HOW TO...PROVIDE KID FRIENDLY HEALTHY BREAKFASTS

Kid's breakfasts can be healthy, fast and appealing...

Hole-in-One Egg Toast 

Egg Toast Flowers







Recent reports that kids are consuming too much sugar at breakfast has set the cat among the pigeons, with parents scrambling to find recipes that are healthy, appetising and fast.

67 doesn't blame parents; part of the problem is that kids, especially younger ones, are happier with a breakfast that's easy to eat.  A spoon is always going to go down better than a knife and fork and 'morning madness' usually has a parent heading down the path of least resistance.

These recipes from the 67goingon50 archive are low/no sugar, attractive, easily made and tasty.  They're budget-friendly.  Many can be prepared the night before and some are portable, making them emminently suitable for teenagers and adults. 

It's probably not a good idea to deprive your children of the cereals they enjoy and are used to. Maybe on weekends, serve one or two portions of their favourite sugary cereal.  Cereal producers now offer boxed individual portions of cereals wrapped together; maybe buy one once a month.  If they're consumed before the next month, the kids will have to wait.  That way, breakfast costs fall and the kids reduce sugar intake.


HEALTHY KID & PARENT FRIENDLY BREAKFASTS 

Uber-Granola 

• no/low sugar
• high protein
• can be eaten as porridge
• saves money which can be spent on fresh berries

Make your own almost-instant soda bread/rolls

• prepare the night/day before
• if really pushed, bake the night before, cool & wrap well
• soda bread with currants - one parent makes half a recipe every morning for her two daughters
• sweet bread/oatmeal rolls - perfect take-away with cheese & tomatoes

Breakfast Muffins

• sweet without being sugary
• includes two fruits
• has wholemeal flour
• easy-peasy
• prepare the night before
• portable

Scotch Pancakes

• no added fat
• easy-peasy
• prepare the night before
• for little ones: make them easier to eat by sandwiching them with instant fruit compote; cut into wedges

Healthy Home-made Waffles, frozen

No-sugar, higher-fibre home-made frozen waffles are a quick and satisfying solution to weekday breakfast for kids.  Make a big batch and freeze.  No need to defrost; just pop them in the toaster.  You can treat them like toast, serving with butter and low-sugar instant fruit compote and on the weekend to wild with bacon, sausage and maple syrup. 

Toast fingers or fresh-from-the-oven breakfast bread/rolls; add one of these  health-giving toppings:

• a thin layer of peanut butter covered with sliced bananas
• instant fruit compote
• fresh ripe fruit, sliced or mashed (strawberries, raspberries, thinly sliced apple); check for sweetness; if necessary add minimum amount of sugar and sprinkling of cinnamon
• sliced supermarket bread is ok for this but buy the best you can afford;  look for wholemeal/white flour mixes and added seeds if possible

Eggs

• Egg & Toast Hole One, Egg Toast Flowers 
• Boiled Egg & Toast Soldiers (Note: pretty egg cups that are not easily broken are found at reasonable prices in department stores)

Yoghurt, thick, fat & sugar free, in small quantities

• see straining low-fat yoghurt (bottom of page)
• layer in clear glass with fruit and granola

WEEKENDS 

Almost sugar-free baked beans

• Almost sugar-free baked beans on toast
• English breakfast, prepare ahead (an indulgence)
• Double dipped French Toast, frugal, so easy the kids can make it 
• No-added Sugar Chocolate Nut Twists, wallet-friendly Indulgence

WHEAT FREE OPTIONS:

The Blogger often uses spelt flour, an ancient cousin of wheat, as a substitute for common wheat. Spelt contains gluten and is not recommended for coeliacs.  The gluten, however, has more protein and is more easily digested than common wheat. Spelt flour can be used in bread, pastry, crumbles and some cakes and cookies, though adjustments elsewhere may be needed. 

Other flours used are Besan (chickpea flour), buckwheat flour and polenta (cornmeal - not cornflour).

(67 usually uses Sharpham Farm ORGANIC spelt flour but both Waitrose and M&S offer own-brand spelt flour.)

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This advice has  been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.