For most families, morning time can be the busiest time of the day. Unfortunately, this usually means that the most important meal of the day is compromised. Easy breakfasts like heavily processed cereals, toastable treats, and microwavable convenience foods are usually full of sugar and fat, and lack the nutrients and fiber needed to have any staying power. But skipping breakfasts isn’t a good option either.
So how do you give your family a healthy breakfast without biting into your time to get ready? For starters, you can get up earlier. But let’s face it, those few minutes of sleep can be precious. Besides, who has a creative mind for meal planning before their third cup of coffee? To keep you from having to rise at the crack of dawn, here are a few breakfast ideas to help you out in the morning.
1. Throw it in a blender. Most kids love a good smoothie, and you can pack it full of the kinds of foods that will hold them until lunchtime. One of our favorites is to grab plain yogurt, a banana, and frozen strawberries. The bananas work as a natural sweetener so no added sugar is necessary. However, if your child needs a little bit of sweetness added to it, consider throwing in a little honey.
2. Cook your grains. The night before, whip up a batch of oatmeal, barley, brown rice, or any other heavy grain. Then in the morning you can warm it up in the microwave and top it with something sweet like honey or fruit to make it more kid appealing. Total morning prep time used? About 3 minutes.
3. Yolk it up. Eggs are one of those versatile foods that can be cooked a hundred different ways. Scramble an egg and throw it in a heated corn tortilla. Cut a hole in a piece of bread and put it in a pan, crack an egg in the center, and cook both sides for “one-eyed jacks”. This can also be done with a waffle or pancakes.
4. Jazz up the bagel. With a little planning you can create something fun, tasty, and healthy. Instead of cream cheese or peanut butter, consider using cottage cheese and fruit. Utilize veggies and fruits to create a “funny face bagel” (like the above picture).
5. Fresh tastes. Cut up a bunch of fruit at the beginning of the week and then serve them a bowl of it every morning. Switch up the fruits you are using each week.
6. Utilize leftovers. Are your kids just not fans of traditional breakfasts? There’s no hard and fast rule that dictates they should be eating foods designated for morning time. Let them have a chicken drumstick or leftover turkey burger in the morning. Truth is, it will keep them filled up so much longer than a bowl of cereal ever could.
Do you have time-saving tips for breakfast time? How about tried-and-true recipes the kids love? Share your tips in the comments.
