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?

It’s fine, especially if they’re also getting some fruit. I don’t think you realise how small children’s stomached are.

My ds has crispies and a croissant in the morning and I sometimes think that’s too much!

Mine are 3 and 1, and for weekday breakfast they have either rice krispies, weetabix, porridge or toast, plus fruit and maybe yogurt.

It's fine. They have a morning snack a few hours later so not like the rice krispies is all they have all morning. Eating little and often is healthy for young children.

It’s probably not optimal, but it’s OK.

Do you know from experience they do better with peanut butter on toast or something? In which case explain why to him.

If they were hungry it is different.

But its also easy to overfeed children (hence why so many are overweight).

I understand what you mean, they are processed, sugary and no fibre. They're not terrible but not great everyday before school.

That's all my daughter and husband who's over six foot eat.... husband doesn't like too much in the morning. I see nothing wrong with it...it's a cereal 😂. Yabu

I agree with you OP. I think it's processed puffs of sugary air. My husband grew up with it. I did not. It's in the house because he still likes it. One of my children can get away with having it in morning, one needs scrabbled egg on toast x 2. I've always been in the porridge or eggs camp. I think most boxed cereals are sh*te because that's what I was taught by my Mum growing up.

I agree with you, it’s such a light cereal and I don’t think it gives a good start to the day. I insist on weetabix or porridge with fruit as it is more filling than other cereals. Otherwise I would do eggs or pancakes too.

Rice Krispies are one of the better cereals in terms of sugar.

If they are asking for more food then give it to them. If they aren't, they are full.

Cereal and fruit is a totally normal breakfast here, even for my strapping 12 year old boy.

Not sure tbh. I always thought that they were full of sugar like so many cereals but we never really bought rice crispies so I might be wrong!

This is overfeeding. Massively.

Aw I was going to say I think it’s fine but if they are still hungry then they need bigger portions or add in some toast or something. It’s not ok that they are still hungry.

I guess if you want your children to have a cooked breakfast, you make it for them. No one ever has a cooked breakfast in our house and we never had it growing up either.

It's not the best cereal - quite processed and includes added sugar and salt

Wheatabix or similar would be much better

It's rice. Eaten by families across the world.

Why do you ‘feel strongly’ about ‘filling their tummies properly before school?’ Why do you think cereal with milk and fruit doesn’t ‘fill their tummies properly?’ Honestly a bowl of cereal itself without fruit does me in the mornings - I think this idea of ‘filling tummies’ by presenting a million different breakfasts is actually a bit unhealthy. I wouldn’t have cereal and toast and this and that and the next. Most tummies (especially small kids) are ‘properly filled’ with a normal sized meal. They aren’t going to work down the mines, and they’ll have their lunch about 12/12.30.

It's fine. It was a struggle to get my two to eat anything before school for years, I'd be happy with a bowl of rice krispies if that's what they wanted.

Muesli has more sugar in it than plain rice krispies. Rice krispies are just rice.

What? Are serious? Fruit and cereal is fine, surely?

Are the kids a healthy weight? Are you?

I’m having images of a Downton-esque sideboard full of china dishes with kippers, bacon, potatoes, kedgeree, eggs three different ways, three loaves of toast…

I'm interested to hear your views on Coco Pops, OP.

Can’t they just have an extra slice of toast when they ask? I don’t think it’s unreasonable to give them Rice Krispies and milk and fruit, I do think it’s unreasonable to insist they can’t still be hungry.

The second ingredient in Rice Crispies is sugar so it's not something I'd give for breakfast apart from as a treat, but they do add in vitamins. Weetabix or Shredded wheat would be more filling and less sweet (but I don't know if the kids would eat them as I remember thinking they were horrid as a child).

If you've got time and they'll eat it then I'd make porridge and put some cinnamon and nutmeg in it to sweeten it and chop up the fruit and put it in there. Unless you're having vegetable protein ie lentil dahl for breakfast I wouldn't have animal protein if they already have it for lunch and dinner. It's probably healthier not to have any protein for breakfast than to have 3 lots of animal protein during the day (not that I'm vegetarian by any means!).

..Some people are determined to play life on hard mode.

Rice crispies are fine and you sound bonkers.