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FAQ BREAKFASTIt's mentioned throughout the importance of a balanced breakfast, what exactly does this mean? This is one that provides a balance of essential nutrients - carbohydrates, proteins, fat, vitamins and minerals which contribute to the day's requirements. By giving your child a 15g portion of Nutella on wholegrain toast, along with a low or no sugar cereal with semi skimmed milk and a glass of pure fruit juice, you'll be giving your kids a good start to the day with a balanced breakfast. Why should I give my child Nutella at breakfast? A 15g portion of Nutella Hazelnut Spread on wholegrain toast can help provide a good start to the day which gives kids fuel to help keep them going. As a low glycaemic index (GI) food, Nutella on wholegrain toast promotes slow and steady rises in blood glucose, helping to maintain energy levels and reducing the likelihood of snacking later on. Research shows kids who eat breakfast are more likely to meet the recommendations for five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.* In addition, low GI breakfasts have been shown to reduce the desire for higher energy (higher calories) foods at lunch and children who had a high GI breakfast consumed more energy in their lunchtime choices and were noticeably hungrier. You mention throughout Nutella should be provided on wholegrain toast, why is this? Wholegrain foods are an important part of a healthy diet. Nutella is considered a low GI food as it has a GI value of 31.** It is important that if it is to be eaten as a low GI food that it is eaten as part of a meal that has an overall low GI. Multigrain or granary bread is typically low to medium GI while white bread typically has a high GI. As part of a healthy diet we are encouraged to eat wholegrain varieties. So, it is better to have Nutella with a wholegrain bread with the lowest GI. HEALTH Your biggest ingredient is sugar followed by fat. How can you recommend this as part of balanced breakfast? The key issue here is portion size - per 15g portion, Nutella contains 80kcals, 4.7g fat and 8.3g sugar. We feel these values are acceptable as it is designed to be consumed as part of a healthy breakfast. The Balance of Good Health plate model, designed by the Food Standards Agency, states that both sugar and fat are acceptable in appropriate quantities as part of a balanced diet. The key is balance and moderation - some foods like fruit and vegetables in large amounts and others like Nutella in small amounts. Using Nutella means no butter or alternative fat spread needs to be used as well, so the total fat content would be less than that of the same size portion as say jam and butter on toast. Giving your children a balanced breakfast that they will enjoy, ensures that they leave the house having eaten something nutritious and is more likely to stop them snacking on unhealthy high calorie foods later in the day.* INGREDIENTS What are the full ingredients in Nutella? Click here for full ingredients We recognise that obesity is a growing problem amongst children part of which is as a result of a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle. We already know that many children do not eat breakfast and snack on unhealthy high calorie foods such as crisps and chocolate later in the day. In fact findings from our breakfast report***** show that not eating breakfast appears to be linked to being overweight. It is ultimately the responsibility of parents to encourage good eating habits and regular meals for their children. An active lifestyle is also an essential part of a child’s daily life. We advise that as well as eating a balanced breakfast, a great way to keep your youngsters healthy is to get them to be more active. Make time to cycle or walk them to school, or encourage them to participate in after school organised activities. |
When can I give my kids Nutella?
Is Nutella really the right breakfast for my kids? I've always seen it as an occasional treat When eaten as part of a balanced breakfast, a 15g portion of Nutella Hazelnut Spread can be a good option. We are suggesting that a 15g portion of Nutella can be eaten as part of a balanced breakfast, i.e. with wholegrain toast, low or no sugar cereal with semi skimmed milk, and pure fruit juice. Is Nutella really a hazelnut spread? Yes! It in fact contains very little cocoa, around 7 per cent. Nutella also contains 52 hazelnuts in every 400g jar. LABELLING How do I as a parent know what a sensible amount is? Our new packaging clearly shows the nutritional content of Nutella per 15g portion. Our labels are transparent so that it is very clear to parents what a portion contains - as part of a balanced breakfast. |
