Breakfast - the Most Important Meal of the Day

Christmas has come and gone and now the kids are back in school - I don't know about you, but I'm doing the happy dance :)

You probably slacked a little bit over the holidays...slept in late, made some HUGE breakfasts...probably didn't even have breakfast on some days. That's okay - that's what holiday/vacation time is for. Now that the kids are back on their regular schedule, I thought I'd give you some quick and easy (and nutritious) breakfast ideas to make sure they make it through til lunchtime.

Important info to keep in mind: Studies have shown that children who eat a balanced breakfast are more alert in school, perform better and in many cases are less prone to bad behavior than children who skip breakfast.

Give them Eggs – Eggs are versatile and nutritious, plus most kids like them. Start their day with simple scrambled eggs, you can add a little chopped ham, cheese, chopped tomatoes or mushrooms. Boiled eggs with slices of toast will go down well too.

Bake Ahead Muffins – Muffins aren’t always the most nutritious meal, but if you bake your own muffins you can use mashed banana and a little honey for a naturally sweet breakfast muffin. You can also replace half of the amount of white flour for healthier whole wheat flour. And don’t just stick to sweet muffins, try a savory bacon and chive muffin or cheese and ham. Bake them the night before for a quick and healthy breakfast.

Don’t forget the Fruit – Try a fresh fruit salad with a yogurt and cheerio dip. Using a rolling pin mash a handful of two of whole grain Cheerios in a plastic bag and transfer to a bowl. Fill another bowl with yogurt and let your kids dip the fruit pieces in yogurt then in the cheerio mixture. Whole grain Cheerios have a lower sugar content then many of the cereals on the supermarket shelves.

Pancakes in a flash – Prepare a basic pancake batter the night before, cover and refrigerate. In the morning, all you need to do is heat the grill and your whole family can enjoy delicious homemade pancakes. Serve with a little maple syrup or jam and some fresh fruit on the side.

Try Pizza for Breakfast - Split a couple of bagels in half, top with a little pizza sauce, grated cheese and some chopped ham. Place under the grill for a few minutes and you have a nutritious breakfast pizza. You can also use English muffins or pita bread.

Breakfast Burrito – Wraps are a great alternative to toast and cereal. You can make a scrambled egg breakfast wrap with a little bit of ham or cheese added to it or you can add a little cream cheese and turkey or even make a breakfast pizza burrito.

Remember, breakfast doesn’t have to always consist of the traditional toast, cereal and eggs. You can experiment a little to keep things interesting. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to always make the perfect family breakfast. If your kids really aren’t hungry at breakfast time, a simple banana and a glass of orange juice will give them an instant boost.

The most important thing is that your child starts the day with one or two nutritious foods.

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