Meet Tom. He’s 23, and when he’s not busy working as a Practitioner in a children’s nursery or taking care of his newborn daughter (Hi Nora!) he’s putting in a shift on the pitch with the Corstorphine Cougars 1XV team.
As a new dad his day to day is never the same, but it usually starts with a big nutritional priority; “I’ve always believed in breakfast being the most important meal of the day and so make sure, however small, I fuel myself to be ready for the day ahead.”
Then it’s straight to work. “After a quick morning cuddle from everyone it’s off to work for 7:15, opening up and setting up the rooms ready for the 20+ preschool children the team and I look after every day.” After all that, Tom still finds the energy for rugby so grabs a quick and healthy snack on his way out the door to make sure he’s ready to tackle whatever practices throws at him. A piece of fruit or Nairn's biscuit breaks are his go-to here - “If I had to choose a favourite, it’d be between the Oats & Syrup or Oats & Fruit biscuit breaks.”
“Finally, when all the work and activities are done, I can finally relax and spend time with my family.” Phew!
Being a dad has, as all parents will know, changed Tom’s routine massively. “It’s amazing and makes every day so much better, especially seeing her grow and develop new skills. Day to day, the responsibility that I now have means that free time is limited as well as having to throw a routine out the window for the first few months, my day revolves around her.” His focus hasn’t just changed in terms of what he does, it’s what he eats too. “I have noticed that I have much less time to eat and so have had to make a conscious effort to make sure I’m eating healthily and staying full. It helps me feel less tired, energised actually.”
Clearly, Tom’s at a point in his life where he’s got more than a few responsibilities – so the idea of a Good Food Mood is important to him. “For me, it’s all about the satisfaction of finding a tasty and healthy food that fills you with energy and you enjoy and look forward to eating.”
Nutritionist Fiona Lawson says:
We all know that parenthood can cause us to fall down our own list of priorities! Tom is absolutely right, though—eating well will help him handle all that the day throws at him. Breakfast is an important meal, as it helps to set our appetite for the rest of the day. For a heartier breakfast, Tom could try cooking porridge made with Nairn’s Scottish Porridge Oats and cinnamon to further support his energy levels!
