Bored with Breakfast

[twins r fun]

Breakfast has always been the easiest meal, right?! Well my boys are (understandably) bored with their breakfast now. They usually have dry cereal, fruit, frozen waffles/pancakes/french toast/or bagel, and milk. The milk and fruit are still popular, but the waffle, pancake, etc. line of foods was rejected a few weeks ago and now the cereal is being picked at with disinterest. It's possible that they just aren't as hungry anymore, but since they have been eating essentially the same breakfast for 8 months I thought I'd try to liven it up before giving in to the not hungry theory.

I need some suggestions for cereals. Right now we do Kix, cheerios, multi grain cheerios and sometimes wheat puffs. On occasion I try chex or crispix, but Jacob is much more interested in crunching these to pieces than eating them! What are some other low/no sugar cereals-they are hard to find among the brightly colored sugary ones in the massive cereal aisle!

Also what else can I try that might interest them? I am making no progress with oatmeal-neither seem to like the texture at all. I was thinking maybe I'd go back to the baby oatmeal again mixed with fruit or juice, but they never loved that anyway. Jacob will eat yogurt but Caleb doesn't really like it. I've given them the nutrigrain bars sometimes, but they seem kind of sugary and the boys choose them over their beloved fruit, which makes me sad. So I'm looking for any ideas you guys have!

Nicole

[brubeck]

My daughter LOVES CInnamon Life. You could also try regular Life if the Cinnamon has too much sugar for you.

Have you tried mixing the cereal into the yogurt? You could also try cottage cheese.

[KathyO]

Maybe cream of wheat or cornmeal mush (sounds a lot more awful than it tastes, honest!) instead of oatmeal? Spread a little peanut butter between thinly-sliced coins of banana for a finger "fruit sandwich"? (Don't know whether you're doing peanut products in your house...) Mandarin orange pieces? Hash browns? (Mom used to lightly fry slices of leftover boiled potatoes.) Mini-pizzas made with English muffins? (They'll really think the're getting away with something...) Tortilla strips rolled around some kind of filling, be it peanut butter, cream cheese, bologna or whatever? I can give you a recipe for very nutritious and dead easy banana muffins...

Or you can go further off the beaten path... Asian cultures routinely eat noodles or rice for breakfast...

Good luck!

Cheers,

KathyO

[lukkykatt]

I buy cereal bars at the health food store - they are a huge hit and have no added sugar or hydrogenated oil. Some other favorites are cinnamon toast with peanut butter and the Quaker Cinnamon Square cereal - it's not a *low* sugar cereal, but it's not as bad as the "kids'" cereals. Also scrambled eggs and turkey bacon.

[August Mom]

How about eggs? You could do hard boiled if you wanted them ready ahead of time. Otherwise, scrambled eggs are good and can even be mixed with veggies for extra nutrition and used as a filling for a sandwich with a bagel, toast, English muffin or even a tortilla.

[egoldber]

Nicole, I have actually found that breakfast is Sarah's most finicky meal of the day. These days she usually only has some milk, a few bites of banana and toast and then she's off for the morning. She does seem to make up for it later. She used to eat a lot for breakfast, but not anymore, and she rejects a lot of old favs, like yogurt, infant cereal, and other cereals.

HTH,

[atlbaby]

Hi Nicole,

Well, since we've discussed it before you know our breakfast is the same around here and has been for about as long (though I don't do bagels that often, mainly french toast or waffles). So now that you bring it up, I'm guessing Arielle's loss of interest in french toast the past few weeks is about boredom too (dummy me for not thinking of that!):)

Arielle doesn't do yogurt that often, but now that I let her spoon it herself (I hold the container) she'll eat a *little* of it (takes huge spoonfuls though so she probably gets less than I think!).

I do scrambled eggs for lunch/dinner a lot, and that's a GREAT (and quick) idea for breakfast--I'll have to try that! Just the other day I made her an omlette for the first time and put in swiss cheese and she loved it. I'm thinking omlettes will be a good way to add a new twist, and also sneak in veggies (though she loves them, I fear for the day she won't...).

I used to love cream of wheat/rice as a child, and this was before they had all the instant/fruity packages, so it's much quicker to make now (and you can find the "regular" versions in instant to avoid high sugar content). Great idea Kathy, I think I'll try that too!

Also, I know the boys are bored with them right now, but have you tried mini-waffles? Maybe a different form would be more appealing. I found a great (and wholesome) brand at Whole Foods that comes in a bunch of flavors, and Arielle loves the blueberry kind. Great for on the road too. I can give you the brand if you're interested.

Lastly, there will be summer fruits out soon, so maybe they will be excited about peaches/plums etc. Arielle had some strawberries last weekend and was in heaven!

Sorry I've not been such a big help, but hope you got some good ideas!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[twins r fun]

Thanks for all the ideas! I wonder if it might be just a lack of hunger if Sarah and Arielle are doing similar things to different extents. Overall Caleb and Jacob have been eating less for a few months now, but breakfast has always remained pretty big.

Either way, I am going to try some of your ideas! Definitely will soon try cream of wheat and also some of the cereal suggestions. Is Life or Quaker Cinnamon Squares similar in design to chex? I'm trying to avoid those types with Jacob, the crush and destroy machine. Also will have to try healthy cereal bars, flavored waffles/pancakes, and working in peanut butter on various bread vehicles (they like PB). And here's the list of things I have to thump myself on the head and ask "Why didn't I think of that?!"-eggs (though they are fickled about these), toast, muffins. DUH! Also I did think of some of the flavored cream cheeses-anyone know if they are high in sugar?

Thanks for your help and keep any other ideas coming!

Nicole

[August Mom]

The Quaker Cinnamon Squares are much sturdier than Chex - they are still somewhat crunchy even in milk. I'm not sure about Life.

[brubeck]

Life is crispy but flat. It doesn't have the bubble-like appearance of Chex that begs to be crushed.

[egoldber]

Well, after reading this thread, I tried some old favs with Sarah this morning for breakfast and she ate a LOT. So maybe boredom is part of it after all!!! :)

[stillplayswithbarbies]

"Life is crispy but flat."

LOL it took me a second to realize this was about cereal. :) It sounded very profound. :)

...Karen
Jake age 12
Logan Elizabeth 3/25/03

[LisaS]

My DD didn't like oatmeal till I sprinkled cinnamon on it - then she loved it.

Same w/eggs - wouldn't eat them till there was cheese inside an omlette

Another new favorite - pink grapefruit - I know its in the fruit family, but its not a typical "baby" fruit. I was eating some and my DD kept pointing at it moaning - so I gave her a piece and she proceeded to devour my entire grapefruit for breakfast.

Yogurt - I had to try a few different brands - Yo baby fruit flavored smooth yogurt in strawberry and peach is her favorite - that she'll still eat every morning.

Cereal - we're still on Cheerios and she doesn't seem bored of them yet...I have also given her cornflakes a few times - sogged them up w/milk so they'd stick to a fork or spoon and then let her feed them to herself - she liked them. That would work w/any flaky cereal (special k is another one we've tried - she didn't care for).

Occasionally, I'll make a batch of banana and strawberry muffins and freeze them which she loves - definitely have sugar, but they also have fruit and they're quite yummy if I may say so :-) I make them w/applesauce instead of oil/butter (so this way, I will eat them too and not feel guilty). I'd be happy to pass along any recipes.

Good luck,
Lisa

[KathyO]

I just remembered a recipe from the LooneySpoons cookbook I thought I'd add to the mix - high in calcium, low in fats, and sweetness provided by yogurt and raisins (the raisins plump up and soften, so are easy to chew).

1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup plus one tablespoon couscous
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup yogurt (peach or vanilla)

Heat milk in saucepan until almost boiling. Stir in couscous, raisins and cinnamon. Remove from heat and cover. After 5-10 minutes, stir in yogurt and serve warm.

It makes up in a flash, and makes a great breakfast for the grownup too!

KathyO

[atlbaby]

Arielle's new favorite fruit is pink grapefruit too! I was SHOCKED that she liked it, but she will eat an entire 1/2 grapefruit off of DH's or my plate! One Saturday the three of us were eating lunch and she started shreiking for some of what DH was eating (pink grapefruit). So he gingerly gave her a piece and we waited for her "yucky" expression--and she grinned and begged for more!! I actually didn't acquire a taste for grapefruit until DH and I had been married for 3 years--it's a staple appetizer in his house. I still won't eat the white kind!:)

I've never tried it for breakfast with her, but I think I will now!
And I didn't know that Yo-Baby came in strawberry. I thought only vanilla, peach, blueberry, banana, and apple? Not that it would necessarily make a difference if I offered strawberry, but worth a try!

-Rachel
Mom to Arielle Jill, 10/30/01
#2:) EDD 10/24/03

[LisaS]

Funny to find another pink grapefruit fan (under the age of 20 :-) I didn't discover how great it was till I was in college. I'm laughing abt the staple appetizer in your in-laws house - its a staple appetizer at my in-laws house as well. I always thought my MIL was the only one who would even think to serve grapefruit before a meal - not a bad thing - just strange to me when I'd never had it that way before. I too won't eat white grapefruit.

My DD will eat an entire pink grapefruit for breakfast - I am shocked but she keeps going - I put pieces of 1/2 on the plate and then she moans and points for more! So I give it to her. Usually, w/ 1 whole grapefruit, she can also manage either a bowl of oatmeal or a pot of yogurt along w/a bunch of cheerios. She's a very big breakfast and lunch eater - dinner is another story...

Its a great b-fast - I cut up 3 grapefruits in the a.m. - 1 for each of us! Yo Baby in strawberry - my parents found it at Waldbaums in LI when we visited - they don't have it in London, where I currently live but they have other very comparable organic baby strawberry flavored yogurt.

[twins r fun]

Thought I'd update this with what we've tried and what we've had success with. I guess it should come as no surprise that not a single thing was a hit with both babies!

Caleb likes: Life cereal (plain, didn't try cinnamon yet), Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran Cereal, Banana/Raisin Muffins (homemade)

Jacob likes: scrambled eggs, yogurt, cream of wheat (I bought the plain and then bought some baby food fruit that I mix in for some flavor)

Nobody likes: mini waffles, jelly spread on pancakes, waffles, toast, flavored cream cheese, or Ego Waffuls (fruit filled waffles)

I still have some more things to try and will try to just serve a variety. They are definietly eating a little more (on the days when I serve what they like :)), but not nearly as much as they used to so I think it's a combination of boredom and lask of hunger.

[josephsmom]

Joseph likes it when I mix up Cheerios with raisins. He also likes cheese cubes. I wonder if your boys might think it's fun to "dip." You could try having them dip breadsticks (or something) into cream cheese or yogurt or applesauce or something. Or maybe they would enjoy smoothies.

Helene
mommy to Joseph 12/29/01

[twins r fun]

They are SO into dipping (especially Caleb)-ketchup and french fries is a huge hit these days. I'll have to try yougurt and applesauce, I think the cream cheese is too hard for them to scoop. Thanks for the idea! Also they do love smoothies, but fruit isn't really a deficieny around here. I guess I could find some smoothy recipes that throw some extra stuff in, though. Another good idea!