It’s time for alarm clocks, rumbling tummies and rushing kids out the door to catch the school bus. Are you getting your kids’ day started with a breakfast that’ll give their bodies and mind the fuel they need?
While packaged muffins and tarts or frozen waffles get the job done fast, experts say these breakfast staples won’t give your kids what they need to pay attention in class, do their best in gym class and nourish their growing bodies.
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We know mornings are busy and we’re here to help. Global News asked registered dietitians for their go-to breakfast recipes when they’re feeding their kids in a rush. The only criteria? The breakfast meals have to be kid-friendly, easy to make for parents and dietitian-approved for nutrition.
Krista Leck Merner, a Halifax-based registered dietitian, chose this recipe for a handful of reasons.
For starters, kids can get involved with grating, mixing or scooping the batter, the cookies can freeze for easy breakfasts at a later date. The cookies are packed with fibre — about five grams per cookie — and healthy fats like omega 3s. Veggies are snuck into the tasty breakfast (there’s grated carrots or zucchini in the mix).
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Pair the breakfast cookie with a glass of milk or yogurt to make sure your kid has all of the food groups covered.
Get the full recipe and cooking directions here.
These muffins pack in healthy ingredients — fruits, vegetables and nuts — into your kids’ breakfast, according to Nicole Osinga, a registered dietitian in Courtice, Ont.
“Forget store-bought muffins that sound healthy but aren’t. Simply bake these at the beginning of the week and you and your kids can enjoy breakfast…all week long,” Osinga told Global News.
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When you make your own muffins, you control how much of each ingredient is getting into the mix. You can make sure you’re not overloading on sugar, for example.
Get the full recipe and cooking directions here.
Kitchener, Ont.-based registered dietitian, Andrea D’Ambrosio, gets a head start on breakfast by making whole grain waffles or pancakes on the weekend and freezing extras for an easy re-heat option during the week.
She said the recipe is a high-fibre alternative compared to a standard pancake recipe.
“These pancakes turn out amazingly well, very moist and soft inside,” D’Ambrosio said. Top with nut or soy butter and sliced bananas.
Get the full recipe and cooking directions here.
Peanut butter and bananas are a match made in heaven. Brooke Bulloch, a Saskatoon-based registered dietitian, makes easy breakfasts by turning the pair into a tasty wrap that’s assembled in less than two minutes.
You can choose the nut spread, and opt to add seeds, or other fruits, such as peaches or strawberries, into the mix. Spread it onto a whole grain wrap. Some people even slice the wrap to make little banana “sushi” rolls for their kids.
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“This super quick, on-the-go breakfast is a great example of finding convenience at home. The whole grain tortilla and banana provide slow digesting complex carbohydrates and fibre, while the natural peanut butter contributes protein and a dose of healthy fat,” she said.
The kids can eat this in the car on the way to school. Have them clean up with a wet wipe before getting to class, she said.
These savoury mini egg muffins can stay fresh in the refrigerator for three days, giving parents a break from the kitchen for a few days, according to Bulloch. The recipe is gluten and nut-free and can be eaten hot or cold.
Toronto-based registered dietitian, Andrea Miller, gets her kids to pick what they want to add to their muffins — cheese, meat, vegetables.
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“They’re great for kids who like to sleep in as long as possible. Grab one of these with fruit for a balanced breakfast on-the-go. The egg muffins are also good for lunches, especially non-sandwich eaters and after-school snacks,” she told Global News.
Get Bulloch’s full recipe and cooking directions here.
Osinga calls this the “perfect” make-ahead healthy breakfast option with chia seeds, oats, milk, Greek yogurt, vanilla and other flavours, like cinnamon.
“It’s super easy to pull out of the fridge during the morning rush,” she said. You can eat them warmed up or chilled. Your kids will love them either way.
Get the full recipe and cooking directions here.
Claudia Lemay, a Vancouver-based registered dietitian, turns to her blender to make a quick breakfast smoothie for her kids.
“If you don’t have a lot of time in the morning, you can pack a lot of food with vitamins, minerals and protein in there,” she said.
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She relies on a frozen banana, plain yogurt, nut butter, seeds, such as hemp or sunflower, and berries to make her kids’ smoothies. Then she adds celery or a handful of spinach, some oats, and a splash of milk.
(Her tip: When bananas are getting overripe on the counter, peel and slice them into little wheels. Then put them in a Ziploc bag and drizzle with orange juice or lemon to prevent browning. Freeze them and grab them whenever you’re whipping up a smoothie.)
(Graphics courtesy James Waters/Global News)
carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
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