By Magic Breakfast's Nutrition Team

Eggs are amazingly versatile. There are so many different ways for a child to enjoy eggs as part of their breakfast, such as in omelettes, frittatas, quiches, or just plain hard boiled, or scrambled.

Eating eggs for breakfast is a great way to get a source of non-dairy protein into a child’s body in the mornings. Did you know that a raw hen’s egg (50g) contains 6g of protein? The Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) per day for children aged between 7 to 10 years old is 28.3g, so including eggs in their breakfast gets them off to a great start!

As well as being a low-cost, easily absorbed source of protein, eggs are a really good source of vitamin D (for healthy bones), vitamin A (for eyesight), B2 and B12 (for a healthy heart and nervous system). They also contain iron and folate which are important for maintaining good energy levels and healthy blood.

Research has shown that eggs contain good cholesterol therefore there is really no limit to how many eggs you can eat! They also contain a compound called choline which can help protect memory and which is important for brain development.

A good, healthy tip is to cook eggs without adding much salt or fat, such as oil or butter, as frying eggs can increase their fat content by approximately 50%. So remember to choose healthier cooking methods such as boiling or poaching eggs.

Although the most popular type of eggs consumed in England are hen’s eggs, you might want to experiment with some other types. Below are some varieties of eggs (not to scale), with their protein content highlighted:

          Hen egg                   Turkey eggs                  Duck Egg                Goose egg 

    12.g/100g protein     13.7g/100g protein     12.8g/100g protein      13.9g/100g protein

                       

The best thing about eggs is that they can be enjoyed all year round! Giving children eggs should be encouraged, as they are a nutritious breakfast choice when cooked in a healthy way. Just remember to buy "lion stamped" eggs to protect your family against salmonella (as these eggs have been inoculated), and to cook eggs thoroughly for younger children.