to think DH is over-reacting to the kids' breakfast?

[EmGee]

Kids generally have homemade banana bread (I do add some dark choc pieces...), or other homemade cakey/bread/muffiny thing sweetened with fruit puree, a bit of brown sugar or some maple syrup. I add ground almonds and things like chia seeds or oat bran as much as possible, and try to use alternatives to white flour to vary things. Always cut down the amount of actual sugar that is given in the recipe to the absolute minimum.

I also make flapjacks and have successfully reduced the sugar content dramatically by using mashed banana for example. Kids are less keen on the banana version though.

My reasoning is that these things are homemade and I know exactly what has gone into them. The kids like them. It's quick and easy in the mornings. Is it so wrong?

They normally have water, milk or I make hot chocolate using unsweetened dark cacao powder and add a bit of brown sugar to sweeten.

He thinks weetabix is 'better' and it's ridiculous that they eat 'cake'.

AIBU or is he????

Off topic but there's no way I could eat porridge without sugar, it doesn't taste of anything. It's like when people say they can flavour savoury food with spices and that salt isn't necessary. Um. Yes it is. Spices are delicious, but you need at least a bit of salt.

I have porridge with sugar (not loads, but still sugar) a few times a week and sometimes with banana too . I have perfect teeth and am at a healthy weight (when not up the duff, anyway).

Also what the arse is wrong with weetabix

The Weetabix isn't as high in sugar as I thought actually, so that's something good to learn. Am going to get some as children are often demanding cereal, and we have own-brand shreddies which are actually fairly high in sugar (I assumed Weetabix would be the same). I love unsweetened porridge with a few blueberries. Or without, I think it tastes fine. Provided you use full fat milk that is, if you make it with water or skimmed then I can understand why sugar or honey may well be necessary! I still think protein + a bit of fat is the way to go with breakfast though as it's more satiating- even when I just have porridge I am hungry after a couple of hours. And Weetabix would be even worse (for me) with the blood sugar spikes/lows.

"Why add sugar to sweeten? You shouldn't need sugar in a hot chocolate hmm."

What do you think hot chocolate is made of, GoingToBeAwesome?

SoupDragon, berries may contain sugar but I don't think they are actually particularly sweet - raspberries for example can be quite tart. You do need something to make porridge palatable, why not fruit, that has other things in it that make it a worthwhile foodstuff?

I think the point is that things that taste very sweet, but have no other nutritional value, will give you a sweet tooth. Does that make any sense?

Too much sugar for a breakfast I think! There's plenty other things to have for breakfast without sugar. It's still sugar, regardless of colour / honey etc etc

The home made cake contains eggs and almonds and chia seeds so probably a better source of protein than cereal I would think.

Sorry for hijack but would you share your banana muffin recipe Vandree?

Re the French and snacking - not only are they keen on their apéros but the kids are very insistent on their 4pm gouté!

I wish my kids would eat some breakfast....of any description! (Mind you - I'm not good with food before about 10.30 am either, so can't be too sanctimonious about it.....)

Maybebabybe

My Mil makes incredible unsweetened porridge that my 3 (fussy) kids adore.

Night before. Chuck 1 mug of oats + 2 mugs whole milk in saucepan. Leave overnight. In morning put pan on lowest hob setting. Add large knob of butter. Stir occasionally.

It's the creamiest loveliest porridge ever.

With regards to the op - go for it. Sounds like a fab, if somewhat monotonous, breakfast.

I make my porridge that way too. V creamy, but still doesn't taste of much without any sugar at all.

Does anyone actually eat eggs every day? They're high in cholesterol and make me really sick when I eat them two or three days in a row. My grandad used to make me scrambled eggs for breakfast but I had to stop eating it so often. He made me fish fingers sandwiches instead. His logic was that they were high in protein and they did keep me full and stop me snacking so I guess he was right

We eat them every day! Well maybe not all of us every day but one of us definitely

All these posters saying how breakfast cereals have massive shockingly huge amounts of sugar in them. I just checked Kelloggs Rice Krispies. In a 30g serving there is 3g of sugars - so less than 1 teaspoon. Kelloggs Corn Flakes 2.4g of sugar in a 30g serving - so half a teaspoon.

I eat eggs most days. The cholesterol thing has been debunked and they're now considered a superfood

But are servings really kept at 30g

I'd hedge a bet that portions are almost double or sonetimes even triple that.

Hmm. Scrambled eggs or a fish finger sandwich? Let me think.

Yes 30g is nothing.

My dcs breakfast is shreddies or wholemeal toast with butter.

Sometimes eggs at the weekend.

Not great but better than my childhood breakfasts of irn bru!

Choc-chip banana bread or flapjack accompanied by hot chocolate isn't breakfast, it's a sugary afternoon treat.

I'm with your DH on this: surely weetabix with milk and fresh fruit would be healthier and easier? Or porridge?

It depends on the children's activity levels and size- if they're lean and active then their bodies will deal with 'sugars' alot better than overweight, sedentary children.

Porridge with salt is lovely!

Soft "afternoon treats" aren't needed when children have eaten enough to use between meals. The breakfast OP describes if fine, the contents are good. They will use the energy provided and then eat lunch whereas eating similar for a "snack" is just not needed. That's why the UK is fat. Because people think it's necessary to have large snacks.

I think your DH is being more unreasonable than you but only because I think Weetabix is foul. Cake is fine once a week. The rest of the time what's wrong with:

banana, yoghurt, spoon or two of muesli
boiled egg and soldiers
bacon sarnie
porridge - dd loves the stuff as a teenager!
smoked salmon sandwiches or bagel
Pitta bread with cheese slices
fruit and yoghurt and a Bel Vita type biscuit
Cheese and tomato on toast
Kippers at the weekend
scrambled eggs and toast
Occasionally croissant, brioche

Lots of lovely things for breakfast that are much much better than weetabix and much more healthy than cake.

Now fancies banana bread for breakfast tomorrow

OP the omelette muffin things are really tasty, I make them a lot
I do prefer savoury so usually have scrambled eggs with smoked salmon or cottage cheese or fry an egg with some chopped onion/tomatoes/garlic in a pan

My latest go to brekky is wilted spinach, a kipper mixed in, break an egg over it, sprinkle feta then bake for 15 mins.

Children probs wouldn't like it.

Why the obsession with Weetabix? I get shaky really quickly after an empty carby breakfast like that. Some of the responses on this thread are worrying hilarious.

I think the cake, even with sugar, is nutritionally superior to weetabix, especially the cake the op makes wirh low sugar and good quality and nutrient dense ingredients

When I had gestational diabetes, a bowl of weetabix with milk would send my blood sugar sky rocket if but I could have a bit of homemade low sugar cake because the fats and proteins slowed the absorption of the carbs

I agree Pilpiloni it sounds like OP has thought of ways to make it very nutritious. Weetabix last my two about an hour then they're starving again. OPs DC are having ground almonds, chia seeds, oat bran AND some fruit before many kids have even looked at food.