DH thinks rice crispies are a suitable breakfast

[thisismyheart]

That's it really, DH would happily send children (3&6) off to school/childminder on one bowl of rice crispies and a bit of fruit in the morning. I feel very strongly about filling kids tummies properly before school, and while i have no problem with a bowl of rice crispies now and then, that they are ultimately just puffs of air, and the children need something more nutritionally dense.

We argued about it properly this morning, and now he's in a huff about me undermining him. I just want to guage what others think - is a bowl of rice crispies and a bit of fruit enough to keep a child's energy levels up all morning?

YABU

I think it’s a garbage breakfast to be honest, better off with some kind of eggs and toast, or porridge.
Cereals should be classed as junk food.

I’m still with the OP!

Just because ‘everyone’ has a habit, that doesn’t automatically make it a good habit.

And I think those saying that the OP wants to overfeed her children are missing the point. She wants to give them nutritious food, not necessarily lots of food.

Well are the complaining about being hungry? Do they get through the morning at school/childminder without flagging and have them mention it to you? Children are all different, cereal and fruit is fine for most.

What it isn't OP, is worth arguing with your dh about. Save that for the important differences of parenting opinion. Some carbs, protein and fruit is not a terrible way to start their day even if its not exactly what you'd give

Rice Krispies are not just rice! The second ingredient is sugar. Why do you think they taste so sweet?

Obvs not unreasonable, they are nutritionally empty.

That doesn't mean they can't function on a bowl of Rice Krispies on the odd day, but it shouldn't be a standard brekkie.

If your husband only does the mornings occasionally then I'd probably let it go, but you are right.

This is such an interesting debate.
I mean I’ve just given my baby watermelon fingers & almond butter on wholemeal seeded toast for breakfast which I think sounds healthy enough…
but I’m genuinely questioning myself and wondering is it good enough :/
i haven’t given my baby crunchy cereal yet because no teeth lol

Didn't fill me as a kid and wouldn't fill my 2 year old son. He could eat a bowl of rice crispies, porridge and a biscuit

I don't think rice crispies are a suitable food for anyone.

They are ultra processed crap. Full of sugar and refined starch.

Better to give your kids, eggs, full fat yoghurt, fruit, wholemeal toast, or porridge.

You would need both hands to count how many times my dd says she is hungry every day before school 😂 but she actually is not hungry at all, she is just doing the child version of opening the fridge to see if there’s anything tasty! She thinks if she keeps saying she is hungry maybe a better (more junk food) option might be offered. Possibly not helped by MIL thinking that if a child says they are hungry they must be offered 13 different options from nutella on toast to a freshly baked birthday cake just in case they are peckish for something sweet.

I agree. I've found it surprising the amount of people saying it's 'cereal' or it's 'breakfast cereal' as if that somehow means it's a good breakfast. Pop tarts are marketed for breakfast too!

I agree with you. There is a noticeable difference in my daughter's concentration, energy and ability to sit and play independently depending on what she's had for breakfast. I try and rotate between eggy bread, boiled egg and soldiers, pancakes with fruit, porridge with nut butter or nut butter on toast and fruit. Basically, some fat and protein in there somewhere.

The milk with the Rice Krispies is giving nutrition.
what do you prefer them to eat?
instead of having a row about it, just work on developing a range of nutritious foods your children like to eat

Wouldn't fill me up but for a child with some fruit then yes l would allow that .

That sounds great. More nutritious than cereal.

I can see why he's annoyed as you are definitely undermining him.

I think this question was for me? (Nutritionist)

So, good sources of fat/protein would be things like eggs, nuts (nut butter), seeds, Greek yoghurt, sardines, avocados, cheese, ham.

Better carb choices would be brown bread, rolled or steel cut oats (not quick cook). And too these with any combination of the above, making sure carbohydrates are not eaten without fat/protein. For example eggs or avocado on toast or porridge topped with nuts, fruit or berries and Greek yoghurt.

If you tend to make pancakes on a weekend, adding an extra egg to the batter is useful. Also when making banana bread, I would add extra eggs and nuts to the mix. If the kids are desperate for cereal, perhaps see if they’ll have it with some natural yoghurt instead of milk to make sure they get more fat/protein - I’d add some fruit or berries on top to sweeten it instead of honey.

and fruit? that's a bit much. we only have more that toast or cereal on the weekends and that's about 12/1 so it's really breaking fast and lunch all in one.

It's absolutely not a good breakfast and alarming so many think it is. It's sugary crap.

It all depends on what days he does breakfast and how often, if it is a weekend it really doesn't matter, if it is a school day and it is only one or two days a week I wouldn't mind too much, if he does most of the school mornings I would say something.

My DH is similar, will just chuck a bowl of cereal at them or some toast, whereas I give them substantially more. So I do school days and he does weekends.

to be fair though, we mostly have porridge in a pot with apple cut up so I guess that is 'with fruit' never mind me.

Better breakfast - greek yogurt with granola or museli - or porridge with fruit mixed in - mine have that then weetabix then often toast as well! they would be starving with rice krispies.

I give mine homemade muesli and eggs from our hens with occasional fruit treats, but hey you do you

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