Question 1
If a child presents with food allergies that prevent RTEC consumption, what are some alternative breakfast options for this child that will provide the same nutrients commonly found in RTECs?
posted by Unknown @ 6:54 PM
28 comments
28 Comments:
A child who presents with food allergies could get similar nutrients by consuming other fortified foods. But eating well balanced, nutrient rich meals throughout the day would probably have the same results as the study found for children who eat cereal.
Well assuming that the allergy is something like celiac or to nuts and not something like dairy, I would recommend some fortified liquid breakfast alternative like carnation instant breakfast. However, other whole food options would be like a scambled egg, spinach, and a fruit/yogurt smoothie to get a lot of the same nutrients in.
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As I think about this question, I'm picturing the breakfast that I served daily at Unit 5 (since in this study they surveyed children in the NSLP/SBP).
RTEC (a daily argument over Cocoa Puffs)
Muffin, doughnut, or other bread product
Juice
Milk
There were no other breakfast food items in that kitchen. If a child had a gluten allergy and lactose intolerance, it would take some creativity of the FS manager to find something for that child to eat. I think it would be more likely for the parents to feed that child at home. However, the percentage of students in the NSLP/SBP at that school was very high. That student may not get a meal unless they eat at school.
I would agree that if the child was not able to eat RTEC than they most likely have a gluten intolerance. The child could eat a warm breakfast consisting of eggs, some form of meat, milk, and/or a piece of fruit. This would still be a healthy option for breakfast for the child and they would still likely see similar results to those in the study.
I think all the options listed so far are great. Some things to add could be non-contaminated oats, dried fruit, hard boiled egg, whole grain gluten free bread, etc.
First, we must identify the allergen. Knowing what the allergen is, the FS manager or other official can definitely incorporate some changes to feed the child.
I completely agree with Kaitlin that other foods can provide a healthy breakfast options.
Most authors above have provided great options as well.
This is a difficult question to adequately answer without knowing more information about the offending allergen(s). That aside, sources of “breakfast” foods that provide comparable nutrients to those commonly found in RTEC (i.e., calcium, iron, folate, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, fiber) include a yogurt parfait with allergen-free granola, allergen-free breakfast bars, carnation breakfast drinks, fresh fruit and nut butter, scrambled egg wrap, fortified juices, etc.
I agree with Emily in that the importance of this difficulty is creativity on the part of either the parent or FS manager. Education for FS staff and/or parents is key. There certainly are excellent breakfast food options available for kids that are unable to consume RTEC.
This is a difficult question to adequately answer without knowing more information about the offending allergen(s). That aside, sources of “breakfast” foods that provide comparable nutrients to those commonly found in RTEC (i.e., calcium, iron, folate, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, fiber) include a yogurt parfait with allergen-free granola, allergen-free breakfast bars, carnation breakfast drinks, fresh fruit and nut butter, scrambled egg wrap, fortified juices, etc.
After reading everyone else's comments, I'm not sure what else to add! I think just trying to get a mixture from the various food groups would be important. Try to get dairy, nuts, fruit and grain into the meal and maybe add a multivitamin to cover all your bases.
I think its important to remember that cereal is not the 100% perfect breakfast food. Although it supplies lot of important nutrients, it is generally lacking in what I consider an essential component of breakfast: protein! Some cereals are a little higher but I don't think its necessary to push cereal on parents unless their child has an identifiable deficiency of iron or folate, or unless their child eats poorly for the rest of the day.
As most have already stated I think it is all dependent upon the type of allergy. If it is a gluten allergy than yogurt, fruit smoothie, or oatmeal would be great choices. If it is a dairy allergy then there are a variety of other choices such as fruits and grains. I think it would also be important to determine what the child likes to eat. If we suggest foods that the child does not like, then they will just not consume them at all.
I also think Kaitlin made a good point. As long as the child is eating something for breakfast to get them started it is better than nothing. Even though the breakfast may not contain all the needed nutrients they have the rest of the day to try to consume a balanced diet and get the needed nutrients.
Like others have said, it would depend on what the child is allergic to. Unfortunately, they may not be able to get all of the vitamins and minerals that are fortified in RTEC from one food like you can from cereal. But just explaining that variety in foods is key. Obviously they would need to avoid whatever they are allergic to but including variety will ensure they get everything they need.
With allergies in children, finding fortified foods that don't contain the allergen along with a nutrient dense diet throughout the day would be a good start to meeting the needs of the child.
Sarah S. said...
I would also guess that the allergen would be gluten. This makes it tough to get those same nutrients, but it can be done with fortified, gluten-free bread (toast) along with maybe some fruit and yogurt. Or possibly some gluten-free, fortified RTEC's.
If we're thinking of the SBP, the reality is it will likely need to be something pre-packaged like the normal offerings. A fortified product would be needed to realistically meet the same nutrient profile - folate and zinc are a little more difficult to find in typical breakfast offerings. Fortunately, with the rise in the incidence of allergies in children, there are a lot of product options available.
I agree, with the previous comments; identifying the allergen, which is most likely gluten. There are still regular RTECs that are gluten free such as rice krispies and chex without having to buy the specialty gluten-free cereals. Even if the child cannot eat many cereals, there are many other options like oatmeal with fruits added that will be a good alternative. Any breakfast item seems to be better than none according to this study.
I would base my recommendation on what the allergen is, but generally as many others have said I would want to focus on other fortified foods as well as fresh produce. Some examples could be orange juice, milk, yogurt, granola bars (based on the allergen), nuts, eggs, and fresh fruit.
I agree with Amy that breakfast cereals generally lack protein. I think it is important to incorporate some source of protein with breakfast to keep the body feeling fuller longer. Some examples could be nuts, nut butters, eggs, certain kinds of granola bars.
There have been a lot of good suggestions. I agree with Amy and Erin that we would need to add more protein to this childs diet.
I agree that we would need to first identify the allergen and then accomodate accordingly with a well balanced, moderate breakfast.
I like Nate's idea of Carnation instant breakfast. I would suggest ham and scrambled eggs, but the school may not do a hot breakfast. So in that case, I'd suggest a hard-boiled egg, some yogurt, and a piece of fruit.
I think this would really depend on the allergy. Most kids who have grain allergies/intolerances are not allergic to every grain, particularly rice, which is a low-allergenic food. The child may still be able to eat puffed rice or Rice Chex cereal instead, which still provides the fortification of B vitamins and iron. Another option might be a smoothie with berries, milk, chia seed, and a few veggies hidden. Lean turkey sausage might be a good option as it has the B vitamins and iron, and is a great source of protein. They could see if quinoa is tolerated to prepare similarly to oatmeal, as it is a complete protein and has B vitamins.
A smoothie or quinoa are great if the child is eating breakfast at home, but may not be practical to implement as a school breakfast. In this case they might do well with yogurt, fruit, eggs, or a lean sausage patty.
I would recommend eggs as an alternative. The protein would be a great start to the day and help the child feel satiated. Wrapping the egg in a corn tortilla would also add a little more to the breakfast and still be gluten free, if that is the allergen that must be avoided. Other ingredients like vegetables could be added such as spinach, tomatoes, and bell peppers, to increase the vitamin content as well. If milk can be consumed then a fruit filled smoothie could also be a fun alternative. They could be prepared at night and would be easy to eat on the go in the morning.
Amy stated above that cereal is not the 100% perfect breakfast food. I completely agree. Not only can some cereals be lacking in protein, but some are filled with added sugars. RTEC breakfasts are easy, tasty, and sometimes fairly cheap. They can increase the likelihood a child will eat breakfast. But I do not think we should push parents give their children RTEC when they are already consuming breakfast.
I believe that any sort of smoothie would be able to provide many of the same nutrients as RTEC. With a smoothie, there is room for variety and hiding vegetables such as kale or spinach so that the child wouldn't even realize that they're eating them.
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