It is well known that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but getting children to eat a balanced breakfast first thing in the morning can often be a difficult task. Children usually sleep for long periods and breakfast is important as it breaks the overnight fast, and provides the energy they need first thing and for the day ahead.

A kid's last meal will probably have been their evening meal or bed time snack and overnight their blood sugar levels fall, so having a balanced breakfast, particularly one including slow release carbohydrate foods, will help maintain a steady level of blood glucose for the morning ahead.

Kids who don't eat breakfast are more likely to be obese, do less well physically and mentally at school and tend not to be alert or in a good mood.* Breakfast provides 20 to 25 per cent of a child's daily key nutrient intake and once they have skipped this meal, they struggle to catch up nutritionally later in the day. A good start to a child's day is to give them a combination of the five food groups in the right proportions, as suggested by the Food Standards Agency's 'Eatwell plate'.

A nutritious breakfast is one that provides a balance of essential nutrients – carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals which contribute to the day's requirements. A 15g portion of Nutella combined with other foods such as a slice of wholegrain toast, a bowl of low or no sugar cereal with semi skimmed milk and a glass of pure fruit juice is an option for a balanced breakfast.

When using Nutella Hazelnut Spread, there is no need to use butter or an alternative fat spread. The recommended portion size is 15g. Per portion, Nutella contains 80kcals, 4.6g fat (2.6g monounsaturates, 1.6g saturates and 0.5g polyunsaturates) and 8.3g sugar and it contains no artificial colours, preservatives or hydrogenated fat.

Nutella is also a low GI food with a GI of 31, which means it provides slow release energy. Low GI foods help keep children feeling fuller for longer, can reduce the desire for snacking later and can reduce overall calorie intake for the day.*** It is important that if it is to be eaten as a low GI food it is eaten as part of a meal that has an overall low GI. Granary or multigrain bread typically has a 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. It is better to have Nutella with a low to medium GI wholegrain bread as this will be the option with the lowest GI.

In addition, Nutella is very low in salt and contains some essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, zinc and calcium.