My daughter, 4, wants “crunchy”, not “mushy” cereal. We've been giving her porridge and Weetabix. Can you recommend other healthy cereals? I thought that Cheerios were the best.

Look for cereals that are not too sugary or salty. To be fair, manufacturers have got their act together over the past decade when it comes to salt, reducing levels by around 43 per cent in total. Cheerios contain 0.5g of salt per 45g bowl, a sixth of your little girl's upper recommended daily intake of 4g a day.

Sugar is another matter. Cheerios score relatively well, with 12.4g per 45g bowl, but the same amount of chocolate-coated and frostedcereals have more like 18g per 45g, equivalent to 41/2 teaspoons of sugar.

Ideally, children between 4 and 6 should have no more than 40g of sugar a day. In other words, your daughter would be getting almost half of this in one bowl of such cereals. My advice is to steer her away from these versions where you can.

If your daughter has had enough of ordinary Weetabix, try Oatibix, which has just 5.1g of sugar per 36g bowl. The switch may just keep up her interest in what is a very healthy cereal choice. The other option is to find ways of adding a bit of crunch to the porridge she already eats. Just before serving, you could crush up a little Special K or fruit and fibre-type cereal and sprinkle them on top to give it a bit more texture. You could try other breakfast foods, alternating them with cereals so that she gets more variety. A friend swears by purple toast, which her boy, also 4, loves. Just blend blueberries with fromage frais and spread it on toast. French toast also goes down well (take two slices of bread, and whisk an egg with a pinch of cinnamon and brown sugar. Dip the bread into the egg mix and fry in a non-stick pan brushed with a little oil for 2-3 minutes each side).

And I can't think of a much healthier way to start the day than having a boiled egg with soldiers. It is filling, nutritious and takes minutes to prepare.

A good start to the day

- One child in five goes to school on an empty stomach. Even a sugary cereal is better than nothing. Skipping breakfast has been shown adversely to affect children's attention, concentration and, ultimately, their behaviour.

- Children get between 20 and 30 per cent of their vitamins and minerals from fortified breakfast cereals. Children who have breakfast are less likely to be overweight than those who skip it.

- Tom Sanders, Professor of Nutrition & Dietetics at King's College London, says children who eat cereal for breakfast tend to consume more milk, needed for healthy bones and teeth. When opting for alternative breakfasts, try to give children an extra glass of milk or yoghurt during the day.

If you have nutrition questions, e-mail amandaursell@thetimes.co.uk

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