Stuck in a rut with the first meal of the day and find yourself reaching for the same old same old? Fuel your family up with these tempting solutions without too much effort.
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We all love a warm start in the mornings when we have to venture out in cold weather. These easy breakfast ideas will appeal to your picky preschooler and tired teen alike. Tempt them with a hot meal before they run out the door – it’ll be a nice change from cold cereal!
1. Oatmeal
Warm oatmeal is the king of the hot breakfast as it is so easy to put together in a hurry. Top with apple and cinnamon, milk and honey or blueberries and brown sugar. There are countless variations to enhance this breakfast staple! One cup of cooked oatmeal will provide 16% of the recommended daily fiber amount and can be made in a flash in the microwave or on the stove.
Top tip – If you’re making for the whole family, you could prepare this the night before in a slow cooker. Apart from saving time in the morning, slow cooked oatmeal yields a soft and creamy texture. Add your oats and liquid (water or milk as you prefer) and set on low for 8 hours before you go to bed. Add your toppings in the morning and voila!
2. Quick Scrambled Eggs On Toast
The microwave can be your friend when whipping up fast eggs. By the time your toast has popped up from the toaster, your scrambled eggs can be prepared. Top with some grated cheese and you have a ready made hot breakfast in minutes!
3. Bagel and Peanut Butter
Easy to throw together in no time for a filling, satisfying family favorite. There are 8 grams of protein in a single serving of peanut butter so it’s a great way to kick off your day! Pair with a warm mug of tea or hot milk and you have heated your insides before you step out in the cold!
4. Breakfast Burritos (Make and Freeze)
Bacon or breakfast sausage can be combined with scrambled eggs, chopped onion, sliced peppers and shredded cheese for the ultimate tasty meal. Make them ahead and store in the freezer – just wrap in paper towel and tin foil before storing in an airtight container. In the morning, remove from foil and microwave on high (according to manual) until heated through, then allow to cool for 15 seconds before eating.
5. Easy Omelet
If you chop and prepare some veggies the night before, a tasty omelet can be on your plate in minutes. This is where anything goes! Peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes – on their own or a combination of what you have on hand. Alternatively, you can just enjoy it plain with cheese.
Throw the prepared veggies in your pan and cook for a few minutes until softened. Put veggies aside in a bowl. Beat 2 eggs in a separate bowl with a splash of milk and add to your pan. Fold in some grated cheese and your cooked veggies if using and allow a minute or two to set, then ease the omelet onto a plate and enjoy! Jamie Oliver gives a great tip on how to cook the best plain omelet. He claims it takes 45 seconds – win win!
6. Make Ahead Muffins (Bake and freeze)
Who doesn’t love a muffin for breakfast? These are excellent if your kids are literally running out the door on those crazy busy mornings. They take seconds to defrost/heat in the microwave and can be scoffed while walking to school or waiting in the car line. Pairs well with Mom or Dad’s coffee to go too!
Easy Muffin Recipe – Makes 12
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ Tsp salt
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter, melted
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add wet ingredients and combine with dry (don’t over mix, batter should not be smooth). Spoon into muffin cups (⅔ full) in a prepared muffin tray and bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 20 to 25 minutes.
These are equally nice plain or with jam, cream cheese or peanut butter. Change them up easily by adding blueberries, mashed banana, nuts or chocolate chips to your ingredients before baking!
7. French Toast
Don’t just save French Toast for the weekends. It’s an easy and satisfying breakfast that can be enjoyed on any school morning! Drizzle some oil into a skillet and while it’s warming, break a few eggs into a wide bowl and whisk in a little milk. Dip a slice of bread into the bowl, covering both sides with egg mixture and cook in the pan flipping after a minute or so, browning both sides. Repeat with more slices of bread until you run out of egg.
I usually find French toast mysteriously disappears into the mouths of hungry family members as each slice becomes ready. That’s ok on a morning when getting out the door is paramount! Enjoy this tasty breakfast plain or with some berries on the side. Brioche bread makes a lovely sweet version but any sliced loaf will do!
8. Soft Boiled Eggs & Soldiers
A childhood staple! Bring a pot of water to the boil and add room temperature eggs (these will be less likely to crack than if taken straight from the fridge). Toast a few slices of bread and boil your eggs for 5-6 minutes. This should yield a nice gooey yolk perfect for dipping. Butter toast when ready and cut in half and then half again giving 4 ‘soldiers’ for each slice. Most kids love this breakfast and it provides 6g of protein to get them started with their day!
Photo: Christina’s Cucina
9. Egg and Cheese Breakfast Quesadillas
These are easy, delicious and above all super quick to manage in the morning! Put a little oil in a skillet and warm it through. Crack a few eggs in a bowl with a splash of milk, add seasoning and whisk until combined. Microwave on full until cooked through (1-2 minutes). Add a flour tortilla to the skillet and some of the scrambled egg mixture. Top with shredded Mexican cheese and place another tortilla on top. Cook for a minute or so until browned and then carefully flip over and do the same on the other side. Remove from the pan and cut into quarters using a pizza cutter.
10. Warm croissants
The sweet smell of croissants warming in the kitchen will entice even the tiredest of toddlers and teens out of bed on a cold morning! They take a matter of 5 minutes or so to heat in a preheated toaster or conventional oven and can be enjoyed with jam or chocolate spread for a nice end of the week treat! They taste heavenly straight from the oven. No wonder the French love these tasty, flaky, buttery pastries!
Photo: getty images/iStockphoto
Mornings can definitely be hectic trying to herd your family out the door, and the thought of cooking hot breakfasts during winter can seem like an insurmountable task! However, with a little bit of forward planning and having the right ingredients on hand, it is very achievable to give your kids a nice warm start to the day!