Weekday mornings are hectic and can leave us scrambling to get out the door but that’s no reason to miss breakfast, the most important meal of the day. This year’s Fill the Backpack theme of Healthy Children, Healthy Minds theme resonates with me because of having the experience of trying to teach kids who came to school hungry.
My first year teaching first grade was not easy. I had a kid fall off the play structure at the end of the first day of school and fracture his arm and another child who plotted to set the school on fire with a fourth grade student. But my most difficult child was a boy named Shawn.
Shawn was a child who came to school angry each day. He’d walk in the door and kick something. Or someone. He’d get in trouble after exhausting his warnings and have to sit at a desk removed from others but he’d never sit. He’d stand on the desk. Or he’d crouch underneath it while yelling. He was a disaster. Dealing with his behavior was taxing and detrimental to the other kids along with any learning that should have been going on in my room.
Two and a half months into the school year we somehow learned that Shawn had been coming to school hungry. His mom was in dental school and would leave early in the morning to get to class and leave the boys with a neighbor. Somehow in the transition, they missed breakfast. Once we figured this out, Shawn stopped in the cafeteria each morning to eat before coming to the classroom and it made a world of difference.
Shawn turned out to be one of my best students. He was artistic, creative, a great helper, wonderful listener, and finished the year with flying colors. He just needed food in his belly to feed his mind and to fuel his body enough so he could function during the school day.
I know mornings can be hectic and it can be a scramble to get out the door to meet the bus or get to school but here are some ideas for quick and easy breakfasts.
 |
| Fruit, yogurt, and granola |
- Fruit, yogurt, and granola– Whether spooning yogurt into a bowl to eat at the kitchen table or grabbing an individual container to go, the protein and calcium in yogurt combined with carbs in granola and a handful of freshly washed berries provides a nutrition packed breakfast that takes little time to prepare. We buy the 32 ounce containers of Stonyfield French Vanilla yogurt for at-home breakfasts and throw fruit and granola on top of the individual Oikos containers for on the go! Or make some fruited muesli the night before.
 |
| Egg sandwiches |
- Egg sandwiches– Scramble an egg and slide it on some toast. Put a slice of cheese on top for some melty goodness and slap a piece of ham on before you top it with the second piece of toast. Wrap it in some foil and you have hand held breakfast!
 |
| Yogurt smoothies |
- Yogurt smoothies– Blend vanilla yogurt with frozen fruit for a quick delicious and nutritious breakfast. We like vanilla yogurt with any combination of berries. Sometimes I add in a little orange juice and banana too. If you’re looking for inspiration, Stonyfield has an entire smoothie recipe section on their website or grab and go with one of their Super Smoothies.
 |
| Oatmeal with lots of toppings! |
- Oatmeal– Quick oats are just that. Add some dried cranberries and/or raisins to get in a serving of fruit, a handful of almonds for some protein, mix in some milk to make it smooth and creamy, then top off with some brown sugar. Or stop at Starbucks. I love their oatmeal!
What’s your favorite quick breakfast during the school year? Share your favorite in the comments below and feel free to link up a recipe if you have one for an extra entry into my Fill the Backpack giveaway!
This post is sponsored by Splash Creative Media as part of the Fill the Backpack campaign. Click here to enter the giveaway, worth over $750 in prizes and product! Stonyfield Yogurt is a giveaway sponsor of the Fill the Backpack campaign and while I received coupons for product, we spend plenty of our own money on Stonyfield yogurt throughout the year! Images courtesy of Photos.com.
Thanks for reading Tech Savvy Mama through your feed!
Original post by Tech Savvy Mama
©2012
My own quick breakfast almost every day is peanut butter on whole wheat bread. It is fast and filling. And, if necessary, I can take it on the go!
This is a great compilation of breakfast options for kids to start their day. I always keep yogurt, oatmeal, fruit and ingredients for smoothies stocked at home so that my kids can alternate their breakfasts in the mornings. It really helps to have foods that are easy for both Moms to prepare and for kids to prepare on their own.
Eggs. Oatmeal. Granola. . . . all our favorites! I prefer granola as it is quickest, but not all our family prefers that. I make a homemade that is DELICIOUS. But my son prefers oatmeal. I try not to make several different meals but sometimes it is hard not to!