This is a sponsored post for Quaker Oats and was first published on MyCity4Kids.com
6:00 AM Wake up
6:30 AM Wake little
one up
7:00 AM Force the
little one to have at least a cup of milk before he leaves for school, while he
tries to run all around the place, avoiding the glass of milk in your hand!
Sounds familiar?
Well, children,
especially those who go to school early in the morning, are reluctant to eat or
drink anything before they leave for school. But knowing what a busy day they
have ahead, we parents are keen for them to have something before they rush for
the school bus – even if it is just a glass of milk!
Of course, knowing
that growing children need a lot of energy, parents constantly seek out foods
our little ones would agree to have in the morning before they start their busy
day. And as responsible parents, most of us look for something with the least
bit of preservatives and the most bit of energy.
Having an active
grade-schooler at home, I too have been on the lookout lately, for something
that will keep him energetic and full for a good amount of time. Not
surprisingly, he is not too interested in the usual parathas, poha or idlis;
and I am forced to look at other options. Add to that the constant bombardment
of advertisements on TV, making the preservatives added food look yummy and
tasty to kids, and it gets more and more difficult to get my little one to eat
something nice and healthy – because what is healthy for me, is boring for him;
and what is ‘cool’ for him, is full of preservatives and chemicals!
Then one day last
week, we received a note from the Principal of our little one’s school, telling
us not to send children to school on an empty stomach! That many children,
returning to school after a two month summer vacation; were facing problems
such as dizziness, weakness etc. before the first meal break in school as they
left home on an empty stomach; and the break was a good hour away!
This made me sit
down for a chat with my little one, where I showed him the Principal’s note and
tried to make him understand the gravity of the situation. Maybe it was my
worry, or maybe it was that he had actually seen some of his friends suffer, I
do not know which; but he agreed to eat a little something in the morning,
provided it was very less and did not make him feel too full – and of course,
it had to be tasty!
Now that was a tall
order, especially as I was thinking of what healthy options I could include in
this very specific brief that he had given me. So being a google devotee, I
fired a quick search for the best, natural food, full of energy – something that,
even when eaten in little quantities, would keep one full longer – and not
surprisingly, my research brought me to oats!
My first reaction
was Oats? My little one won’t even touch that! But as I read more and
more information about oats and saw videos that explained more about the grain
itself and also how it reaches our homes from the farm (no preservatives or
chemicals!) I was fascinated!
After a lengthy
research (and too much time spent on YouTube,) I was eventually convinced that
I had finally found something that completely fit the brief my little one had
given me and satisfied the most important criteria for me – all natural food
with no preservatives and chemicals! Some of the best things about oats I found
were -
It is sufficient
to have small helpings at a time!
You see, one of the
main concerns most of us face, is the quantity we expect children to eat in the
morning. A bowlful is too much for the child, and a few spoonful isn’t enough
to satisfy a mom’s worry. But with oats, this problem is beautifully taken care
of. You see, oats is high in energy as well as dietary fibre; so one feels full
and energetic even after having a few spoonful.
It’s made in a jiffy!
Ah, the rush of an
early morning on working days and the shortage of time to get things done! Add
to that little ones who prefer to do things at their own pace (as mine does,)
and you are running against time already. At such times, knowing that something
like Quaker oats will take just 3 minutes to cook is a great blessing!
Keeps you feeling full longer
Now, most of our
children have quite a time gap between eating at home in the morning and taking
their breakfast breaks at school. Plus most kids choose to eat very less food
at home as they have just woken up and cannot take in too much. Oats is a great
help at these times! Even if eaten in less quantities, the fiber in oats keeps
us feeling full for longer and the slow release of energy that oats is capable
of, keeps our little ones going full force till their next meal break!
Its free of preservatives and chemicals
This if you ask me
is reason enough to have the amazing oatmeal! The entire process of growing
oats on a farm to packaging them in home sized packets is chemicals and
preservative free! In the world where almost everything edible seems dangerous
to our health, this is something to rejoice, isn’t it?
So all said and
done, I am happy to have found just the right thing I was looking for – an
all-natural breakfast that powers you up for the entire day!
Comments
Post a Comment