Breakfast Time

[Goodallmomma]

I was just wondering what a typical breakfast meal looks like in your home. Do you cook for your children every morning or a few times a week. It is cold cereal every week day? Do you make it for them even if they are old enough to do it themselves?

 

I personally alternate between cold cereal, pop-tarts, cream of wheat, pancakes, and waffles.....with the occasional french toast. My daughter usually makes her own unless I have gotten the boys up and fed before she gets up.

[Snickerdoodle]

Yesterday I boiled to death an organic chicken back that I had saved in the freezer. This morning after straining the broth I added potato, carrot, zucchini, whole wheat noodles and chick peas and called it breakfast.

 

We usually eat some kind of leftovers for breakfast.

[Ferdie]

During the school year I follow a breakfast schedule, M-french toast, T-oatmeal, W-eggs/toast, Th-grits and F-pancakes/sausage. I cook for them and leave the food in the warming oven.

 

On the weekends they are on their own and usually have cold cereal, oatmeal or grits.

[kmacnchs]

I alternate btwn pancakes & eggs, yogurt & granola, boiled eggs & jelly bread, and muffins & fried eggs. We eat all of that with some type of fruit and milk. Every once in a while we will do cold cereal but it doesn't sustain us well and it is expensive.

[JoyfulMama]

I cook breakfast every morning. Today was Muffin Monday. I also make oatmeal, baked oatmeal, and varieties of eggs. The kids will occasionally make breakfast - cinnamon toast and fruit with a glass of milk. I do have a box of cold cereal in the pantry - for when we need to get up and out really early (7:30 or earlier).

Growing up we had cold cereal 6 days a week, usually. I met a woman who cooked her son breakfast to order every morning, and was surprised. Her response was that if breakfast is supposed to be the most important meal of the day, she wanted to make sure it would be a great one. That has stuck with me.

[Parrothead]

We will generally have something hot, oatmeal, toast, pancakes, eggs, bagels, waffles, etc. I'll cook whatever my mood in the morning says to cook.

 

I will make a 2-week menu so we don't eat the same things everyday for breakfast and lunch. But I will swap things around. Today is supposed to be pancakes, but yesterday I made 5 loaves of bread. Breakfast will be toast and possibly eggs this morning.

[abbeyej]

Usually on school mornings it's easy stuff (Kashi cereal, or sprouted grain toast, or yogurt) and they have generally gotten those things for themselves since they were about four. I bake homemade muffins or waffles or make eggs or steel cut oats with fruit etc about two days a week, and that's more often on weekends than on school days.

[Pretty in Pink]

I cook breakfast every day. I rotate oatmeal, grits, and muffiins/banana bread. If we are really in a hurry they just grab an apple or banana and smear some peanut butter on it. They always have a glass of milk and a piece of fruit to go with.

[Wyndie]

I cook almost every morning. Usually green leafy with meat of some sort. I prep it all the night before so I just have to put it in a pot when I get up. Sometimes we have a smoothie instead if we're supposed to be out the door at a crazy early hour.

[i.love.lucy]

On Wednesdays when my dd has her one-day enrichment school thingie I make scrambled eggs and toast and fruit, so she gets that engine going. Other mornings it's usually whatever we can grab - muffins, frozen waffles or pancakes (I try to find the healthiest I can or make my own and freeze), toast and yogurt, HB eggs, or cereal. I am attempting to keep breakfast super healthy and it always includes a fruit, a complex high-fiber carb, and protein. I wish my dd liked oatmeal! My ds does, but I don't want to cook steel-cut for one little boy who will only eat about 3 tablespoons!

 

What's baked oatmeal and will a non-oatmeal lover like it (I think it's the gloppy mushy quality she doesn't like)?

 

Oh, also if we are heading out the door I will sometimes make a whole-grain tortilla with ham and melted cheese and a fruit for breakfast. They like that too.

[Goodallmomma]

What kind of fruit do you keep in the house for breakfast time? I have picky eaters, although when it comes to dinner time they eat what is on their plate. No excuses. My 2 yr old loves grapes, but no one else eats them and they end up going bad. I buy bananas and the same thing happens. I haven't tried oranges, but I have a feeling they would end up getting "sucked" dry of their juice and not eaten. I buy apples and cute them up and end up throwing away half the apple. I hate throwing away food, but I make myself sick trying to finish all the fruit they leave (when I do attempt to give it to them). My husband doesn't like it when I buy fruit because he says it all goes to waste and we don't have the money to waste. Any tips or ideas?

 

When you mention oatmeal, do you ladies mean instant oatmeal out of a box or something completely different, that I am not familiar with? LOL My entire life IF we had time for breakfast it was ALWAYS cold cereal that we made ourselves. My mom wasn't exactly into the "homemaker" thing. I have no mentor in the cooking area other then my Food Network cooks :D

[Pippen]

I cook breakfast about 5 mornings a week. It's usually pancakes, waffles, cornmeal waffles, muffins, scones, or scambled eggs. A few mornings a week they do bagels, toast, cold cereal or oatmeal (they like instant so I just go with that). I don't have a premade plan, just go with whatever I feel like or have time for that morning.

 

I started cooking hot breakfasts and sitting down and reading novels to my kids when mornings were not going well around here and it really improved mornings. High school and middle school start times are too early for reading these days, bit I still try and sit down with them when I can.

[BikeBookBread]

We use a lot of eggs in our home, as both of my girls have an aversion to meat as of late. This morning I made a Dutch Baby (oven baked puffy pancake). Often it is scrambled eggs, pancakes, french toast (they like my whole wheat bread for FT), oatmeal and only occasionally cereal. Most of the time I also provide fresh or frozen berries or other fruit.

 

Breakfast is the one meal of the day that I let them pick what they want...it's an easy way to start the day off happily.

[GaHadley]

What kind of fruit do you keep in the house for breakfast time? I have picky eaters, although when it comes to dinner time they eat what is on their plate. No excuses. My 2 yr old loves grapes, but no one else eats them and they end up going bad. I buy bananas and the same thing happens. I haven't tried oranges, but I have a feeling they would end up getting "sucked" dry of their juice and not eaten. I buy apples and cute them up and end up throwing away half the apple. I hate throwing away food, but I make myself sick trying to finish all the fruit they leave (when I do attempt to give it to them). My husband doesn't like it when I buy fruit because he says it all goes to waste and we don't have the money to waste. Any tips or ideas?

 

When you mention oatmeal, do you ladies mean instant oatmeal out of a box or something completely different, that I am not familiar with? LOL My entire life IF we had time for breakfast it was ALWAYS cold cereal that we made ourselves. My mom wasn't exactly into the "homemaker" thing. I have no mentor in the cooking area other then my Food Network cooks :D

 

 

Do you think your kids would drink smoothies with yogurt and frozen fruit? You can get frozen berries of all sorts and they won't go bad. Then you're getting a good healthy breakfast (or snack) in them without worrying about fresh fruit going bad.

 

you can also try to get them to eat the frozen berries mixed with ff cool whip - we love that!

 

We keep grapes, banana, pears, apples, oranges on the counter right now. In the summer we will keep some o those and canteloupe, honey dew, strawberries. . .

 

For breakfast, my kids love eggs - scrambled or fried are thier favorites - I cook those 2-3 times a week.

 

We have toast, biscuits, grits (occasionally), cinnamon rolls (occasionally), bagels w/ cream cheese, yogurt, grapefruit - or any combination of the above :)

[Dawn in OH]

We try to avoid cold cereal. I have some on hand only for when we are in a big hurry.

 

I usually have homemade muffins, yogurt and fruit on hand. My oldest likes oatmeal. On weekends I make a nice big breakfast. My oldest will often make himself ham and cheese on an english muffin. When I'm not busy I fry an egg for his muffin sandwich.

[BeckyFL]

The kids tend toward cereal here most mornings and I usually have a grapefruit or homemade yogurt with berries and homemade granola. Wish they would eat the same!

[Michelle My Bell]

What kind of fruit do you keep in the house for breakfast time? I have picky eaters, although when it comes to dinner time they eat what is on their plate. No excuses. My 2 yr old loves grapes, but no one else eats them and they end up going bad. I buy bananas and the same thing happens. I haven't tried oranges, but I have a feeling they would end up getting "sucked" dry of their juice and not eaten. I buy apples and cute them up and end up throwing away half the apple. I hate throwing away food, but I make myself sick trying to finish all the fruit they leave (when I do attempt to give it to them). My husband doesn't like it when I buy fruit because he says it all goes to waste and we don't have the money to waste. Any tips or ideas?

 

When you mention oatmeal, do you ladies mean instant oatmeal out of a box or something completely different, that I am not familiar with? LOL My entire life IF we had time for breakfast it was ALWAYS cold cereal that we made ourselves. My mom wasn't exactly into the "homemaker" thing. I have no mentor in the cooking area other then my Food Network cooks :D

 

Whenever I do fruit, I usually cut it down and provide small portions spread out between my children. That way if they want more, I can get it for them but if not, there is no waste. For instance, I always cut their apples with this tool:

Then I serve them the 1 or 2 apples sliced in a central bowl for them to take what they want. (Peanut butter on apples is very popular here btw).

 

For banana's, I'll cut one banana in 3 pieces and provide a little yogurt for dipping. Grapes can be done this way as well.

 

Basically, I keep my portions REALLY small for everyone, and then they can always get more.

 

Michelle

[teachermom2834]

I cook and freeze breakfast foods over the weekend every couple of weeks. I make a couple of batches of muffins, french toast, waffles, cinnamon bread and freeze them up. The muffins get reheated in the microwave, the other stuff just heats up in the toaster. The kids can help themselves and it is cheap.

 

There is fruit around they can grab and usually a stash of instant oatmeal. Usually they have milk, too.

 

The kids like having a hot breakfast but I don't necessarily like to start cooking and dirtying dishes first thing.

[2cents]

We don't do breakfast. I found that mine aren't hungry when we get up (around 7am) so we've been doing a brunch. Usually sometime between 10:30 and 11:30 I make soup and sandwiches. Today I cooked up one of those frozen one skillet meals (super fast and easy) and the kids loved it. Then we do snack in the afternoon and then dinner.

[The Girls' Mom]

My girls cook their own breakfast. They are 9 and 13, and they all cook. They have either oatmeal, cereal, eggs, toast, egg 'mcmuffins', bagels, etc. They usually opt for eggs and toast. Poptarts and frozen waffles happen occasionally. On weekends I'll usually make pancakes or waffles.

[Impish]

Well, I feel like a loser. My kids get cold cereal or toast, unless one asks for oatmeal.

 

Pancakes are for supper around here. Have to be, with the triple batch.

 

*going to sit quietly in the corner and sniffle*

[1GirlTwinBoys]

Fresh juice that I make which is usually something like pineapple, blueberries, and greens.

 

Multigrain toast with butter & sprinkled ground flaxseeds

Eggs over easy.

 

Wholegrain homemade waffles

Pure maple syrup or agave

 

Oatmeal with raw honey & fresh fruit

 

Muffins

[Sputterduck]

Lately it's been a sprouted grain tortilla quesadilla with goat's milk cheese, some carrots, one or two kinds of fruit, and a cup of goat's milk.

[Pippen]

Well, I feel like a loser. My kids get cold cereal or toast, unless one asks for oatmeal.

 

Pancakes are for supper around here. Have to be, with the triple batch.

 

*going to sit quietly in the corner and sniffle*

 

 

Come out of your corner. Studies show that women who eat breakfast, especially cereal, are less likely to have weight problems.

 

If you don't come out, I'll at least have to join you because I've had no success getting mine to eat fruit at breakfast. ;)

[Samiam]

We gave up cold cereal about two years ago, and although it's been difficult, as breakfast is my most hated meal to cook, we have made it without cold cereal thus far.

 

We gave it up due to the high sugar content, and basic lack of nutrition it provides.

 

We do eggs, fruit, english muffins with honey and/or peanut butter, pancakes, occasionally cinnamon rolls. Canadian Bacon is almost every day...delish, and good protien. Lots of eggs, cooked different ways.

[Sputterduck]

What kind of fruit do you keep in the house for breakfast time? I have picky eaters, although when it comes to dinner time they eat what is on their plate. No excuses. My 2 yr old loves grapes, but no one else eats them and they end up going bad. I buy bananas and the same thing happens. I haven't tried oranges, but I have a feeling they would end up getting "sucked" dry of their juice and not eaten. I buy apples and cute them up and end up throwing away half the apple. I hate throwing away food, but I make myself sick trying to finish all the fruit they leave (when I do attempt to give it to them). My husband doesn't like it when I buy fruit because he says it all goes to waste and we don't have the money to waste. Any tips or ideas?

 

When you mention oatmeal, do you ladies mean instant oatmeal out of a box or something completely different, that I am not familiar with? LOL My entire life IF we had time for breakfast it was ALWAYS cold cereal that we made ourselves. My mom wasn't exactly into the "homemaker" thing. I have no mentor in the cooking area other then my Food Network cooks :D

 

We usually have pears and blueberries in the house. We also have orange and tangerine trees that are full of fruit right now. My son usually eats two tangerines at every meal. lol He has at least a veggie and a fruit or two at every meal. If he weren't eating those, I'd lower the amount of everything else he is getting until he was hungry enough to eat those. To me, the most important things that go into my son's mouth are fruits, veggies, lean protein, and enough calcium. I don't care in the least if he finishes his plate (that teaching leads to overeating later in life) but I will do whatever I need to to make sure he has his full set of vitamins, minerals, and protein.

[Goodallmomma]

Well, I feel like a loser. My kids get cold cereal or toast, unless one asks for oatmeal.

 

Pancakes are for supper around here. Have to be, with the triple batch.

 

*going to sit quietly in the corner and sniffle*

 

LOL I'm feeling the same way. ;)

[Impish]

*makes room for Pippen in the sniffle corner*

[Ellie]

I cooked every morning. Both dds were lactose intolerant--no cold cereal in our house. We ate several different kinds of hot cereals (with pure maple syrup and butter...yummo! [dds could tolerate butter]). Sometimes eggs, rarely pancakes or french toast (not enough dairy in either one to be a problem).

[kmacnchs]

What kind of fruit do you keep in the house for breakfast time? I have picky eaters, although when it comes to dinner time they eat what is on their plate. No excuses. My 2 yr old loves grapes, but no one else eats them and they end up going bad. I buy bananas and the same thing happens. I haven't tried oranges, but I have a feeling they would end up getting "sucked" dry of their juice and not eaten. I buy apples and cute them up and end up throwing away half the apple. I hate throwing away food, but I make myself sick trying to finish all the fruit they leave (when I do attempt to give it to them). My husband doesn't like it when I buy fruit because he says it all goes to waste and we don't have the money to waste. Any tips or ideas?

 

 

 

whatever's in season & on sale (99 cents or less): kiwi, apples, bananas, mangos, grapes, oranges, clementines, pears, peaches, plums, whatever, really

[Dawn in OH]

 

We gave it up due to the high sugar content, and basic lack of nutrition it provides.

 

 

 

That was our reason also. I also find that the kids are in a better mood and are more productive if there's a good dose of protein in the breakfast. Eggs, cheese, sausage, peanut butter, etc. They seem to crash really fast without it.

 

Our favorite fruits around here are apples, grapes, bananas, cantaloupe and blueberries. My daughter likes oranges, but she's the only one.

[JoyfulMama]

Amish Baked Oatmeal

It SAYS you have to let it set overnight, but I don't usually. My favorite is to make it with coarse cut oats, not soaked, and it's not mushy at all. Feel free to play with the spices - we like a bit more cinnamon. And since I don't cook with dairy, I use olive oil and orange juice as substitutes. Oh, and we don't always pour milk over it, either. Delish!

[Pamela H in Texas]

We LOVE LOVE LOVE green smoothies. Sometimes, we'll have some toast (usually made of some specialty bread and topped with superfruit spread, coconut butter or some nut butter) with it.

 

The great thing about green smoothies is that you start your day with most of your veggies and fruits (and therefore the vitamins and nutrients in them). So it tastes yummy and your body gets most of what it needs up front. Awesome :)

 

Sometimes we make "cereal." Almond slivers, crushed cashews, ground flaxseed, ground sesame (or sunflower seed), blueberries (and/or blackberries, raspberries), sliced strawberries and bananas.

Edited January 25, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[runamuk]

We have cold cereal, oatmeal, eggs, waffles or pancakes, or bagels for breakfast. If it's a cereal morning (no sugared or weirdly colored cereals) then the kids get it themselves. They help with the other options - breaking eggs, making toast, chopping apples for oatmeal.

 

I also offer melon, different berries, bananas and apples for breakfast.

[Wendy Inman]

I cook breakfast every other day.. when i cook i make enough for 2 days. We always do a carb and a protein. Our usuals are oatmeal (old fashioned on the stove or steel cut in the crock pot) with protein powder, oatmeal with some sort of turkey bacon or turkey sausage, eggs with toast or english muffin, cream of wheat with protein powder, etc. Our weekend or quick meals are usually cereal with a side of cottage cheese or turkey bacon.

 

Oh and one of our favorite things is to put almond butter and some crushed pineapple on english muffins... delicious! With a little scrambled eggs on the side of course :)

Edited January 25, 2010 by Wendy Inman

[1GirlTwinBoys]

The great thing about green smoothies is that you start your day with most of your veggies and fruits (and therefore the vitamins and nutrients in them). So it tastes yummy and your body gets most of what it needs up front. Awesome

 

:iagree:

[elise1mds]

I personally alternate between cold cereal, pop-tarts, cream of wheat, pancakes, and waffles.....with the occasional french toast. My daughter usually makes her own unless I have gotten the boys up and fed before she gets up.

 

 

Assuming that the waffles you list are the Van's Organic frozen kind... that's about what we have here, too. Sometimes I'll pick up some of the Lean Pockets breakfast things or a Bob Evans breakfast bowl (again, all frozen), but I am just SO not a morning person and don't really function till about 10 a.m., and I have to have DD to school by 8. Weekends are the only time we have "real" breakfasts.

[Tutor]

Depends on the day. If my dh is home, he usually makes pancakes (maybe 2-3 days per week) ... unless he gets up late, like this morning, then he makes toast. :001_smile:

 

I feel sick if I eat before 10am and often if I cook before that time, so I try to make something in advance if I can (rice pudding, muffins, bread, etc). If we eat late, I'll make oatmeal, eggs & toast, rice, or something hot. However, most days one of my kids makes all the other kids breakfast. Oatmeal, PB&J, toast, scrambled eggs, and peanut butter crackers (all served with fruit and tea) are favorites and depend on the age of the chef. :001_smile:

[Aubrey]

This wheat muffin mix is great to have on hand, esp if you've got leftover oatmeal to mix in w/ it. Frozen blueberries make it really good, too.

 

We do pancakes, but my griddle (sits on two burners) has warped, & so now all the batter runs to the middle & makes a mess.

 

Yogurt & homemade granola w/ frozen/fresh berries, bananas, nuts, seeds, flaked coconut--whatever's on hand.

 

Oatmeal, if dh cooks.

 

Here are a bunch more breakfast recipes on Hillibilly Housewife's site. So far, so good.

 

My kids cry for fruit like other people's kids cry for candy, etc. My 1yo ate a banana today (not sure if it was #1 or #3), & when it was gone, he immediately returned to the fruit bowl to stand & beg. He eats the little Clementine oranges in ONE bite. He plays ball w/ apples--throw it, run get it, take a bite, repeat. If you have 4dc & they ea eat 1 apple a day & you don't buy ANY for dh or yourself & you only shop for one week at a time, that's 28 apples. You don't realize how many that is until you try to fit them in a bag. It's STRANGE.

 

I worry about b'fast being only fruit & carbs. I have a hard time figuring out how to fit protein in & a *really* hard time figuring out how to get veggies in. If I've got a fresh bell pepper & the time (or a bag of frozen ones), I can add those to eggs, but beyond that, I'm at a loss. We could add tomatoes & onion, but we won't, lol.

 

B'fast is my favorite meal to cook, ESP *for* people. When I can convince someone to come over for b'fast, I lay awake all night planning one more thing & one more thing, giddy w/ excitement. :lol: Now that dh can't have wheat or dairy, though...cooking for him is too much trouble most mornings, & for just the kids & me? Meh.

 

ETA: I *did* see the date on this thread, but it's one of those that ought to be a sticky, don't ya think?

[cillakat]

What kind of fruit do you keep in the house for breakfast time? I have picky eaters, although when it comes to dinner time they eat what is on their plate. No excuses.

 

I'd do dinner for breakfast then:)

 

wrt the pickiness, I'd give the fruit or veggie/salad first, it has to be eaten before they get the rest of the meal (ie starch or meat/protein). That cured my kids of a good bit of pickness and just left a couple of things that they each really don't like - which is fine with me.

 

:)K

[Ellie]

Yup, I cooked breakfast every monring, until dc were old enough to prepare their own (older than 9 and 12yo). Both were lactose intolerant--no cold cereal in our home. It was not a big deal, and it gave us a reason to all be up at the same time, KWIM?

 

I cooked different kinds of hot cereals (served with butter and real maple syrup--yum), and eggs, and...um...it's been so long ago, lol. Anyway, not BIG elaborate breakfasts, but still, we did eat together every morning.

[MtnTeaching]

We are an ADHD family (except for poor dh) and we just do not function without a big breakfast every day.

 

The ideal day for us begins with "Mommy's Mess" - Saute chopped onions, bell peppers, garlic for a moment then throw in crumbled chicken apple sausage to brown. Cover with shredded hashbrown potatoes, spritz lightly with canola oil spray and press down hard. Turn in big chunks with a spatula and keep pressing until the hash browns get nice and crispy on the edges. Throw in chopped fresh tomatoes, then pour a mixture of beaten eggs and a dash of milk over the top, turn in chunks again until done, top with a sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and plate it up. (This goes really fast if I remember to chop the veggies the night before).

 

Whole grain toast with all fruit jam, fresh fruit or better yet - a smoothie with frozen mango, papaya, strawberries, fresh banana, dash of coconut cream, yogurt, orange/mango juice, ground flaxseed, and a nice helping of soy protein powder. Yum!

 

This meal and a quick bike ride or dog walk before math does wonders for how our day progresses from there. I find we get triple the amount of work done with a much better attitude if we have a good breakfast and some fresh air.

 

Amazingly, I personally seem to be able to keep my weight in check better eating like this than when I was eating just cereal in the morning (or it could also have been stopping by the Starbuck's every morning on my way to work.)

[LibraryLover]

In general, dinner leftovers, so anything is pretty much fair game for breakfast. lol I make soup at least once a week, so soup is also breakfast. Bean burritos. My 17 yr old is an early riser. At about 6 am Wed, she made a broccoli quiche.

[Amber in AUS]

We mostly just have cold cereal. Now it is getting cooler and my little DD is proving to be a breakfast fusspot i have been cooking porridge more, a couple of times a week. About once a fortnight we have pancakes on the weekend. Again about once a fortnight on the weekend we have a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, toast, mushrooms and whatever else we feel like.