Elmo wants to know if you would like to play a game.

You would?

Great!

We’re going to play a guessing game that’s also a thinking game. It’s called Elmo’s Breakfast Bingo.

Breakfast Bingo is Elmo’s favorite game because breakfast is Elmo’s favorite meal of the day. Now take your mark, get your table set, and let’s play

Okay, here is your first question.

In the morning, three things you should always do are: brush your teeth, get dressed, and …

• Go to the office.

Or …

• Clean your room.

Or …

• Eat breakfast.

What do you think you should do?

The answer is: Eat breakfast. (It’s okay if you clean your room, too!) You are one smart egg if you got that one right. It’s important to eat breakfast every morning.

Do you know why? Well, that’s the next question, home fries.

Next question!

Why is it good to eat breakfast?

• It saves time—then you don’t need
to eat lunch or dinner.

Or …

• The food gives you energy so you can learn and play all day.

Or …

• It makes your pet turtle happy.

The answer is …

Food gives you energy so you can learn and play all day. No matter how much of a rush you are in, always take time for breakfast.

Now, how does a bowl of cereal give you energy? To find out, let’s take a break from the game for a word from our sponsor: Food, the best source of energy.

When you eat cereal or eggs or pancakes, your body takes the vitamins and minerals from the food and sends them to all parts of your body so they work well. Your body doesn’t get tired as easily, your muscles stay strong, and you feel good.

All right, players …

Name something Elmo likes to eat for breakfast that gives Elmo energy:

• Plate #1: A candy bar.

Or …

• Plate #2: Cereal with milk.

Or …

• Plate #3: Spaghetti and meatballs.

Are you ready to guess?

The answer is Plate #2: Cereal with milk.

Hey—you just won a car! Oops—sorry—wrong show!

Yes, the answer is Plate #2.

But guess what? If you like spaghetti and meatballs, you can eat that for breakfast, too. The most important thing is that you eat something, and that it’s something nutritious. A candy bar won’t give you the lasting energy you need for a good start to your day.

All righty. Now for the Breakfast Bingo Bonus Bagel round, where we bring in some celebrity contestants.

Our first guest is Cookie Monster.

Tell us, Cookie Monster: What can you eat or drink for breakfast that helps you have strong bones and strong teeth?

Is it:

• Platter #1: Cookies?

Or …

• Platter #2: Place mats and forks?

Or …

• Platter #3: Milk?

No, no, Cookie Monster! You can’t eat place mats and forks! And they wouldn’t even taste very good!

The right answer is Platter #3: Milk!

It’s important to drink a lot of milk because it makes you strong.

What’s that, Cookie Monster? Well, yes, milk also tastes great with cookies, but not for breakfast!

Here’s our next guest, Elmo’s friend Zoe.

One morning, Zoe didn’t eat breakfast before she went to preschool.

What do you think happened?

• Curtain #1: Zoe’s legs grew and she got taller.

Or …

• Curtain #2: Zoe could do leaps and twirls all morning.

Or …

• Curtain #3: Zoe was tired and grouchy
and ready for a nap—even before lunch!

What’s the best answer?

Did you choose Curtain #3? Good, because that’s right. Zoe was tired and grouchy. That’s what happens when you don’t eat a good breakfast. The next day, Zoe ate breakfast and she could leap and twirl terrifically! (Plus she wasn’t grouchy!)

Okay, players. Now on to the next question:

Rosita didn’t like to eat breakfast. So on Monday, she didn’t. But when she had her play date later in the morning, she had a bad tummy ache. Did her tummy hurt because:

• She was hungry?

Or …

• Her tummy was growing?

Or …

• Her tummy didn’t like Mondays?

What did you guess?

Rosita’s tummy hurt because she was hungry!

If you don’t eat regularly, your tummy will be empty and sometimes it will ache because it needs to be filled.

Here’s something to think about: You eat dinner and, later on, you go to bed. When you wake up in the morning, it’s been a looong time since you’ve eaten. So breakfast is fill-up time!

Now please welcome Elmo’s friend Bert. Do you know what Bert’s favorite food is? I’ll give you a hint: It tastes great at breakfast.

Is it:

• A rubber duckie?

Or …

• Oatmeal?

Or …

• Some of Ernie’s leftovers?

If you guessed oatmeal, you’re right!

Oatmeal is not only yummy but it also will keep you feeling full all morning. That way, you won’t feel hungry until lunchtime. Ernie likes oatmeal, too. And Elmo likes oatmeal with raisins.

Here’s another question for you, players! What do you like to eat for breakfast?

You know, there are all sorts of foods you can eat for breakfast. Here are some of the things Elmo’s friends from Sesame Street like to eat:

And now—are you ready?—who wants to be a

champion? Okay, then, we’ve come to … the million-dollar question!

If you wake up late in the morning and everyone’s in a rush, what’s the most important thing to do before you leave the house?

Think carefully, players.

Is it …

• #1: Water all the plants?

Or …

• #2: Teach your fish to do the backstroke?

Or …

• #3: Eat something—a bagel,
a piece of fruit, or a granola bar—
for breakfast?

Bingo, breakfast fans!

If you guessed #3: Eat something for breakfast, then you are a

winner!

Let’s toast the winner with a big glass of orange juice!

Thanks for playing, everybody. Wow! That was hard work! Now Elmo is going to sit down and enjoy a nice, hearty breakfast. Bon appétit!

A Note to Parents

We’ve heard it all before: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But mornings are tough; there’s a lot to think about and do to get a weekday started, and a leisurely family breakfast often isn’t a realistic option. Here’s some food for thought:

Did you know that countless studies prove that kids who don’t eat breakfast:

• Don’t perform well at school and have lower test scores?

• Have trouble following directions?

• Have difficulty concentrating and performing tasks?

• Are more likely to overeat at other meals?

Also, recent studies show that kids who don’t eat breakfast may not get the vitamins and minerals that breakfast offers—calcium, folic acid, vitamins A and C—later in the day.

It’s a good argument for eating breakfast. Even if you’re running out the door, it’s possible to have a breakfast that you can grab on the go. Kids learn by example, so it would be good to try at least to have your coffee or some juice with your child to show that you are fueling your body in the morning, too. The important thing is to get her into the habit of eating breakfast; you’ll be setting her up for a lifetime of healthy eating.

These quick and easy breakfasts should take only a few minutes to prepare:

Make it the night before:

• Peanut butter sandwich

• Cheese sandwich

• Hardboiled eggs

Quick in the a.m.:

• Healthy cereal with low-fat milk

• A piece of fruit and toast

• Frozen waffles or pancakes

• Bagel with peanut butter, cheese, or jam

• Cottage cheese on toast or crackers

No-prep meals on the way out the door:

• String cheese and a box of raisins

• Yogurt

• Breakfast or granola bars

• A plastic baggie of cereal (fill these up Sunday night so they’re set to go)

And try to inclue a glass of fortified orange juice and low-fat or skim milk.

We all want Happy Healthy Monsters!

Probably the easiest way to think about keeping your child happy is to imagine a whole pie divided into equal pieces. Think of the pie as your child’s day. A child’s day, like that pie, should be divided into equal parts so that there is time to rest, which includes getting enough sleep; time to move around; and time to eat three meals a day.

Sometimes the sizes of the pie pieces will change—maybe one day the kids get a lot of time to run around but not an equal amount of time to rest. It happens—that’s life. But the next day they should get plenty of rest to make up for it. If your child eats a meal that isn’t exactly nutritious one day, try to serve two other nutritious meals that day. It’s all about trying to even out that pie or achieving balance.

Ideally, here’s what the pie should look like:

Sleep and Rest:

You know your child will perform better and feel better if he gets enough sleep. Convincing him of this, however, can be tough. Try to keep bedtime at the same time each night so that it’s a set part of the daily schedule. Create a bedtime routine. Reading before bed is a great habit to get into, and it allows him some quiet time to settle down.

During the day you may notice that he needs a nap or some rest time. As he gets older, getting him to take a nap may be hard; still, encourage him to sit down and rest if he needs to.

Movement and Play:

Kids need to move, and they need to be encouraged to do so. Stretching, taking a walk, or getting involved in unstructured play are all fine ways for your child to get enough exercise during the day. You don’t need to make a trip to a jungle gym—although an outing to the playground is always great. You can create playtime and movement at home by playing Duck, Duck, Goose or Simon Says. Turn on the radio and dance around the room.

If you’ve ever worked through an aerobics video or sweated through a fitness class, you know that exercise can feel like a chore, but moving can be loads of fun for your child. Find something enjoyable you can do together, such as taking a family walk or bike ride. You’ll all benefit from the exercise, and you’ll be setting a wonderful precedent for spending time together.

Try making movement a permanent part of your child’s day so that it becomes the daily norm. You’ll be establishing the basis for him to include exercise in his life in a natural way for all of his life

Nutritious Foods:

You know green beans are nutritious, but your child will only eat hot dogs. Kids can be picky eaters, and they can go through stages when they seem pickier than usual. Don’t despair. These are just phases. The best thing you can do for your child is to offer her a variety of healthy foods to choose from. Somewhere amid the green beans, carrots, squash, tomatoes, and Brussels sprouts, she’s going to find some vegetable she likes. Don’t be shy about introducing different and unusual foods; often a child will be induced by curiosity to try a yam or asparagus or something else new. She’ll also notice what you’re eating, so do eat fruits and vegetables in front of her. Calcium is also an important dietary requirement for growing kids—both boys and girls. Encourage your child to eat yogurt or cheese, and tell her that this will help give her strong bones. If she’s not thrilled about drinking milk, try flavored milk—banana or strawberry, for example.

Kids are interested in their growing and changing bodies, and giving them the idea that they can help control how their bodies function by fueling them with certain foods is a great start to a lifetime of healthy food choices.

Elmo’s Great Advice for
Happy Healthy Monsters

Remember:
Eat breakfast
every morning!
You’ll stay strong,
and you’ll be full
of energy all day!