New research suggests that adhering to healthier diets can prevent cognitive decline in older adults. The nutrients in foods— from prebiotic fibers in lentils to omega-3 fats in fish— play an important role in brain health.
This is true at all stages of life. In early childhood, parents pay an inordinate amount of attention to the DHA in their baby’s formula, or the daily vitamin D supplement, or the ounces of milk ingested each feeding. This obsessive attention to detail slackens (thank goodness) as kids get older, but sometimes, I would argue, to a detriment.
In school-aged children, when making it out the door is a silent victory, breakfast is often rushed, sugary, packaged, or skipped altogether. Research assessing dietary quality and school achievement suggests improved performance and happier, more alert children in a low glycemic index breakfast group compared to higher sugar group. Similarly, a review of research on skipping breakfast favors breakfast eaters with improved attention, executive function, and memory in school. A population study of over 4000 Dutch children found an association between those adhering to an overall (not breakfast, specifically) healthier diet of “whole grains, soft fats and dairy” with larger brain sizes and higher IQs compared to children who adhered to a diet consisting more of “snack, processed foods and sugar.”
What can you do to optimize your child’s learning and mood at school?
- Don’t skip breakfast. Having ready-to-go foods that are still real foods, like pre-prepped boiled eggs, yogurt, or overnight oats can help here.
- Avoid cereals, waffles, pancakes, or pastries for breakfast. Instead, start your kids’ day with healthier breakfast habits, like oatmeal, eggs, whole grain toast with nut butter, or yogurt. Getting young children accustomed to these options is, of course, easier. For older kids and teens, I recommend a family conversation around the brain and body benefits of nutritious, whole foods. Perhaps your kids may advise you on how to transition away from sugary or processed breakfasts and incorporate less processed, more natural options. If they are reluctant to offer any ideas, you can always try switching things up one day this week, two next, and so on, until you establish a new routine.
- Add nuts and seeds. Even if it’s a cereal day, your kids can choose between chia, flax, and hemp to augment their morning meal. Omega-3 fats, found in fatty fish (also fine to have for breakfast!) and in a variety of nuts and seeds, may improve brain development, cognitive function, and even social-emotional skills in children.
Takeaway:
At the end of the day, your child’s daily nutrition needs some more attention at the beginning of the day. Planning ahead can help your kids get out the door with a breakfast that is less sugary, less processed and more whole grain, whole food, and wholesome, allowing them to learn and function better during the day.
Read here for more on avoiding cereal, healthy fats, fiber, and microbiome health.
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For more perspective on what it takes to have and raise a thriving little human, check out my show, The Unplanned Parent, on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
References:
Anderer, Samantha. “Healthy Eating May Help Prevent Cognitive Decline.” JAMA vol. 335,14 (2026): 1199. doi:10.1001/jama.2026.1023
Burrows, T et al. “Is there an association between dietary intake and academic achievement: a systematic review.” Journal of human nutrition and dietetics : the official journal of the British Dietetic Association vol. 30,2 (2017): 117-140. doi:10.1111/jhn.12407
Burrows, Tracy et al. “Associations between selected dietary behaviours and academic achievement: A study of Australian school aged children.” Appetite vol. 116 (2017): 372-380. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2017.05.008
Adolphus, Katie et al. “The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.” Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) vol. 7,3 590S-612S. 16 May. 2016, doi:10.3945/an.115.010256
Mou, Yuchan et al. “Dietary patterns, brain morphology and cognitive performance in children: Results from a prospective population-based study.” European journal of epidemiology vol. 38,6 (2023): 669-687. doi:10.1007/s10654-023-01012-5
