Breakfast is important, because the brain needs fuel to function properly. Our bodies need food to make enough energy to get through our days. If your child suffers from an attention disorder, there are breakfast recipes that can help! These recipes can assist with attention disorders because they contain ingredients that improve focus; many foods have proved to be beneficial for cognition. Below are breakfast ideas that your kid will love, and help to make getting through their school days a simpler task!

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1. Blueberries

These tiny berries are known as “brain food” because they deliver big on improving focus. They contain antioxidants and other nutrients that can assist with memory as well as cognitive function. Best of all, they're delicious! Try a French toast casserole that can be made ahead, for an all-around easy morning. If your child enjoys the taste of blueberries on their own, serve them raw alongside another breakfast recipe for a double dose of brain power.

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2. Avocados

A nutritious breakfast ingredient with a bonus of being filling, thanks to containing plenty of fiber and fat, avocados improve focus. They can even help protect against the effects of various kinds of brain injury. One inventive way to include them in breakfast for a child with an attention disorder. Try a breakfast parfait, which layers avocado with fruit and yogurt, or a classic  avocado toast recipe.

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3. Nuts & Seeds

The good news about using nuts and seeds for attention disorders isn't only that they've been shown to improve memory, focus, concentration and learning — they also come in so many varieties, meaning you’ll have lots of options for days of meals and snacks without repetition. Pair nuts with bananas and oatmeal for a well-rounded breakfast you can cook quickly. 

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4. Chocolate

It's easy to make chocolate tasty, but it's harder to do it without a lot of added sugar! The flavonoids in cocoa enhance cognition, so it's worth the effort to find lower-sugar options to add this ingredient to your child's breakfast. Chocolate muffins with a base of high-fiber black beans and mashed bananas are a great example of how to accomplish that! Thanks to mashed bananas, the amount of added sugars is low, and honey or maple syrup is recommended, rather than cane sugar.

5. Green Foods

Leafy green vegetables improve cognition and also slow cognitive decline, making them a breakfast food for kids that can benefit them into old age. Because no one wants to eat a salad for breakfast, hiding greens in a smoothie is your safest bet for a breakfast recipe that improves focus while being kid-friendly. 

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6. Turmeric

Beneficial for both memory and cognition, turmeric is a small root that has gained significant popularity in recent years for its anti-inflammatory properties. It isn't as well known for its brain-boosting properties, but that doesn't make them any less important! Turmeric is available fresh as a whole root, or dried as a powder, and the bitter taste can be easily disguised if you use it in small doses. 

Learn more about how proper nutrition plays a pivotal role in calming your child’s anxiety and attention-deficit symptoms.

References: 1. https://discoverbrillia.com/pages/five-pillars-sleep-and-rest 2. https://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2017/FO/C7FO00832E#!divAbstract 3. https://www.superhealthykids.com/blueberry-french-toast-casserole/ 4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20874457 5. https://www.californiaavocado.com/recipes/recipe-container/tropical-avocado-breakfast-parfait 6. https://www.fasebj.org/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.636.24 7. https://www.girlgonegourmet.com/banana-nut-oatmeal/ 8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28560212 9. https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2016/04/18/flourless-chocolate-muffins-blender/ 10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29263222 11. https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/recipes/breakfast/simple-green-smoothie-for-toddlers/ 12. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1064748117305110?via%3Dihub 13. https://www.babyledfeeding.com/recipes/banana-and-turmeric-lassi/ 14. https://discoverbrillia.com/pages/five-pillars-nutrition