Saturday, March 16, 2013

Breakfast Ideas For a Toddler

I love breakfast and if given a choice, that'd be the meal I'd eat out for the day!  So when it comes to eating breakfast with Jordan, I've come up with quite a few options, yet they still seem too few.  He is a bit like his mum in the sense that eating the same thing every morning will not do.  As such, here are some of the breakfast options that have become part of the mix.  This is mostly for Gena and me to remember, so enjoy!  Also, if you have any suggestions for other breakfast options, please leave a comment for me!
  1. waffles/pancakes - usually frozen, something quick that I can pop into the toaster or into the microwave, topped with butter, drizzled with syrup, and when we have it.. whipped cream also
  2. scrambled eggs - I like to scramble eggs with a bit of milk to make them fluffier, and for added nutrients and deliciousness, I often first cook some diced tomatoes or spinach with garlic and olive oil before mixing in the eggs
  3. oatmeal - we like the Quaker's creamy oatmeal as well as the Trader Joe's brands, and when we run out of those, I'll cook some oatmeal in the microwave with water, add some cold milk to cool it down, brown sugar, and craisins.  Jordan is all for both, but he, like anyone, prefers the former.  
  4. egg in a basket - the hubs started this one but it's been a big hit!  He takes a piece of toast (usually wheat because I am the only one who eats toast for breakfast often), butters it on both sides, cuts out a circle in the middle and then cooks the toast in a pan and cracks an egg into the middle.  He salts the egg as it's cooking and then after the egg in the basket is cooked, goes back to cook the middle.  I like it a little medium over easy, if it runs right when a fork hits it, it's great!
  5. cereal - dry or wet, though I like wet cereal for breakfast and dry cereal for snacks, so I've tried to keep that consistent for Jordan so he's not "snacking" for breakfast (though I try to avoid snacks all together given his lack of interest in eating, unless we're out and about and there's no time to sit down for a meal, waiting for him to be really hungry really helps our case)
  6. french toast - this is one of my favorites because it gets rid of old French bread while creating a breakfast for us!  I quickly whip up some french toast batter with milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon, then I put the bread into the mixture for 30 seconds on each side, and cook it in a pan that's been buttered (I find butter works better than oil), and we like to top it off with some powdered sugar and loads of butter and syrup
  7. smoothies - smoothies aren't a stand-alone meal, they always accompany one of the other breakfast items.  I like it because in order to make sure Jordan gets enough fruit for the day, it's easy to just make a smoothie for myself and he'll always drink about 1/2 a cup, sometimes more.  Since the only fruit he seems to consistently eat are cantaloupe, the smoothie is a nice way to mix it up.  I only add kale or spinach if I have it.  
  8. egg burrito - this is Jordan's absolute favorite and one of mine as well!  I take a tortilla (from Tortilla Land no doubt), smother some cream cheese on it, and plop a cooked egg (I scramble an egg and then microwave it for 1 minute 30 seconds), and then roll it up like a tiny burrito.  I can leave Jordan with the egg burrito and the television on while I get work or a conference call done and within the hour, he will always have eaten all but one or two bites.  Sometimes I put cheese into it, but cheese is something he loves, so I know he'll eat it later if need be... no need to waste it in the burrito (plus if he discovers it, he will lose interest and ask you for more shredded cheese on his plate instead)
  9. toast - this is not his favorite so it barely works, normally has to be coupled with something else above but I like to try every so often if he will be interested in a piece of toast with nutella and bananas on the side (he won't eat it on top)... but so far, I've only been successful in getting him to eat 1-2 bites before he loses interest and then I go and make something else from above along with a smoothie, ha!  He also won't currently eat pb jelly sandwiches, which is a bit of a bummer given how easy and quick they are

5 comments:

Sijbrich said...

I love a peanut butter and jelly sandwich that is cooked like french toast (dipped in a mixture of egg, vanilla, milk, and cinnamon). I like regular french toast, but this variation fills me up a bit more with the extra protein from the peanut butter and the peanut butter gets warm and melty and just makes it yummy. Oh, yes, and my daughter will eat it, too.:-)

bruinjack said...

My boys love granola mixed into yogurt.

Gena Hopper said...

Girl, I've got this starred in my email!

Lauren said...

These are all great ideas!

Tammy said...

Cream of wheat... With brown sugar... Yummmmm. Though we are pretty much a cereal and toast family.