Breakfast ideas for teen guests to eat in the car?

[Halftime Hope]

In two weekends, I'll have a houseful of teen girls (10+) for a weekend retreat. I'll need to drive them on a Saturday morning about a 40 minute drive and feed them breakfast as we drive, b/c their conference will begin at 8:30.

 

Ideas?

 

Here are the requirements:

 

1) I'd like the breakfast to include both protein and carbs so they don't get hungry during the long morning.

 

2) I'm also leery of sticky stuff (syrup, ketchup) and crumbly stuff (muffins baked in a muffin wrapper).

 

3) I need to be able to give them some choices (not everyone will like the same things) so I may have them "pack their own" from a buffet.

 

4) Finally, what to pack it in? Is there anything sort of like a bento box that would be inexpensive paper? I can probably get paper bags, like brown bags, but I'd like something with a bit more structure.

 

Thoughts? I'd love to have this turn out really cute/memorable for the girls. I have a bit of a reputation to uphold. : ) (They have loved ebelskivers in previous years.)

 

Thanks *so* much!

[Meriwether]

Breakfast burritos?

[anneofalamo]

I agree with breakfast burritos, and would have a menu list for them to check what they like in them and how many they would like:

egg

sausage

bacon

charizo

potato

jalepeno

chile'

onions

green peppers

salsa or ketchup

then make up, or have them make in am, and have in pretty bags with a drink, a wipe for their hands and perhaps a minty thing, for afterwards. A small fun gift inside would be cute too. You can always add a granola bar in the bag also for a snack afterwards!

[athena1277]

Sausage biscuits?

[Mama Geek]

How about english muffins instead of biscuits for breakfast sandwiches? I would think they would be less messy than biscuits. Maybe do homemade fruit cups in some sort of cute cup or mug.

[AK_Mom4]

Scrambled egg muffins are popular here:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/scrambled-egg-muffins/

 

Breakfast burritos are our other travelling go-to

[J-rap]

Cinnamon-raisin bagels with cream cheese (already put together), non-messy fruit such as apples and bananas, juice boxes.

[brett_ashley]

i agree with breakfast tacos. I had fresh fruit in a waffle cone (like for ice cream) at a brunch here this weekend and it was delicious and cute.

 

http://bzevents.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/89390005_XBi48r4Y_c.jpg (though it looks like they have grapes on stems here which would defeat the portability aspect).

[mirth]

Yogurt smoothies. They will drink them all without even thinking. You will plastic cups, straws, and some Glad Press n Seal.

[Photo Ninja]

Breakfast burritos are the easiest to make. Cook up a huge batch of scrambled eggs, have some bacon or sausage cooked and hot, some shredded cheese, some salsa in a bowl, and tortillas. You can either let the girls make their own, or you can make them to order. Quick to make and easy to eat in a car. You can make these ahead and freeze them, then thaw and heat them in the microwave before you leave the house.

 

Egg McMuffins - Toast English muffins or plain bagels. Mix eggs like you would for scrambled eggs, but pour them into a greased baking dish and bake at about 350 until cooked. Cut into squares the size to fit onto the English muffins or bagels. To assemble, take the bottom of the bagel or English muffin, butter it if you like, add slice of egg, slice of cheese, and piece of bacon or sausage (to make it easier, you can even add cooked bacon or sausage to the egg mixture before you bake it so the meat is already in the eggs), top with the top of the English muffin or bagel. You can make these ahead and freeze them, then pop them into the microwave to thaw and heat before they head out the door since your time in the morning will be tight.

 

Fruit and yogurt parfaits: in plastic throw-away glasses, layer fruit and yogurt (berries work well). Top with a layer of granola. To make it fast, buy a bag of frozen berries, then thaw them before you layer them. You can make these the night before, then add the granola in the morning before they leave the house so the granola won't get soggy overnight. Insert a plastic spoon and you will be ready to go. You can also have hard boiled eggs ready to take if you want to increase the protein with the yogurt parfaits.

 

Bagel and cream cheese with hard boiled eggs is also quick to make and easy to eat in a car.

[elfgivas]

it sounds like a blast!

 

but it also sounds like you care about what happens in your car. i just can't quite see that many girls not spilling stuff....

 

i'm thinking.... lots of girls..... maybe two bathrooms to get ready.... at least five minutes a girl in the bathroom, maybe 10. if you get everyone up at the same time, and half of them get ready while the other half eat breakfast, then switch, you could all be ready to go in a half hour and have eaten already. and it would feel more peaceful and less rushed, kwim?

 

hth,

ann

[Carol in Cal.]

Veggies in yogurt dip--you mix a packet of Ranch dressing mix into a tub of yogurt cheese, then you dole it into clear plastic disposable cups (the short ones), then you stand carrot sticks, celery, and bell pepper strips up in it (jicama sticks are very good, too) and serve with a napkin. The dip is in the bottom of the cup, so it doesn't spill, and it's yogurt, so it has some protein. Veggies are healthier than fruit.

 

You could follow this with a similar dessert one--yogurt sweetened with honey at the bottom, and apple slices stuck into it.

 

I'm a big fan of bagels with cream cheese in the car as well--use the mini-bagels and they will cute and less messy. Bananas on the side.

 

Have a plastic bag full of those individually wrapped wipes, and also a couple of decent sized plastic bags for garbage containment, and you'll be all set.

[KatieJ]

Crescent wrapped sausages. (Using the wompom kind of crescent rolls in the tube.)

 

Some kind of sandwich that you assemble on bagels or mini crescent rolls that includes eggs and cheese. You might even check to see if you can cook them ahead of time and just reheat in the morning. You could bake them all on a cookie sheet and then wrap in tin foil.

 

 

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/make-ahead-baked-egg-sandwiches/

 

Recently we were given some applesauce to go for our grandkids. It is GO GO applesauce that comes in a squeeze tube. 10 ish girls might go for it.

(Costco carries it.)

 

Gogurt in the tube.

 

I think I would check with them the night before as to who wants breakfast. Not all of them will be wanting a sandwich and be happy with a piece of fruit or something.

[Cinder]

Crescent wrapped sausages. (Using the wompom kind of crescent rolls in the tube.)

 

Recently we were given some applesauce to go for our grandkids. It is GO GO applesauce that comes in a squeeze tube. 10 ish girls might go for it.

(Costco carries it.)

 

Crescent wrapped sausages are a hit here. But the applesauce that comes in a squeeze tube was not. It's the consistency of baby food and my dc didn't go for it. I liked it, though. ;)

 

As for separating items in a dish, sometimes I use coffee filters or paper muffin cups to keep wet/dry items separate.

[Ferdie]

We have deviled eggs and mini-bagels with cream cheese for our breakfast road trips.

 

My children drink homemade smoothies in the car on the way to school some mornings.

[KungFuPanda]

I'd do egg mcmuffins (let them make their own so they can customize), some fruit, and a hot drink (tea, coffee, or cocoa) and bottled water. Maybe you can find souvenir travel mugs or water bottles?

 

Alternatively, you could do a yogurt parfait bar. It would travel fairly well in a cup with a spoon.

 

OR, just get them up 20 minutes earlier to eat before you go?

[katilac]

Another vote for just eating breakfast before they leave! It only takes 10 minutes or so to eat a simple breakfast. Just have everything ready and remind them to eat now, talk later.

 

Even disregarding the potential mess, there's going to be a fair amount of trash created. The car is going to smell like eggs and cheese (or whatever) for the entire drive as well. Ick.

 

They don't need to eat breakfast in the car. Conference starts at 8.30, 40 minutes away, so leave at 7.45 to allow for traffic, etc. That's not terribly early; they'll survive!

[missmoe]

Smart and Final has the boxes that boxed lunches typically come in. There is your structure for whatever you decide to serve. personally, I'm voting for the breakfast burritos.

[Bassoonaroo]

pizza!

 

Actually I like the breakfast burrito idea best but even those crumble.

 

When we go skiing we like to be on the road before sun-up and we brown bag our breakfasts so we can eat them during the drive. Some of the kids need to "wake up" first and some are ready to go and eat immediately (it's a longer drive). Our standard fare includes: bagels with cream cheese, a string cheese stick (for a bit of protein -- you could do a go-gurt which we're just not fond of or a carton of chocolate milk -- yum), a juice box and a banana and a box of raisins. We ask that the kids brush their teeth before getting in the car and offer mints or gum after eating that meal. You'd want to do that after eggs too.

 

You want to get a little protein in them whatever you choose.

 

If they eat in the car, be sure to have paper towels and wipes for the expected sticky messes!

 

 

 

 

 

The bagel and cheese stick meal makes very little mess or smell.

[Jenny in Florida]

Looking over all of the suggestions, I just have to ask if you know whether there will be any of the girls with dietary restrictions? I'm assuming, since you talked about "last year" that you know these girls and would be aware of such things?

 

If not, though, I'll mention that neither of my kids would eat any of the things thus far mentioned, because every one of them has animal products. Even tortillas for breakfast burritos could be a problem, since many brands have whey.

 

If you're sure there are no vegans or girls with allergies, you've got some great ideas!

 

The last time I had a pack of teens who needed breakfast, I made an assortment of muffins (including two kinds that were allergy friendly) and put out fruit and juice, too. But, admittedly, I wasn't worried about providing a concentrated protein source.

[*********]

My dh eats breakfast in the car on the way to work every morning. These are three things I pack him, all in a disposable cup (and yes, I'd rather use a NON disposable cup, but I learned my lesson on that one fast when all my cups started 'disappearing' or getting left in the car...):

 

 

• Mini muffins. I can usually fit 12 in a 16oz cup. I have made blueberry, pumpkin, and banana. Pumpkin, banana, or apple could easily have nuts (walnuts or pecans) added for protien.
  
• Oatmeal. Dh likes the instant kind that's 'fruit and cream', but you could easily use plain oats, and offer a variety of things to add, including nuts, brown sugar, dried fruit, etc.
  
• Yogurt parfait. I put vanilla yogurt, fruit, and then granola that contains nuts and bits of dried fruit on top. Dh likes blueberries, but again you could offer an assortment of fruits.
  

Also, the breafast burritos and sasuage on a english muffin are great ideas, with each girl being able to customize their choice. I'd lay the tortillas or english muffins out on squares of tin foil; that way they can be wrapped for transport when done. Have bags lined up with napkins, wipes, and a granola bar, and you're all set.

 

Lots of ideas. Sounds like fun!

[*********]

Oh, I have another idea!

 

I've made these before to keep in the freezer.

 

Make up a bunch of baking powder biscuit dough, then shape the dough into individual rectangles.

 

Then on half the rectangle, I put scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese, diced or shredded cooked hasbrowns, a bit of salsa, etc. Whatever you want.

 

Then fold the dough over the filling and seal. Bake until the biscuit dough is done. They're like a homemade breakfast hot pocket. And they're YUMMY.

 

This could be a fun thing to do in the evening with the girls, each making their own. You could give each girl a square of tin foil, have them etch their name into it with a fork or something, then let them build their own on the foil. Then bake them, let them cool, then put them in the fridge overnight. You can warm them up in the morning quickly in the microwave.

[Halftime Hope]

So many ideas, now which ones to pick!

 

It'll be difficult because I'm going to be out with them at the Friday night sessions until late, and then I'll have to crank it up early and be with them all day Saturday without coming home. Everything will have to be prepped ahead of time.

 

I know some of the gals in this group but not as well as the group one grade up. No one has said anything about dietary restrictions or preferences, but that could pop up.

 

Thanks so much for all your creative ideas!

[missmoe]

Oh, I have another idea!

 

I've made these before to keep in the freezer.

 

Make up a bunch of baking powder biscuit dough, then shape the dough into individual rectangles.

 

Then on half the rectangle, I put scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, cheese, diced or shredded cooked hasbrowns, a bit of salsa, etc. Whatever you want.

 

Then fold the dough over the filling and seal. Bake until the biscuit dough is done. They're like a homemade breakfast hot pocket. And they're YUMMY.

 

This could be a fun thing to do in the evening with the girls, each making their own. You could give each girl a square of tin foil, have them etch their name into it with a fork or something, then let them build their own on the foil. Then bake them, let them cool, then put them in the fridge overnight. You can warm them up in the morning quickly in the microwave.

 

Bethany, what a great idea! I think I'm going to start doing this in the evening for my two kids that head off to school.

[ChrisB]

How about string cheese, salami sticks, pretzels, and dried fruits? You could have them choose between, or combine, raisins, craisins, dried apricots...whatever sounds good. If any of these things are spilled in the vehicle, they clean up easily.

[Deb in NZ]

I would feed them before they leave & give them a small snack (i.e. granola bar) to take with them. With 10+ teens in the car, all trying to eat, it's a recipe for disaster IMHO. I cater for our seascout group when we go to regattas. We need to be on parade at 7:45am. Before that the scouts & venturers have to have eaten, completed morning jobs, tidied their tents, dressed in full, formal uniform, & laid out their sailing gear for changing into directly after parade. With ~twenty 10-18yo scouts/venturers it isn't easy, but it is possible to get breakfast eaten & cleaned up early. We have to make sure everyone has a substantial breakfast as they have a very busy, very long day of sailing / rowing / canoeing / etc. Our regatta breakfasts consist of:

 

cold cereal (usually two choices: cornflakes or rice krispies + one other)

milk

canned peaches or fruit salad

toasted sandwiches (like grilled cheese sandwiches, but with other fillings: baked beans, spagetti, cheese, cheese & ham, cheese & onion, cheese & tomato, etc.)

 

We wake the scouts at 6:00am & serve breakfast at 7:00am. If you want to get 10+ teens ready to leave by 7:45am, you'll need to get them up by 6:00am anyway. Just set up a breakfast bar of muffins, yogurt, fruit, cereal, etc. & let the girls eat before or after they are dressed. Tell them breakfast will be open from 6:30-7:30 & they need to eat during that time.

 

JMHO,

[*********]

Bethany, what a great idea! I think I'm going to start doing this in the evening for my two kids that head off to school.

 

Well, I *did* think I was quite clever when I first made them. :D

 

Just a caution, let the fillings cool enough before putting them on the dough rectangles. If you don't, they make the dough too warm and stretchy, and it may get a hole. If the filling's cool, it's MUCH easier.

 

I have also made another 'homemade hot pocket' version that's a lunch/dinner version. I make my yeast roll dough, let it rise once, punch it down, and roll that out into rectangles. Then stuff it with whatever you want; I think I've done pizza themed ones, as well as ones with homemade bbq beef and a bit of cheddar cheese. Those are yummy, too. Great to stock the freezer with for when you don't feel like cooking, but none of the guilt associated with serving *actual* hot pockets or frozen pizza. :lol:

 

My family likes both kinds. In fact, dh just asked what I was posting, and then said 'Ohhhh, you haven't made those in a loooong time. Those are good!" Guess what I'm doing this week, LOL.