We've all been there – a sudden slump in mid-morning energy, a growling tummy and a desperate longing to scoff a sugary treat. They're all common reactions to skipping breakfast. A University of Sydney National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Study found that more than three-quarters of school children were leaving home hungry.

While it can be tough to encourage kids to eat in the morning, the rewards are worth the effort. Researchers have found that kids who don't eat breakfast find it harder to concentrate at school, are more restless, are more likely to have a poor memory, get less iron (an important nutrient that helps carry oxygen around the body) and are at greater risk of obesity.

On the flip side, kids that do eat breakfast tend to do better at school, are more likely to participate in physical activities, are more likely to have a positive attitude towards school and tend to eat healthier overall.

So, the big question is, how do you get your kids to eat before school? It's a matter of making it a habit. Experts say offering a liquid breakfast is a good way to get them used to consuming food in the morning – a fruit smoothie is packed with protein to fill them up and the fruit will give them a much-needed morning energy boost.

Help your kids get off to a proper start:

Take the stress out of the morning rush by getting organised – filling out a weekly meal planner will help you shop more efficiently and ensure you have nutritious ingredients at hand. It’s also a great way to get an overview of how healthy your meals are – use the handy tools in Microsoft Office 2007 to create great templates (like the Weekly Meal Planner mentioned above) to help you plan nutritional meals and take the stress out of shopping. Watch our Keep organised demo - you'll be inspired to come up with creative ways to organise your family's meals and improve their eating habits.

Top brekkie tips:

• Encourage your kids to drink a glass of water or orange juice on an empty stomach – it helps stimulate digestive flow and will increase appetite.
  
• Fruit and yoghurt are healthy convenient foods if you're strapped for time.
  
• Make breakfast just as important a family meal as dinner – sitting down all together before you rush off to your busy work and school days sets a good example of healthy eating habits. You might like to include "eating breakfast as a family" as part of your family rules, curfews and guidelines – use our templates.

  Do you have an effective way of getting the kids to eat brekkie in the morning? Got any healthy breakfast ideas that your kids love? Or time-saving tips for a quick, nutritious brekkie?