Those of you feeding heavy breakfast to your kids, I'm curious what time they wake up and how long they take to finish it? I'm having a hard time with my kids finishing their cereal and milk.

And how old are your kids?

Definitely cut out the chocolate toast and cinnamon toast if she needs to lose weight. Eggs you have down, I personally think cereal is fine ...maybe search for an organic healthier one like sprouted-grain o’s, similar to Cheerios. Give her berries with every breakfast. Maybe avocado toast? A healthy oatmeal with nuts, berries etc. breakfast should be filling.

My kids eat a big breakfast. I started when they started school and wouldn't eat there (too excited/nervous) and now they count on it (and I still pack a lighter lunch since it's less appealing room temp. anyway)

We eat things your husband would not approve of plenty (one of my two is underweight so I care more about calories than total sugar avoidance) but also a couple things not on your list ...

Turkey sausage; bacon (I have perfected a 5min microwave version that wastes paper towel but isn't a mess); all sorts of egg (adding to your list deviled eggs, toads in a hole, crustless quiche)

Avocado toast

Yogurt bowls (realize this is out for your daughter but I layer yogurt, fruit, and seeds)

Quinoa (just cooked more like oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins)

Nova style lox (with cream cheese and toast or just plain or rolled with cream cheese to make rolls) and gravalox that we make.

But if she's struggling with weight getting her to eat whole foods does seem so important. Fruit, veg, etc.

Anonymous wrote:Is putting your husband in charge of breakfast a new enough idea ... ?

I like this idea!

Is putting your husband in charge of breakfast a new enough idea ... ?

My 7 yo eats two turkey sausages and a cup of milk every school day. My 5 yo eats a hard boiled egg or salami + berries/grapes and milk. They eat breakfast in the car during our 20 minute ride to school (7:30-7:50 am).

https://meaningfuleats.com/zucchini-muffins-grain-free-dairy-free/

I make these weekly. I know they’re not low calorie but they’re a good post-school snack and keep the kids full til dinner. I add ground flax & chia seeds too.

Agree you should have DH come up with things he approves of...since "healthy" is different for everyone. I think the majority of your choices are fine. I am assuming if all cereals are bad, all breads are bad too?

Anonymous wrote:More protein ideas would be great. I do a super healthy muffin recipe they mostly eat for snacks (grain free with veggies and lots of fiber, no sugar), I also have a cucumber lover but it’s not my 9yo (she likes them later in the day).

Post it!

More protein ideas would be great. I do a super healthy muffin recipe they mostly eat for snacks (grain free with veggies and lots of fiber, no sugar), I also have a cucumber lover but it’s not my 9yo (she likes them later in the day).

Could you shift to more protein/healthy fats?

My kids will have cheese sticks, handfuls of nuts, even leftover rice and beans, homemade oatmeal with just a little sugar but other good stuff (nuts, applesauce?), avocado toast. I also make whole wheat muffins, cutting sugar way down, and adding nuts/seeds/apples. One kid oddly really likes cucumbers for breakfast.

Also, make DH come up with a list of options if he thinks it’s a problem!

The things you mentioned are like once per week, if that. Cereal a bit more but again it’s not sugary and seems a pretty typical breakfast for most kids.

I’ll try baked eggs. Do you make in advance and reheat? Time is always tight in the morning and I have 3 kids who always want different things.

Anonymous wrote:This is my daily challenge as well as I try to make sure DS has enough protein.

I don't think your husband is wrong - the chocolate spreads, the cinnamon toast and breakfast cereal are not the healthiest options - but again my personal emphasis is on protein because that's what my kid (not necessarily others) need to get through school

We do leftover chicken for breakfast
baked eggs - I periodically google "baked eggs kids breakfast" and make what pops up.

skinnytaste.com has good breakfasts as well.

Agree about the protein. I make egg sandwiches with an egg, a slice of turkey and some swiss cheese on wheat bread. Or pancakes wrapped around some chicken sausage (i get the low salt kind).

This is my daily challenge as well as I try to make sure DS has enough protein.

I don't think your husband is wrong - the chocolate spreads, the cinnamon toast and breakfast cereal are not the healthiest options - but again my personal emphasis is on protein because that's what my kid (not necessarily others) need to get through school

We do leftover chicken for breakfast
baked eggs - I periodically google "baked eggs kids breakfast" and make what pops up.

skinnytaste.com has good breakfasts as well.

Dh is convinced that our 9yo dd is overweight because she eats unhealthy things for breakfast. While I don’t completely agree, I am committed to finding healthier options and incorporating them into our routine. I’d love advice for healthy breakfast foods - I know there’s no “rule” that you need to eat certain things for breakfast but my kids won’t go for things like leftover dinner food.

Currently they have something from the following -

Eggs (scrambled, sunny side up, hard boiled)
Toast with nut butter or cinnamon toast (multigrain bread)
Cereal - Cheerios or Rice Krispies with 2% milk
Oatmeal
Sunbutter and jam sandwiches on multigrain slim sandwich rounds
Occasionally bread with Jason’s chocolate hazelnut butter.
On weekends we make some sort of baked treat one day and have a simpler breakfast the other

9yo detests all fruit except raspberries, blueberries and applesauce. She also doesn’t like most yogurts and won’t drink smoothies. She has a very sensitive sense of smell.

For snacks I give veggies, healthy muffins that I make, occasionally crackers or snap pea crisps, popcorn, cheese, olives, etc. My other kids eat a lot of fruit for snacks, but again, she’ll only eat a select few.

Since I’ve told dh I will serve healthier breakfasts (he doesn’t think any cereal is healthy), I’m looking for new ideas!