Breakfast by Design

Introducing........Breakfast! Here are my typical breakfast items that we have in our house. Overall, I think that these items work pretty well in our house. There is enough variety to keep me satisfied as well as a variety of hot and cold items. For the most part, the kids will eat any cold cereals that I buy because they eat cereal morning, noon, and night. What is not working in the breakfast department is the variety of variety. When I say this, I mean that I

tend to stick with the same brands and flavors of items that I purchase. I prefer to have "good" cereals in my house but my kids would love to have "sugar" cereals in the cabinet. Another problem I run in to is the price of breakfast items. "Good" cereals are so much more expensive than the sugar ones unless you buy when they are on sale. One items that isn't shown that I have recently run out of is a fruit yogurt that comes with a cup of granola on the top. I love them! My kids know that those yogurts are mine and are NOT to be touched. They are expensive (usually $2.50 for 2 cups) but they are well worth it.

Eggs, the wonderful egg- I always have eggs in the house. You never know when you may need one for a recipe, a go to breakfast-for-dinner, or an egg salad because you have run out of lunchmeat!Everyone in my house eats eggs in different ways: hard boiled, scrambled, in a salad, in a recipe. Eggs are traditionally used in our house at breakfast but at certain times they serve as a dinner item. As a breakfast item, eggs bring our family together. Very rarely do we eat breakfast as a family but when we do, there are usually eggs being served. Family breakfasts are important to me because I usually am not the one making breakfast, that is my husband's forte! One obstacle I find when preparing eggs in the morning is that I haven't come up with a number of different ways that my kids like. Eggs are a health befit because of the protein that they provide but more than that, eggs provide an emotion of a healthy and happy family. If eggs were no longer available to purchase, I would have to seriously consider raising chickens of my own.

Cold Cereal- There is a never ending supply of cold cereal in my house. Everyone in my family eats cereal. Cereal is not just a breakfast item, it is an all-day, everyday item. As a breakfast item, it serves as a quick fix and something that my kids can prepare for themselves. This is important because breakfast time is a rush rush time. A complaint that I hear in my house about cold cereals is that there typically isn't much of variety. I like a hearty cereal that has more than just grain. I like nuts, oats, fruit, etc. My kids would like a sugar based cereal like Lucky Charms or Fruit Loops but I try not to buy those types of cereals. I like that better cereals provide the grains that are needed to stay healthy along with a good taste. If these types of cereals were no longer available, I'd try and find a similar type.

Hearty Oatmeal- This is one of my favorite breakfast items. I don't know why I bought this item the first time but I am so glad that I did! I love this item because it contains everything that I look for in a meal. It is delicious, hearty, and easy to prepare. Thankfully, only I and my oldest daughter seem to eat these oatmeal bowls. What's funny is that I tend to eat this as a lunch or a snack, not a breakfast. I love that it comes in a ready to heat container so it fits wonderfully in my lunch bag. The only thing that it is not good at is the availability of a microwave oven. I can't bring this along with me on a long road trip or to a softball game because there are no microwaves in my car or at the softball field. The benefits of this oatmeal is that it is healthy and tasty. When I eat this item, it makes me feel warm and cozy on the inside. Honestly, I like to eat it while I am snuggled up reading a book.

Cinnamon Rolls-Cinnamon rolls I can do without but my family can't. These are only a breakfast. Just this morning I made 6 rolls of these warm pastries. Yes, I said 6 rolls (I had 6 extra girls camped out in my basement)!I make these because they fill the girls up and are warm and smell great. I don't know how, but the girls know when they are being pulled out of the oven because they all come running and just the right time. I don't believe that these have any nutritional value and that's why I only make them on special occasions (or when I have 6 extra mouths to feed). If these were no longer available to purchase I'd be alright with that but I'd have 9 unhappy campers.

Bevita Breakfast Biscuits- Again, I don't know what ever made me purchase these but I am so glad that I did! These breakfast bars or not only for breakfast but are for a quick pick-me-up or a late night snack. I love this item because it comes in a variety of flavors (apple cinnamon, honey oat, blueberry) and is very tasty. I like the price (about $3.00 for 5 packs) and that they are very easy to transport. I like that they don't have to be refrigerated and are individually packaged. This is important to me because I am always on-the-go. I have a couple stashed in my desk at work, in my work bag, and in my glove compartment. I never know how long appointments will run at the orthodontist, if practice will run long, or if I will have to stay late at work. My kids like these because they are tasty and easy to pack in their lunches. this item has a great nutritional value and is also packaged as an energy enhancer. if these breakfast bars were no longer available to purchase I would be so upset. I love these and have mini heart attacks when the boxes are empty! As I look back at these items all spread out on my table I see that I am missing fresh fruits. That is scary to me. I want my girl's to reach for fresh fruits instead of pre-packaged items. As I look at this picture, I really need to back an effort to make some changes. I know that there are many companies that offer pre-packaged fresh fruit but the money that is charged for this type of product is outrageously expensive. So, if I could have a new product that would help out in the breakfast department, it would be affordable, fresh, easy to pack fresh fruit.