Crunch Time

A Loud Reminder to Eat Breakfast

By Kayla Swartzberg (‘21)

Rumbles echo throughout the Ulam–they’re long and deep. Swiveling in unison, the students turn to lock eyes with each other, rubbing their stomachs with guilty smirks. No breakfast? No problem. Right? Wrong. At San Diego Jewish Academy, the Lions need to eat.

Every day presents new choices, new options and opportunities to grow and learn–blessings at our fingertips. Most SDJA students take such freedoms of learning for granted. 

“I get to choose subjects that I’m passionate about, and I’m not forced to take classes that disinterest me,” Geena Benson (‘21) says.

However, such opportunities can be diminished. By breakfast–or, more accurately, by students’ lack of it.

“For me, personally, breakfast is not the biggest meal,” Gabi Acks (‘22) states. Her classmate, Diego Kohan (‘22) agrees that breakfast isn’t his largest meal, “I may eat a piece of bread for breakfast on a school day.” 

Both Kohan and Acks believe that a good breakfast can give them energy—or as Kohan remarks, “a daily boost.” Why, then, do they not take advantage of it?

Time. Students do not have time to eat breakfast in the morning. Coach Nicole Trotta, science and anatomy teacher at SDJA, offers a solution to this problem. “Wake up five minutes earlier!” she exclaims, adding how eggs, smoothies, and oats are easy to make and eat on-the-go.

But don’t be sly and cheat the system. Eating a breakfast of junk food, while quick and convenient, is not the answer. Athletic Director Stefanie Hill explains it is “typically high in sugar, will provide an initial burst of energy but then burn out quickly.” She finds that eating a breakfast of junk food will not keep one satisfied but will rather make them hungrier sooner than if they had eaten a healthy breakfast.

Healthy breakfast? 

“A healthy breakfast should always have a mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates,” Coach Trotta explains, “Also, drinking water right when you wake up is very important. It rehydrates and wakes up your body, organs, and muscles.” 

As for the food itself, SDJA Executive Chef Giselle Wellman says, “I usually make two scrambled eggs and fruit with yogurt. I think it’s a great source of protein.” 

Above all, Coach Hill reminds students that  “it is important to eat balanced meals throughout the day.  Balanced meals at regular intervals create consistency for your body.” She continues by comparing food to fuel for a car. A car can’t run without fuel, just like a person can’t function without food. Simple logic.

And with that, some simple facts: skipping breakfast hinders progress in the gym. Teens who sit and eat breakfast with their families hold a more positive body image than those who don’t. With that great body image, teens who eat breakfast actually have better-smelling breath than the non-breakfast eaters. One also performs better academically with less risk of becoming obese and dying—all because of eating breakfast.

So tomorrow morning, fry yourself an egg. Crunch on some toast. Slurp down a cup of orange juice. A little crunch time will guarantee a better day.