Stress-free school day breakfasts
Attention, parents! Here’s a school week’s worth of quick, kid-friendly breakfasts that won’t break the bank, will still let you hit snooze on the alarm, and are so delicious, they could find their way on to your plate as well. (Shopping list included!)
Original — September 03, 2010
I’m all for school starting and getting in to a routine again. I do not, however, look forward to the mornings starting earlier and having to be on time for things. If you’re like me, you start looking for ways to structure the times that make us stressed. For young families, one of those times is serving kids breakfast while also trying to get them out the door.
Breakfast is a must in our house (accompanied by coffee for the adults, of course). For us, it must be 1) something filling and 2) something healthy. Now, we are known to have the occasional box of Lucky Charms in our pantry, but if my girl wants a bowl of that, there better be a banana to go with it.
So if you need a few ideas to get the kids in your house charged and ready for school, here’s a school week’s worth of quick, easy, and kid-friendly breakfasts that won’t break the bank, will still let you hit snooze on the alarm, and are so delicious and out-of-the-box that they could find their way on to your plate as well. I’ll even throw in a grocery list for you and BAM! You’re ready to go.
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Monday: Waffle sandwiches
Why stick with just bread? Toast two waffles, spread ‘em with peanut or almond butter, slice a banana, drizzle with honey. This can be a little messy if you over-do the honey, but it’s finger-licking-good!
Gluten-free? Try Trader Joes’ Gluten Free Frozen Waffles.
Tuesday: Homemade “Pop-Tarts” with yogurt
Who doesn’t love a Pop-Tart? Well, at least until you read the back of the box, I guess. I came across a link to this recipe on a friends’ blog a few months ago–what a fun recipe to make with the kids! The cinnamon-filled are my favorite. Bake these on the weekend, wrap them and store them for use during the week.
Gluten-free? Follow the same recipe but use Pamela’s Baking Mix in place of flour.
Wednesday: Greek yogurt, granola, and fruit
Lately, I’ve been trying to save a few pennies by “making” my own Greek Yogurt. I buy a large container of low fat plain yogurt and strain it for three hours (or so) in my fridge. Do this by lining a colander with cheese cloth or paper towels and dumping the yogurt on top. Put the colander on top of a bowl and let the excess water drip to the bowl. Leave it in the fridge and voila! Your own Greek Yogurt. I’ve really come to love the creamy texture and nearly bitter taste.
Top your yogurt with the granola of your choice (remember this recipe I gave awhile back?), drizzle with honey, and add some berries.
Tip: If you left your yogurt a little too long and it seems too thick, add back a teaspoon at a time of the drippings from your bowl and stir until it reaches your desired consistency.
Thursday: Cereal day
Take your favorite cereal (even if it is Lucky Charms) and slice a banana on top. This will add some extra oomph to the bowl and will leave your little ones happy and full. Serve with a cup of orange juice, and you’re well-balanced and well on your way to a great day!
Gluten-free? If you have not tried any of the EnviroKidz cereals, you are missing out. They are really quite good-–the Peanut Butter Panda Puffs is our favorite.
Friday: Smoothie and toast
While the bread’s in the toaster, toss the following in the blender: one banana, one cup of milk, two tablespoons of honey, half a cup of granola, half a cup of ice. This “breakfast-in-a-cup” is an awesome meal for the days you’re just running too late and need to finish up in the car.
Top your toast to your liking. We’re big fans of almond butter and honey, apple butter, or sometimes just a little butter and jam.
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What you’ll need for the week:
- Frozen waffles
- Bananas
- Flavored yogurt (your choice for serving with Pop-Tarts)
- Large container of low fat plain yogurt
- Berries
- Cereal
- Topping for your toast: peanut butter, apple butter, almond butter, jam, etc.
- Granola (make your own or try Bear Naked)
- Honey
- Ingredients for Pop-Tarts: flour, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, eggs, milk
- Orange Juice
- Bread (Gluten-free? We love Sami’s — the best, you can get it at Ellwood’s)
There you have it. Now, throw some of your favorite-but-simple breakfasts for kids at me!
Photo by: shutterbean
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Kelly Blanchard
Kelly Blanchard loves thinking about, preparing, consuming, and serving good food. Believing that life is to short to eat the same stuff over and over, she loves to test new eats on her friends and family. Kelly loves her coffee-addicted hubbie, her two little blonde-haired babes, all things sweet, black tshirts, and the color pink.
Notice: Comments that are not conducive to an interesting and thoughtful conversation may be removed at the editor’s discretion.
Sounds great, I will have to try it with Barney Butter, our favorite almond butter!
This is great Kelly, thanks. I’ll definitely be trying that pop tart recipe – I miss those. I also just went back to your school lunch article. I’m trying to get some inspiration for packing two lunches starting tomorrow.
Great concept for an article – too bad that 99% of these items are refined grains and/or loaded with sugar. Even natural sugars cause blood sugar levels to rise….so a combo of waffle\banana\OJ is a triple whammy. Even the gluten free options aren’t much better. Would have loved to see hardboiled eggs, berries (much lower sugar fruit), almond milk, nuts, apples tossed with cinnamon, even oatmeal mixed with flavored protein powder- as options. Protein/fat are what keeps us feeling full and satisfied (much longer than carbs)- so important for kids!
Kelly, I already do most of these, except for the home made yogurt and pop tarts. I will try both for sure.
As for the smoothie, might I suggest frozen fruit instead of ice. I have never used ice in a smoothie, and it is certainly more healthy. When I lived in Austin TX decades ago, I worked at a health food restuarant that taught me how to really make a smoothie. In the summer, we will pick fresh berries or buy a case of peaches way outside of Richmond, and freeze. You can get a chest deep freezer at Costco for $2oo bucks, if you don’t have enough room in the regular freezer.
Over the past weekend, the boys and I planned out some new lunches, and the favorite so far is a proscuitto (sp?) and arugula sandwich. Those two ingredients, plus a slice of tomato on sourdough or any bread/wrap is fine. Calls for dijon, but my youngest doesn’t like it, so dry or with a drizzle of olive oil works fine.
Got any other lunch tips?
Thank you tons.