Breakfasts That Will Fill Them Up

Updated on August 25, 2008
K.K. asks from Erie, PA
31 answers

My kids tend not to like to eat breakfast. My son might have a piece of toast, and my daughter a small, small bowl of cereal, plus half a glass of oj. In summer,We usually eat by 8 am and they are whining that they are hungry at 10am. With preschool starting, they aren't going to be able to snack that early in the morning. Pancakes are the only thing they love to eat for breakfast, and i'm not serving them pancakes or even frozen waffles every day. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the to eat more, or something different and healthy to serve?? thanks

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E.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

What about scrambled eggs wrapped up in a microwavable (or freshly made) pancake? My kids also love chocolate milk in the morning, it's like a treat in the morning.

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K.J.

answers from Philadelphia on

corn meal, or cream of rice - are really good with syrup, or sugar. Try oatmeal and french toast- their sweet too.

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C.W.

answers from Reading on

You need to add proteins to their breakfast. Studies show that foods rich in proteins like peanut butter and eggs will keep you fuller feeling longer. Spread some peanut butter on that toast or hard boil some eggs that they can grab even on the run in the morning.

I also agree with a previous poster that oatmeal is very filling, but you don't need to buy the sugary packets of it at the store. It is just as fast and easy to cook regular oats (in the big canister) in your microwave and add fresh fruit/yogurt/raising yourself. The proportions of oatmeal to water when cooking is 1:2, then microwave it for 3 minutes. This is a big $$$ saver versus the packets, too.

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L.G.

answers from Philadelphia on

I was not much of a breakfast person as a kid and my mom used to make little pizzas for us.
She used an english muffin or bagel and topped with jar sauce and cheese. The then put it in the toaster oven to heat and melt the cheese. I also remember her making grilled cheese sandwiches for me in the morning. Another thing you can do is make a pb&j and then use a cookie cutter to make it into a fun shape. You can even use raisins for eyes and such.

Good luck, my son isn't much of a breakfast eater and survived preschool even if he didn't like the snack that was provided that day. He would just eat a great lunch when he got home.

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B.

answers from Philadelphia on

I buy the big tubs of vanilla yogurt, and my kids will eat yogurt and granola and sometimes berries with it. Its healthy, and filling. Also, instant oatmeal is easy and filling.

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N.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

try something like vanilla yogurt and granola (you could even add strawberries or blueberries). my 2 1/2 year old LOVES this breakfast. you could even give them a granola bar (chewy or crunchy) w/a banana. just think outside the box and you'll come up with so many breakfast ideas! good luck!!!!

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T.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

My kids love happy faces. They change from day to day using fruit, toast, pancakes, waffles or anything I can think of to make a happy face on a plate. I make ahead pancakes and mickey mouse shaped waffles and freeze them. I microwave them at 50% power and they're awesome. Go gurts are loaded with sugar but they do love them and it is the only way they start and finish yogurt. I also recently made peach muffins that were a HUGE hit that shocked me. I could email you the recipe, it only took one peach. Best of luck. T. www.HomemadeGourmet.com/tuesday815101 to benefit Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnshannoniv

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I.V.

answers from Reading on

cereal bars with fruit,
fruit shakes with added protein (hemp powder, tofu, yoghurt etc...), oatmeal, just some ideas...I.

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A.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

First of all...breakfast foods are typically high in carbs (pancakes, cereal, bagels, etc.) and high carbs aren't best for feeling full long term. I try and give my kids foods that are high in protein before school. They stay with them longer and don't give them the "sugar crash". Peanut butter sandwiches, bacon, hard boiled eggs, are all things that are high in protein. Also...if they like something that would typically be served for dinner or lunch...give it to them...they don't HAVE to eat breakfast foods for breakfast. I used to make those cocktail weiners wrapped in crescent dogs, freeze them and give them to them for breakfast. You can do the same with breakfast sausage links and let them dip the whole thing in syrup. My friend slices up apples thin, spreads peanutbutter on them, and then sprinkles granola or graham cracker crumbs on it. The pre cooked bacon is really convienient too.

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C.M.

answers from York on

My kids will eat a very small breakfast if I make them eat as soon as they wake. My son will eat two bites and say all done. Over the summer, I let them play for an hour and then I feed them; they ate well, and stayed full till lunch. Obviously, over the school year you can not allow an hour of play before school. However, I always get them up an hour before it is time to leave, I get them dressed, and give them 10-15 minutes of "hatch" time. They play or watch TV, then I feed them breakfast as one of the last things they do. Just give them enough time to brush their teeth and head out the door. They seem to eat better when they have this extra time. This is true for my kids, hope it helps with yours. I do not know if you are driving them to preschool? But you could always do a snack on the way to school after breakfast, like gogurt or finger fruits. It is always a struggle to keep them full of the good foods. But I can usually always get them to snack in the car.

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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

If they will eat the pancakes--what's wrong with that? Add some fruit (bananas, berries, oranges, etc.) and it's a pretty good neal! Smoothies are good too--yogurt, fresh fruit and ice cubes. My son loves NutriGrain bars too.

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S.C.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Kristi,

Some moms may get mad at me but, do your kids like leftover pizza? That makes a great breakfast. It has veggies (tomato sauce), bread and dairy, and meat if you want. When I was a kid in the 60's, our family doctor told my mom that it was fine to let me eat it in the morning since my body didn't care. You can even make pizzas on english muffins any way each kid wants for variety. One other thing, after a while of not being able to eat when they want to, they may begin to eat more at breakfast. (I am a grandmother of 2, 10 and 4)

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M.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

Try adding a source of protein to their breakfasts - a little yogurt or some peanut butter on the toast. Also something with a little fat (the good kind!) will hold them longer.

Doesn't the preschool they attend serve a mid-morning snack? Even in 2nd grade my son has a morning snack at this school! I had to pack it in his lunch, but the time was built in to the day. If not, I'd question the school.

Good luck for the year ahead!

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T.S.

answers from Philadelphia on

How about (healthy, whole wheat) crackers with cheese? When my kids were little my dr said Cheddar was a healthy choice for them, so I give them a block of cheese and a cheese board with a wire cheese cutter...looks like a pottery tool...and they love using the cheese cuter! Also, yogurt...my son loves that. Add in some fruit...a big piece of canteloupe or honeydew, or an apple or orange. Good luck!

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T.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

make a batch of home made pancakes over weekend and freeze or french toast...how about oatmeal

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E.B.

answers from Scranton on

Dear Kristi,

I agree. Breakfast can be a real problem for kids, or even adults. It's important to eat protein for breakfast, and foods like pancakes, especially made with white flour, don't deliver protein.
May I suggest Shaklee Meal Shakes. Shaklee Meal Shakes, recommended for children, are great-tasting, easy-to-mix drinks that pack extra nutrition, including calcium and protein, into any meal or snack. They also contain 6 grams of fiber, so you don't feel those hunger pains as quickly. You have your choice of French Vanilla (to which you could add fruit for variety) or Bavarian Cocoa. Mixed in milk or soy milk, they taste just like a real milk shake.
These Meal Shakes are available through any Shaklee Distributor, or go to http://www.shaklee.net/giftsfromnature/product/MealShakes to place an order. These and all Shaklee products are guaranteed to please, or your money will be refunded. And remember, if you order through the above web site, click on "contact me" at the top of the page and let me know you're from Mamasource - I will send you a 10% rebate.
Thanks,
E. B

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R.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

Do they like fruit - try fruit roll ups or if they like yogurt - try go gourts it is truly necessary for children to have somehing not anything on their stomach in the morning.
Try a wholesome smoothie using their favorite fruit.
e.g. - strawberry and freeze them this way you don't have to use ice, add a favorite juice and maybe a second fruit
aweeten to your liken and mix in your blender do it the night before and set it out a litle early and have it waiting for them its less time consuming. And will help get on your way. mt email address is ____@____.com

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A.B.

answers from Reading on

Kristi,
I'm a middle school teacher and actually have the same problems with my own breakfast diet. I don't have time or much of an appetite in the morning so I pack a light yogurt and a baggie of fiber one cereal. In between classes at school I eat a few bites of yogurt (to make room) then mix in the fiber one cereal. I was told one time that fiber is what gets rid of the hunger feeling so that's what I do. If eating in the car I'd mix the yogurt and cereal in a tupperware container beforehand. You could also probably mix yogurt with instant oatmeal and a little bit of applesauce (to soften the texture)...that's actually my 9 mo. old's favorite breakfast (though made with all Gerber ingredients) but could be easy for on-the-go. The only thing with these suggestions is that they MAY be messy, you didn't say how old your kids are...just use your judgement OR put some of your old shirts over their school clothes as "smocks" like we used to wear in art class.

B.K.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi Kristi! I have three girls and only one of them ever eats a half-way decent breakfast and that's usually only on the weekends before she goes to any of her activities. None of my girls were big on breakfast from the first spoon of ceral when they were babies. (The two that don't eat are both in high school now and I have given up on this one!) Talk to them about how in school they won't be able to snack and try the school's meal schedule at home for a day with them eating their usual breakfast...showing them how hungry they will be come lunch time at school. Sometimes showing is easier than telling and more effective. Try yogurt, fruit, or even cottage cheese or pb&j if they like for breakfast. There's no rules about having to eat "breakfast foods" only in the AM. Toast with peanutbutter and a glass of milk is a great breakfast! A cup of yogurt with some juice or milk is also a good one and light on the tummy! Think outside of the box! Good luck & best wishes!

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D.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

I'm in the same boat with all 3 of mine. I'm going to start searching for some different healthy yogurt smoothie recipes with a good amount of protein. Right now we make basic banana/fresh fruit smoothies but I'm afraid that is going to get boring soon. Also, Kefir is a high protein, lower sugar drinkable yogurt-type product with great probiotic properties that is way better than the processed, sugar-laden brands (even Stonyfield organic is high in sugar). You can find Kefir in quart-size bottles in the yogurt case in plain and a few flavors (I mix the plain into the flavors to lower the sugar content even more). My 3 year old thinks it is a strawberry milkshake. It's thick and tends to fill you up and goes down easy in the am.
Good luck,
D.

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C.M.

answers from York on

I would deffinetly try to stick with thinngs like eggs and oatmeal. You can make the eggs different to give them some variety I make scrambled eggs with cheese and ham and put them in a tortilla shell for a breakfast burrito they love them and also I cut a hole in the bread andfry it in a pan with butter and cook the egg inside the hole. My son named them egg holes. I would try to stay away from orange juice though when my father was diagnosed with diabetes they told him to stay way from O.J. because it's like eating 10 oranges in one sitting and it sends your blood sugar sky rocketing and then drops very quickly leaving you feeling tired. You might also like to try egg sandwiches with turkey bacon and cheese one of my favorites. I hope this helps I have the same problem and can no longer eat cereal because of it. So I hope one of these ideas are useful.

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S.M.

answers from Philadelphia on

Kristi,

the first thing that comes to mind is oatmeal. Real old fashioned oatmeal or rolled/steel cut oats - not the instant kind.

We serve ours topped with everything under the sun:

brown sugar and raisins
walnuts or pecans and bananas with cinnimon
blueberries, rasberries or peaches
Maple syrup

S.

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L.N.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Add some protein and fruit to their breakfast. Fills them up and keeps them going alot better than carbs. Look for cereal with high amounts of protein in it. I personally, notice, when i eat that koshi go lean cereal with 13 grams of protein, it sustains me longer than eggs and bacon !!!

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L.H.

answers from Philadelphia on

How about fruit bars (as we call them) like Nutri Grain Bars. Kashi brand makes them and there are a lot of organic options as well. Even the whole grain fig newtons wouldn't be a bad option as they are basically a fruit bar that is called a cookie. If they like bananas, that might be a great thing to have with it. Applesauce might be a good morning food, too. My son loves breakfast, but I have heard from other mom's who have light morning eaters, that applesauce sometimes works. If they like milk, milk might be a good thing to have with it as it might fill them up more than juice. Also, if they like yogurt, you could do yogurt and granola or even make smoothies. I sometimes make them and freeze them so I just have to thaw them in the am. If they like hard boiled eggs, you could always make them and give them a piece of toast with that. One last thought ... have you checked with the preschool ... I am surprised that they don't have a mid morning snack.
Good luck!

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A.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

My daughter is not a big eater either. She eats breakfast at school. On the weekends, I am lucky if she eats 3 of the mini pancakes. She will drink quite a bit of milk which is healthy and enjoys yogurt.

Try yogurt.....The pancakes and waffles are not bad. They have wheat/whole grain ones now. Try putting sliced bananas or strawberries on top.

A.J.

answers from Williamsport on

The key to breakfast as far as keeping them satisfied with good concentration until lunch-is protein. Which stinks, because carbs are the easiest to get them to eat, but be sure they have some whole milk (whole grain cereal with some cut up fruit) or some slices of cheese with their bread. Egg is excellent. My daughter wouldn't touch an egg with a ten foot pole forever, but at 2 and 1/2, I finally have her eating half an egg on a piece of whole grain bread with some mustard. I let her "help" (watch) me make it a few times which got her more interested in eating it. Start with small amounts first of everything you try. Yogurt in fruit smoothies is a huge hit with my daughter even though I hate cleaning the blender. Sometimes I throw cereal into the smoothie to make it more filling. She'll gobble it down quickly which is better than all the other options.
ps-I just saw the suggestion for leftover pizza AWESOME!!!! I'm going to try that! my daughter LOVES pizza, and there you have it, protein, carbs, veggies (healthy brand, not full of chemicals) and voila! No battle!

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R.B.

answers from Philadelphia on

On days my kids will not eat anything I give them bowls of cottage cheese. They are also quite fond of yogurt and I am starting to mix some granola in. My oldest will eat an apple with peanut butter every time as well. Hope this helps and good luck.

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L.T.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Have you tried adding protein to their breakfast - meat, eggs, nuts, peanut butter? A nurse friend of mine told me to eat protein with meals and snacks to hold me over longer. Also check with your preschool to see when they work snack times into their daily schedules.

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C.H.

answers from Philadelphia on

Here are some really good ones.
French toast fillers, you take two peices of bread and put jelly in the middle like you are making a sandwhich, then you dip them in egg and milk mix, like you would in frenchtoast.

Try putting cut up fruit in their cereal, it is healthy and they will love it.

Make muffins with spilkles in them,, and you can always do that the night before.

Also yogert is good as well.

Flavor begals and flavor cream cheese, or different types of jelly.
Also your kids might be like mine, they would never eat when they first wake up. So you might try to wake them a little earlier and just give them time to wake up. Also in pre-school, they have snack time, so another thing is you can pack a small filling snack, like cute up apples, or a banana. Just explain that they don't eat much in the morning and that they might get hurgy in a little while. They should understand.

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J.M.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Hi Kristi,

My favorite breakfast (and my son, age 3 loves them too) are muffins from vitalicious. You can buy them at Giant Eagle in the healthfood freezer section or you can get them online at www.vitalicious.com and if you go to www.dwlz.com there is a coupon code for 10% off of your online purchase. We love them - they are all natural, not very sweet and healthy for you and your kids.

J.

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