Breakfast for picky 3 yr. old?

[alisoncooks]

I struggle to get my 3 yr. old to eat breakfast, especially on the 2 days/wk that she has to scoot out the door to get to preschool. She says she's not hungry, but I *can't* send her off with no food in her tummy until lunch! (They do give a small snack at preschool.)

 

I typically can get a cup of OJ in her with no fuss (she doesn't drink milk). Right now she's eating pretzels cause that's what she wanted. Occasionally, I can get her to eat a cheese stick.

 

Suggestion for a quick breakfast for a preschooler? A somewhat picky one?

(I've been thinking mini-bagels and cream cheese, maybe.) She does like smoothies, but those preschool mornings are a little rushed...

[Chris in VA]

Could you whip up a smoothie the night before, refrig it, and then just reblend in the am?

 

I'd probably try to give her a little protein instead of juice, or along with juice.

 

Why does it bother you to send her off without something to eat if she's not hungry? Would her behavior break down?

[itsheresomewhere]

My DD won't eat most days before 11am. I am happy if she drinks juice or milk. I do offer odd foods like cheese sticks, too. Does she eat well when she gets home? If so, then I won't worry. Just send her with a healthy snack.

[jennsmile]

Cheese sticks are good, they have protein.

 

Would she eat a granola bar with nuts?

 

Frozen gogurts?

 

Mini muffins?

[Lolly]

Maybe the problem is that she doesn't like breakfast foods. I would try offering something more lunchish.

[*********]

Let her think as far outside the 'breakfast' box as she wants.

 

Does she like grilled chicken? Even (gasp! I know, LOL) chicken nuggets? Tyson makes a 100% all natural line of them that my boys like; or homemade ones are always a hit.

 

Leftovers from the night before? Soup, meatloaf, etc. Peanut butter toast, nuts, granola.

 

I'd let her eat whatever sounds good to her. Within reason, of course; not like ice cream or fudge, LOL. I'd feel good about anything that had some protien, some healthy fat, and/or some fiber.

[Mergath]

Here's a list of the things my dd eats for breakfast:

 

Yogurt

Any kind of fresh fruit

Malt-o-meal

Biscuits with gravy

Cheerios

Oatmeal with some cream and brown sugar

Sliced up hard-boiled eggs

Organic applesauce

Buttermilk pancakes

 

If we have something like pancakes or cheerios, I'll give her some sliced up fruit with it.

[ScoutTN]

On the on-breakfast side, my kids like quesadillas for breakfast:

ww tortillas, cheese and whatever else they like that I have (meat, beans or veggies).

 

Cheese toast is also a favorite, as is P.B. toast.

[Tap]

DD5 is like this. The easiest thing to get in her is turkey sausage. I buy the precooked ones. I micro for 20 seconds and hand it to her in a napkin on the way out the door.

 

Not my favorite idea of a breakfast, but it is something she will eat and has a bit of protein in it.

 

DD5 will also eat the Kid Cliff bars. They are smaller and cheaper than the full size ones. I know some people make the bars themselves, but I just buy them. LOL

[LibraryLover]

Nut butter on toast or a hard -boiled egg. Bits of last night's chicken? A fried or scrambled egg in a pita pocket? Do you drive her? Can she eat some of these things in the car? I am not a huge advocate of eating on the run, in the car, but for a preschooler, I think it can work fine. When my oldest was in preschool, we walked to school and the younger non-preschool child always ate her breakfast while sitting in the stroller. (What can I say, I could only get one kid totally ready on time in those days. How many times was she still in her PJs on those walks? lol )

[alisoncooks]

Thanks for all the ideas.

 

I think she doesn't care for breakfast foods (she most frequently requests pizza and hamburgers for breakfast, but....um...no.):001_rolleyes:

 

I'm not sure if she can make it to lunch without eating breakfast. They do provide a snack at school but it's usually crackers or something.

 

She has her OJ in the a.m. because she takes meds every day and I dissolve it in the juice...

 

She does like boiled eggs....and I hadn't realized a smoothie would "last" in the fridge overnight. Doesn't it melt (we typically make ours with frozen fruit)? Definitely might try the ready-sausages or bars.

[Pippen]

Thanks for all the ideas.

I think she doesn't care for breakfast foods (she most frequently requests pizza and hamburgers for breakfast, but....um...no.):001_rolleyes:.

 

Go for it! I wouldn't hesitate for a moment in giving her pizza and burgers for breakfast if it was the difference between sending her on an empty stomach or sending her fed.

 

Leftover pizza never makes it past breakfast house--the kids grab for it. I like cold lasagne for breakfast too. By mid-morning I'd be ready for burrittos.

[J-rap]

I'd whip up a smoothie (you can do it quickly in the morning). Bananas make smoothies feel heavier and taste sweeter. You could also try a breakfast bar. Get one that's protein heavy, because it'll sit in her stomach longer.

 

I couldn't eat much breakfast as a child, and I still can't. But, I always make sure to have at least a protein bar. I like the Balance yogurt honey peanut bars best. :)

[MrsBasil]

My choosy three old sometimes gets popsicles made with Greek style yogurt and fruit. He thinks he's getting a treat and eats it all up.

[CatholicMom]

I would try the smoothie idea and even make a giant batch and then freeze in individual sealed cups/containers in the freezer? Then you could just get one out every night before you go to bed and put it in the fridge to thaw. I think it would be fine if you freeze it and then you probably would only have to thaw and stir it up in the a.m.

 

This isn't the healthiest idea ever, but... hey, if she's hungry yet picky and you want no-fuss, what about those "uncrustables" that are like crust-less mess-less PBJ sandwiches? Again, just take one out the night before so it is thawed in the morning. If you're desperate, at least it would fill her tummy.

 

Yogurt?

 

Toast with peanut butter?

 

And boiled eggs is a great make-ahead idea!

[LibraryLover]

[i think she doesn't care for breakfast foods (she most frequently requests pizza and hamburgers for breakfast, but....um...no.):001_rolleyes:]

 

 

?? Why would pizza be a bad breakfast? Why would something appropriate at supper be wrong for breakfast? My kids eat supper leftovers *all the time*, including soup and last night's homemade stir fry. My kids have had leftover meatloaf in the morning. ;) (My meatloaf- which I make so rarely- happens to be fantastic, fwiw.)

 

One could easily make a superbly healthy breakfast pizza with good bread, good cheese, good sauce, and even add veggies. Really. If I wouldn't feed my kids hamburger or whatnot in the morning, I would not feed it to them at night.

 

You want to start a child off with a good protein and a complex carb. Only freakishly arbitrary rules govern meals.

Edited March 9, 2012 by LibraryLover

[Cinder]

My dd sometimes eats pizza or hamburger for breakfast. She also likes turkey or pbj sandwiches. She doesn't like typical breakfast foods either--eggs, cereal. She would also eat toast and bacon. Bake up a batch of bacon the day before and then micro for 10 seconds.

[alisoncooks]

Thanks again for the suggestions.

 

And let me clarify re: the pizza/burger thing. If we had them in the fridge, I wouldn't have a problem with it. But I'm not making pizzas or burgers for this child to eat for breakfast. Part of our problem is these are 2 days/wk when we are somewhat rushed in the a.m, no time to cook. (Other mornings, I have no problem getting her to eat steel-cut oats or something I have time to make.)

 

 

PROTEIN BARS: is there a type that is safe for children? DH & I often just eat a protein bar for breakfast, but we don't let our kids eat them b/c we're concerned the protein levels/etc are not appropriate for young kids...