As most parents, somewhere along the line (ok I know exactly when - the Princess was about 18 months old and we were on a weekend away with family) we succumbed to the temptation of feeding our kids kiddy cereals. Mostly Coco Pops and Oaties ( the ordinary no colour ones), I never fell for Fruit Loops - way too much colouring in them. I was also rather happy that they never liked the vile blue Smurfie Oaties but the did catch on to the just slighty less vile green Ice Age ones) The kids devoured them - bowls and bowls full. Sometimes on really busy days, even in between meals as snacks. Some weekends when Hunter was away we might even have had some for dinner on occasion. But I have always had the healthier options available and would offer them first - in our home Wheatbix , Pro nutro and All bran flakes or Special K. Sometimes they would choose these, but mostly not.We eat cereal about 4 of the 7 mornings a week - the others would be porridge, eggs and toast or on Saturdays flapjacks or muffins for a treat.
So Hunter and I had a chat about 2 weeks ago about phasing out the kiddy stuff. We both felt that the sugar is too much and that moving towards more formal school for the boys, we should limit the sugar and other unhealthy stuff intake, especially before school.. We made the call to use up the batch we had at home and bite the bullet after that. By Monday this week the Coco Pops were at their end. They were without a doubt Mr L's preferred breakfast - a tantrum ensued, but he settled for the last Oaties with Mr C (Oaties are his preferred poison). The Princess has been eating a lot of Wheatbix and Special K for a while so she was fine as one should possibly expect at 7 in any event). Tuesday morning dawned with another small tantrum by L and one by C - both settled for Wheatbix after much tears. I gave us a bit of a break yesterday with eggs and toast - everybody but C's favorite in any event. This morning was reality again - to my surprise L immediately took me up on the Pro Nutro offer. Mr C was so angry with me - boy! But I have to mention that we had our first run in about dressing earlier. ( his perfectionism will drive me crazy some day). But at the end he settled for Wheatbix and had two bowls of it - one of the mini type and another of the original bricks.
So yes, we will fight the good food battle bravely- bit by bit. In small steps.
BTW - I make scrambled egg in the micro wave (takes about 5 minutes for a big bowl enough for us all - about 6 eggs) It leaves little dishes and is very healthy.
And what does your family have for breakfast?
Luckily I have never introduced those for breakfast. The worst for us is All Bran Flakes which the little one loves, and she also likes Jungle Oats. But most days it is getting something into her before school... She is not a big eater in the mornings!
ReplyDeleteYou see, one of the reasons we do fall for them - because if they eat it, they at least eat something.
DeleteI like that you make scrambled eggs in the microwave. The woman of today will conquer the breakfast madness with a microwave :)
ReplyDeleteGood luck with continuing this good pursuit.
My kids either have Weetbix, Rolled raw oats or maize porridge for breakfast. The maize porridge or oats I too make in the microwave. 5 minutes and it's done.
Zoe eats pronutro, toast or yoghurt for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteEthan will eat wheetbix, rice crispies or toast for breakfast. Every other day when I can drag myself out of bed at 5:15 I will cut fruit up for him and serve it with honey and yoghurt.
There is a packet of Coco Pops in our cupboard though which I give to them on the weekends as a special treat.
WE have been considering the "coco pops over weekends" thing but I think we first need to go cold turkey and then we can think again
DeleteFantastic - you know I'm a strict mother with food so I think it's awesome you're sticking to your guns.
ReplyDeleteWe only have eggs and such if we go out - I can't be bothered even on weekends. But I will do "breakfast type" eggs, tomato on toast for lunches.
We swop oats, weetbix, pronutro and in summer, muesli now and again if they see me eat it. They start with a fruit, then the cereal and we offer toast afterwards. In winter they will often have because you know how we all eat more in winter but in summer they say no.
C's favourite cereal of ALL time is Weetbix. When he asks me "what are we having for breakfast today?"(we means him and K) and I say, "weetbix"he actually CHEERS and goes, ÿayyy!" (it's actually quite adorable)
K's favourite is oats with cinnamon (they don't have salt or sugar on their oats, still at 3).
D eats very much like the kids (except the fruit) but he has "fun cereal"on the weekend.
I eat muesli and yoghurt and all-bran and milk - I swop the two. On the weekend I have multigrain flakes to keep it exciting - ha! And of course an orange or apple :)
I will give a handful of plain oatees but as a snack like when C and I come home from the gym and I have my official breakfast.
I have a soft spot for Wheatbix myself but of course neither me nor L are much into oats - oats is a tactile person's worst food ever
DeleteMy children don't know these fun cereals exist! I'm terrible. Although I suppose it doesn't much matter because they don't eat cereal. If they do have it, it's dry as a snack. The idea of adding milk to the mix turns them off.
ReplyDeleteEVERY MORNING it's oatmeal and waffles. The weekends hold pancakes and other rare treats, but the week never changes. They also don't eat anything on the waffle, just plain from the toaster!
What's amazing to me is that you microwave eggs! This seems genius to me!! Of course I am terrible at using the microwave so I don't see it panning out for me :/
No porridges here. We do toast and cheese or toast and egg or even toast with peanut butter. I try to get them to eat a fruit as well - they mostly do that in the car when we are on our way to school. Child2 may even eat dinner leftovers for breakfast.
ReplyDeleteOn the weekends we do oats, maize porridges - mainly because I don't feel rushed so I don't mind making it.
I have seen the ladies in the office make microwaved scrambled eggs and it goes so quick! Am going to attempt it soon. It will make my life A LOT easier during the week.
We have mainly woolies oats, more real than actual jungle oats. I make hubbies at home and mine at work. We have ours with honey, cinnamon and a little blob of butter. Keeps the sugar levels steady for both of us ;). On weekends we dot the eggs on toast thing, less time constraint :)
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty rubbish at eating breakfast myself - usually I'll have two biscuits with some coffee and some jelly babies when i get to work. Sometimes I might even have an apple.
ReplyDeleteNicola eats a proper breakfast at school. something along the lines of mieliepap, oats (yuck) or matabella pap.
On weekends we do one bacon and egg day (well bacon for her since she doesn't eat egg), with some cherry tomatoes and toast. On the other weekdn morning we usually have cereal - either cocopops or corn flakes.
I'm curious as to how you scramble eggs in the microwave? Do you stop and stir every now and then?
ReplyDeleteThankfully Little OL gets breakfast at school so I just have to worry about the weekends. They give her either oats or mealie meal (Until next year when I need to start feeding before school).
ReplyDeleteOn the weekends she gets eggs, or toast, or yoghurt or fruit or a combination of all of the above. She does like Cheerios - but also as a dry snack. If I eat special K then she will eat that too. Much to my horror and dismay she does not like Pronutro - I can't believe she is even my child..... I lived on the stuff (there were days when we had it for breakfast lunch and supper).
We don't eat cereals at all. Also for the sugar reason and I think it is just empty calories, doesn't really fill up a little tummy. Gem eats toast with either honey or marmite, and a piece of apple. We do sometimes have scrambled (or as gem calls them, crumbled) eggs on toast and on Saturday or Sunday mornings her dad makes her pancakes which she has with lemon and cinnamon and sugar. I am not a morning breakfast person so I make smoothies for myself, which i am trying trying trying to get Gem to drink!
ReplyDeleteWe haven't had any cereal other than muesli in our house. When our little ones sleep over I make them oats which they love because only Ouma makes oats and pours condensed milk over it;-)
ReplyDeleteI have never bought the coco pops and fruit loops type cereals except as a complete exceptional treat like while AWAY on holiday. Never just for home. We have done regular Oatees and puffed wheat though, and I buy corn flakes, pronutro or wheatbix. Also jungle oats. G with eat cereal, toast or a slice of bread and peanut butter for breakfast - makes it himself. Quinn will have nothing (like me) or a bread roll, or make an egg or pancakes sometimes (on a week-end). Good luck, sounds like it is going quite well. I am sure they'll adapt soon enough.
ReplyDeleteWe have never bought any type of cereal - we do have ProNutro in the house for Jack and Kiara will eat it occasionally!
ReplyDeleteWe do mainly toast with cheese or egg in the morning!
Hubby has a banana or two on the days he agrees to eat breakfast. Me I always have 1/3 cup pronutro (original flavour, wheatfree) and lactose free milk or a cup of special k cereal and no sugar with both and sometimes I would have a banana an hour before the cereal. This is what I had for the past 3 years or so. I am not a fancy breakfast girl, so very very rarely would I have eggs, bacon or toast etc for breakfast. And definitely no oats (i find it yucky) or yoghurt because I am lactose intolerant :(
ReplyDeleteMost cereals are deceptive as they are full with loads and loads of sugar