By Lauren Scott, Arizona Farm Bureau Intern
We have all heard the saying ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’, and chances are, if you have kids this is the phrase you are using every morning to convince them to eat a little something before school. It can be hard to eat breakfast yourself, so trying to get the little ones to eat one more spoonful of boring oatmeal might be the most challenging thing you do all day. Another problem at the breakfast table: They want the sugary cereals that will have them bouncing off the walls for half an hour and then crashing once they get to school. No good. You need something tasty, healthy, and fun to eat that will give you and your kids the energy to start the day and make it to lunch time! You can even get the kids more excited to eat by involving them in the food prep and cooking!
- Scrambled Eggs – What kid doesn’t love scrambled eggs? You can add toppings like salt, pepper, or ketchup to make them more fun and flavorful, and because they aren’t that hard to make, involve the kids! Parent supervision is advised because scrambled eggs are made on the stove and require heat, but have the kids beat the eggs beforehand in a bowl, and let them add the toppings when the eggs are all done!
- Yogurt with Granola – This recipe is as simple to create as it sounds! With endless flavors or yogurt (or Greek yogurt if you’re so inclined to use that) your kids will have a fun time picking combinations or just eating their favorite flavor by itself. Scoop the yogurt into a bowl (mix flavors like strawberry and vanilla for even more yumminess!) and sprinkle the top with your family’s favorite granola! There you have it: a sweet and calcium rich breakfast that even mom and dad will love!
- Toast – I know toast doesn’t have the flashy appeal that syrup-soaked pancakes do, but it can be made in so many different ways, your kids are bound to love it! For someone with a sweet tooth, spread a little bit of unsalted butter over the toasted bread and then lightly dust it with a mix of cinnamon and sugar. You can also spread your choice of chunky or smooth peanut butter across the top, or even your favorite jelly or jam. If you or your kids want something a little more savory, fry an egg over easy or scramble an egg and place it on top of the toast. Another savory toast topping is mashed avocado with a sprinkle of pepper on top. The topping selection is endless, so let the kids come up with their own to try out!
- Oatmeal – Again, oatmeal doesn’t sound very glamorous, but it is a celebrity in the food world for its ability to transform into many different and tasty dishes. Just like toast, you can top oatmeal with so many different things. My favorites are fruit or peanut butter and jelly. Fruit is a great topping because there is so much new produce that comes into season as the year develops, you will always have something new to top your oatmeal with. If fruit isn’t your kid’s thing, make a little hole in the center of their bowl of oatmeal and let them load it up with peanut butter and jelly! (Or just peanut butter if they don’t like jelly). You can also have them sprinkle either brown sugar or cinnamon and sugar over the top. Yet again, try many different toppings to see what your kids prefer!
- Fruit – There is no way you can go wrong with fruit! Whether it’s what’s in season, or just whatever your local grocery store is carrying, there are a ton of different things you can do with fruit. Serve it by itself or sprinkled with a little bit of cinnamon, add it to yogurt, splash it into a bowl of Cheerios, put it on top of whole wheat pancakes, or cut it up and make fruit kebabs. The possibilities are endless!
Create a better breakfast experience with the kids by involving them and feeding them dishes they are excited about! All of the recipes and foods mentioned here are easy to make and will give you and your family a healthy start to the day, as well as keep you full ‘till lunch. Now that you’ve got breakfast down, head over to Fill Your Plate and check out our blogs and recipes all about healthy lunches and dinners!