with which to stupidly insult people.

[live foods 4 life]

134. You must find this all insulting (discussion of healthy foods)

due to your Twinkie fetish!

[EOTE]

146. Ha! Keep them coming, douchebag.

I love playing with trolls with sub 50 IQs. I kind of wish they'd let you stay around longer so I could have more fun. Instead, I'll just marvel at your sad persistence. I didn't even get a chance to talk before you got banned (or zotted at you might say). I hope you're back soon. The fact that making sock puppet accounts is the most pressing and important matter in your life gives me great satisfaction. See you next time, my special friend.

[live foods 4 life]

133. Being an illustrious member of MIRT seems to have given your life purpose

you mover and shaker, you!

But seriously, for those who ARE on disability, how is your comment anything but cruel and unnecessary? You used it as an insult, all the while implying that you are on some perch looking from above. What are you doing with your precious human birth--trolling hunting? Wow, very impressive!

As for posting from libraries, so the fuck what? What a 'bagger-type comment! Do you look down on those who use gobmint-funded 'puters? I bought a reconditioned Vitamix last year for $425. I suppose I could have used that money to pay for high-speed Internets (I have a desk top at home), but WHY? I don't live in hillbilly heaven. I am in an area with lots of edumacated types and therefore lots of liebarrys to choose from.

Enjoy the Sadge New Moon, m'dear.

[Matariki]

39. And ps - your knowledge of nutrition is abysmal

1 cup of kale = 2 grams of protein
1 avocado = 3 grams of protein

average protein needs for most people is 40-70 grams of protein per day, more for atheletes. So your stupid breakfast plan of avocado and kale gives you a mere 5 grams - about 1/3 of what a person should be eating in their morning meal.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/fruits-and-fruit-juices/1843/2

Info on protein needs and how to calculate your required amount based on weight and activity:
http://exercise.about.com/cs/nutrition/a/protein_2.htm

And if you think the above link is 'biased' here is info from a vegan page:
http://www.theholykale.com/vegan-protein/

[avocado breath]

88. According to whom? I go for the alternative sources

but keep doing your thang. You speak volumes with that 'tude of yours. And your ASAH warm and fuzzy post seems a bit...contradictory with this one...

[Matariki]

93. You must be pretty lonely and have very little purpose in life. I'm sorry for you.

And that's as warm and fuzzy as you'll get from me.

[Honeycombe8]

48. I hear ya, but kids don't like avocados, as a rule. And the breakfast was HALF of an avocado...

about 1 gram of protein. The breakfast as outlined in the OP is indeed lacking in protein and too high in calories.

My recommended breakfast (one of many that could be thrown together):
Cheerios (a whole gran, sugarfree cereal):
Protein 3 g
fiber 3g
calories 100cal
fat 0g

Milk (1%):
Protein 8g
fiber 0g
Calories 100
fat 2g

Banana:
One six-inch long naner:
Protein 1g
Fiber 3g
Calories 90
Fat 0g

CALORIES TOTAL 290
TOTAL PROTEIN: 12G
FAT: 2G
FIBER: 6G

Not bad. IF THE CHILD HAS A WEIGHT PROBLEM, boiled egg with whole grain toast may be better than cereal.

[pnwmom]

42. Only $1.70 and 2.5 grams of partial protein for half an avocado. What a bargain!

You are aware that vegetable products with protein only contain some amino acids, right? Unlike meat, which contains them all. So if you're going to go vegetarian, you have to balance different protein containing foods, like beans and rice.

And when was the last time a young child would prefer half an avocado to a bowl of cereal?

[nadinbrzezinski]

73. If he understood that

He would have added Quinoa to the mix. It is considered a full protein.

Or done rice and beans. Or beans and tortillas. (Which also have a lot of calcium, and the lye converts some of the amino acids into bioavalable category)

[avocado breath]

82. "He?!" No junk here, ma'am.

And are you not a Sadge like I am? How DARE you!

[nadinbrzezinski]

85. I guess we are now to five

Must suck to have to create a new account to peddle crap.

[live foods 4 life]

136. You don't have to balance proteins anymore--the body stores amino acids.

The 1970s called and they want their fallacious theory back.

[Honeycombe8]

43. Cheerios, milk, banana = 70 cents

Since when do kids eat avocados? What a weird thing for a breakfast.

Better still:

Whole grain cereal (grape nuts, shredded wheat, or maybe even multi-grain Cheerios - high in iron, or cheerios)
Artificial sugar
Generic milk
Banana

COST:
Cheerios $3.68 box - 20 cents/serving
Artificial sugar - 2 cents (generic Equal)
Milk - 50 cents for ORGANIC; 23 cents non-organic
banana - 25 cents at Target

TOTAL 70 cents regular, or 97 cents with ORGANIC milk
CAN FIND COUPONS FOR CHEERIOS

[Kaleva]

51. There always seems to be coupons for Cheerios

And the local store often has sales on it such as 4 boxes for $10 so add the coupons to that, one gets it at a pretty cheap price.

[avocado breath]

84. facepalmonsteroids...

Artificial sugar?

Cow pus?

Cheerios? GM=GMO

[Honeycombe8]

110. That's how I eat. I'll match my blood work & health against yours any day, avocado breath.

No need to make fun of others' eating habits.

I do not eat beef, veal, pork, etc. (causes of cancer)

I drink organic fat free milk. Yum.

Cheerios = a whole grain. GMO? Maybe, maybe not. No way to tell. But as I said, maybe not.

Artificial sugar - it's better than refined sugar, IMO.

[live your bliss]

130. Hot off the press:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/12/cheerios-gmo-facebook_n_2284387.html

[Honeycombe8]

131. I don't click on links in posts, when posters dont' feel it's important enuf

to quote at least part of the article. I usu. pass those posts by.

BTW...I don't care much about gmo. I care, but not much.

We all have our opinions.

[pnwmom]

102. This makes sense except for the artificial sugar.

There's no health benefit to that.

[Honeycombe8]

111. Calories count. There's an obesity epidemic, and sugar is addictive. Artificial sugar

adds sweetness.

It's a struggle deciding among the various kinds of sweetener. I've considered honey, refined sugar, raw sugar, Splenda, Equal, stevia, molasses. I've settled on Splenda or Equal as the least harmful. Unless I intentionally want to splurge and eat cake or candy, which usually means refined sugar (altho I buy candy with Splenda).

Cheerios has no sugar at all. It needs sweetener. Now, if you can get by with the banana adding enuf sweetness, more power to you. As for me, that's not enuf. I also don't like to mix fruit with cereal.

[pnwmom]

116. It's okay to make that decision for yourself, but healthy children should be eating

healthy foods -- not artificial sweeteners.

There are too many unknowns in the newer sweeteners, and aspartame has been linked with many health issues. When I had a sleep study in a lab, they noted that my legs were kicking frequently through the night, and they gave me a list of common substances that could cause it. Aspartame was near the top of the list; and when I eliminated my diet Cokes, I stopped kicking. My friend had migraines that disappeared when she stopped Aspartame. Both the leg jerks and migraines are neurological symptoms. I don't think we should be giving growing children anything that is known to cause neurological symptoms in some adults.

Here's more about the history of how Aspartame got through the FDA approval process. Did you know that Donald Rumsfeld was instrumental?

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/10/13/Artificial-Sweeteners-More-Dangerous-than-You-Ever-Imagined.aspx

SNIP

In March 1977, Donald Rumsfeld was hired as the CEO of Searle -- yes, the same Rumsfeld that was the Secretary of Defense in the Bush administration. He brought with him additional political clout by appointing several of his D.C. associates to top management positions.

In January 1981, Rumsfeld proclaimed he would get aspartame approved within one year.[6] Worthy of note is the fact Rumsfeld was part of newly elected President Ronald Reagan’s transition team -- a team which had carefully selected Dr. Arthur Hull Hayes Jr. as the new FDA Commissioner.

Two months later, in March, Dr. Hayes appointed an internal panel to review the 1979 decision by the Public Board of Inquiry that ruled thumbs down on final approval of NutraSweet.

Three of the five members of Dr. Hayes’ panel advised against approval of aspartame, citing on the record that Searle’s safety study tests were flawed. Hayes then appointed a sixth member to the panel who tied the vote three-three. Dr. Hayes then cast the deciding vote in favor of approval.

Hayes, an official with no background on the subject of food additives, claimed aspartame was safe for proposed use, and had undergone more testing and scientific scrutiny than most additives on the market. Shortly after approving this drug he resigned from the FDA panel and was hired by the manufacturer of aspartame for a position in which he was paid several hundred thousand dollars per year.

[Honeycombe8]

122. I have read all about aspartame. I have decided that there is nothing wrong with it.

I've been consuming aspartame daily since it first came onto the market. My legs don't kick, I have no allergies...I'm as healthy as a horse. Except for sinusitis and a bit of middle aged arthritis.

OTOH, I have decided that sugar is pretty toxic, causes obesity, causes diabetes Type II, causes hyperactivity in kids, and is addictive.

It's a personal choice everyone must make for himself.

I don't have kids, but if I did, one of the wonderful things I could do for the child is make sure the child consumes as little refined or raw sugar as possible. And if I could get away with the kid never eating any sugar, all the better.

[njcamden_25884]

46. not sure if that's really healthy to be honest

[quinnox]

55. most kids would turn their noses up on that

Give me a break, avocado?? Kids like cereal and stuff, not this.

[reiki_im_home.]

58. That's because their parents don't give them enough fresh fruits and veggies.

Look at the obesity rate amongst children and adolescents these days! Type 2 Diabetes used to be called Adult-Onset Diabetes and now it being found in youngsters...

[nadinbrzezinski]

67. Ok here is a clue

Common breakfast in oh like Mexico when I was growing up was a piece of fruit, just one...an egg and tortilla, with salsa.

A real treat were chilaquiles.

There is more, kids around the world are known to eat thinks like tofu, even fish, with rice and also sea weed...fruit as well

The problem you got here is that this breakfast you are peddling has no protein to balance it.

I agree, kids don't eat fruit and veggies in the US but the onset of diabetes and other dietary issues I suspect have to do with...many respects, HFCs and GMO.

[pnwmom]

103. No it's because avocados would taste bitter to them

and they have more sensitivity to bitter tastes till they are about twenty.

[live your bliss]

128. Please stick to your own situation

My mother (Hispanic, by the way) gave us avocados from a young age, along with a wide variety of fruits and veggies and ethnic cuisine. Many people are not exposed to much variety in their daily diets. I was stunned to work for a young woman in a classroom who had been to Spain and overheard me talking about making guacamole from scratch. She asked me where the avocados are in the store

[pnwmom]

132. Science has documented children's sensitivity to bitter tastes.

But it is true that cultural factors can overcome a natural aversion to bitter foods.

http://speech-language-pathology-audiology.advanceweb.com/Article/Taste-Flavor-Preferences-in-Children-2.aspx

Children are born with an evolutionary preference for sweet tastes and avoidance of bitter shaped in utero. "This learning occurs early in life. By learning about how children learn, we can help them get on the right path," Dr. Mennella told ADVANCE. "As you get older, there are other cognitive influences. We don't always eat what we like, although it is a primary driver of consumption. Childhood is a time in life when taste is particularly salient."

SNIP

As much as children are drawn to sweetness, they have an innate avoidance of bitter flavor. "Bitter is a taste signal for poisons," Dr. Mennella noted. Bitter taste tolerance can be learned through repeated exposure to foods. The predisposition to dislike bitter flavors can present difficulties for children who must take oral medications. "The No. 1 reason for noncompliance with oral medication is taste," she said.

Recent flavor research increasingly has focused on understanding the biology of bitter taste. "It's really important for us to detect bitter and reject it," she noted.

SNIP

Taste and flavor preferences differ not only between adults and children but among individuals, families and cultures as well. "Not only are children living in different sensory worlds from adults, but each child and adult differs from the one next to them," she said. Flavor preferences vary widely. "There is a lot of variation in some bitter receptors. You may be very sensitive to bitter, while the person next to you may not be able to detect it."

[live foods 4 life]

135. I am not impressed with "research."

Parents who do not expose their children to a variety of foods and are THEMSELVES phobic about trying new things, impart that onto the kidlets. Case closed.

[nadinbrzezinski]

145. So climate change is bunk too?

What other sources of science are bunk?

That said, at times kids hate new foods due to parental attitudes...some up is peer pressure.

[pnwmom]

147. Here's an interesting article about bitter taste and toxins. But it's based on research,

so the other poster might not be interested.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081009185032.htm

[Aerows]

72. I almost never eat breakfast

but when I do, it's grits with Tabasco sauce and cheese . Mmm, mmm, good.

[Tree-Hugger]

90. Not for my kid

My kid eats a lot of fruits and veggies on a daily basis. Let's get this out of the way. However, if he had this for breakfast before school, he would be in a sad state an hour or so later. Some avocados can have up to 7 grams of protein, which is nice, but you have it in half - so the max would be 3.5 grams. It's not enough for my 6 year old.

He usually eats an egg. Ours are free range from the farm and they work out to about 0.25 cents per egg. Supermarket eggs would be cheaper (but I don't believe they are nutritious). One some mornings, he opts for hot cereal such as oatmeal. He usually puts a dab of apple sauce in his oatmeal and eats it with a side of whole milk yogurt (I buy the 32 ounce containers) or cottage cheese (again - I buy the bigger containers to save money). Sometimes I make an omlet with cheese and veggies (tomatoes, peppers, etc) or I make scambled eggs and stuff them in a tortilla with cheese, tomatoes and sometimes bacon. Mmmmm. If I do make pancakes, they are made with whole milk, butter and eggs so they don't lack protein. All of these breakfast options cost less than $1.00 for me.

I agree that kids eat a lot of crap nowadays and we are sadly lacking in our fruits and veggies, but that breakfast isn't ideal.

[liberal_at_heart]

99. I know my 14 yr old son's stomach would be growling soon after eating that breakfast.

My son eats a healthy grain cereal. My 17 yr old daughter on the other hand got in a bad habit of not eating breakfast for a while, but lately she has figured out that if she eats a good breakfast she isn't as hungry during the day and doesn't eat as much at lunch. Sometimes they just have to figure these things out for themselves.

[Tree-Hugger]

101. I used to do that as a teen

I would either skip breakfast or eat an apple. Then I would end up snacking more at lunch to make up for it an I would end up dragging. So, I switched to a decent breakfast and a better lunch with less snacky crap

[mainer]

112. Thank you to those pointing out this person is ... unbalanced

What a waste of time trying to respond reasonably to an unreasonable person.

[TexasBushwhacker]

115. Insert "vegan" for "very healthy" next time so that I don't have to bother reading

Not everyone is a vegan, but somehow, those of us that are omnivores or lacto-ovo vegetarians don't feel the need to force our food choices on others. If you want to raise your kids as vegans, fine. At least learn how to combine foods properly so they can get some complete protein. Bananas, oranges and avocados isn't going to cut it, and it's not especially cheap either.

[flvegan]

123. Was that the intent?

Or are you just like, super defensive?

Combine foods for complete proteins...so again, super defensive or just ignorant?

[TexasBushwhacker]

126. Not ignorant, avocado is incomplete protein

one or two pieces of whole grain toast with peanut butter would provide complete protein, because the amino acids the grains lack, the legumes (peanuts) have. and it's still vegan

[Turborama]

117. As there appears to be several knowledgable people here, suggestions please for a 15 month old

My daughter loves oat porridge with mashed banana and crumbled whole wheat digestive biscuit mixed in, but I want to add some variety as I think she's starting to get bored of it...

[gkhouston]

118. Perhaps apple instead of banana? It's not that hard to make applesauce if you

want to limit the amount of sweetening. At that age, she might not want something completely novel, so changing the fruit could be a way to offer a little variety.

[Turborama]

119. Thanks for the suggestion.

I forgot to mention I do add grated pear sometimes instead and she likes that, so apple should work too. I do add mango instead of banana as well, after seeing this thread I'm wondering if it's too much sugar, though?

[gkhouston]

125. Hmm. Perhaps add a taste of yogurt or a bit of scrambled egg for some protein?

I wouldn't suggest peanut butter at this age.

[TexasBushwhacker]

127. whole grain pancakes with applesauce? n/t

[live foods 4 life]

137. OMG

FACEPALM!!!! Wheat for a young child? No! Raw applesauce made in a Vitamix!

[TexasBushwhacker]

148. OMG - Read the OP, her child is already eating wheat

Not everyone in the world is gluten sensitive. Even if she was, there are gluten free pancake/waffle mixes.

[leeroysphitz]

121. Sounds good but could I substitute bacon for the avocado?

[JI7]

124. sounds boring to me, where is the meat and bread or at least potatoes ?

[Warren DeMontague]

142. Should provide lots of energy for a busy day at.. Say, the library