I was lucky enough to score an invite to see how UNCLE TOBYS rolled oats are made. As one of a small group of media dietitians we got to see the whole oaty process from the harvested grain to the finished product being packed into the familiar 'red box'.

Most health professionals have a set against pre-sweetened kids’ cereals, as they’re generally low in fibre and only train young taste buds to prefer a bowl of ‘something sweet’ at breakfast. So when I spotted a new ready-to-drink breakfast liquid under the Coco Pops brand at the supermarket, I had to investigate.

How many times have you heard this: “It’s better to eat the box than the cereal”? That’s fine if you’re after fibre in the form of cellulose (and I get the cereal joke), but it doesn’t address the needs of busy women who are after something quick in the morning rush, that makes a decent contribution to nutrition, and solves the problem of how to get the kids to eat something rather than nothing before school.  Oh and one that tastes good too!

Starting the day with a good breakfast gives children the edge. Unfortunately one in four Australian children leaves home without it. US studies dating back to the 1960s (the Iowa Breakfast studies) first established the importance of breakfast and showed that hunger and lack of nutrition have adverse effects on children's learning ability. They reported that children who skipped breakfast felt tired and irritable, had trouble concentrating on the morning's lessons, and found complex mental tasks difficult.

Grapefruits get the thumbs up from every nutritionist, myself included. I love to kick off my day with a pink grapefruit that I peel thickly, cut into segments and add a thin sprinkle of brown sugar. Nothing nicer before my muesli!  Like other citrus, grapefruits are packed full of vitamin C, providing an entire day's needs in just half an grapefruit. This vitamin can enhance iron absorption, speed up wound healing and reduce the risk of a heart attack.