...to ask you about breakfast?

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My children are top loaders, they like a big breakfast and then hardly eat anything at dinner. It's always been this way and we largely just go with it now. So, breakfast is our main family meal where we all sit together and have a natter etc.

But...since starting school it's harder to fill DS up in the time available. We still sit together, but just don't have as long so overall DS eats less and as a result is often walking out the door to school saying he's still hungry. I thought by now maybe his appetite would have shifted so he would be more hungry in the evenings, but it hasn't happened. So I'm trying to find some filling, easy breakfasts which are going to give him energy for the day but can be consumed relatively quickly. Or even something which we could take with us on the school run, sort of a grab and go style loaf or bake type breakfast if such a thing exists?

Cereal doesn't seem to keep him full. Porridge does the trick better than most things, but noone wants to eat it every single day of the week even with different toppings etc. We tried overnight oats but no-one was a big fan.

Does anyone have any filling, healthy breakfast recipes which work for manic mornings?

YABU - just stick with cereal, his metabolism will shift eventually
YANBU - and here's a recipe you might want to try

ooo game changer!! thanks! hadn't thought of heating it up. Honestly I must sound so dozey. I promise I'm usually more creative than I sound on this thread 😅

Honestly breakfast is usually porridge, but I've been asked not to do it more than 3 days a week so we've started introducing things like weetabix, the smaller flavoured weetabix, blueberry/apricot wheats and cheerios as alternatives for those days. However have definitely noticed that he's hungry half an hour after breakfast if he's only had cheerios. Hence the plan to mix it up.

He doesn't eat a lot at lunch when at school we've discovered. He doesn't like a lot of the classic school dinner options (not a fan of pasta, or anything spicy for example) so he has 'salad bar'; which I thought sounded like a super healthy option but it appears he's basically having a small white wrap, grated carrot and raising. So am opting for a packed lunch more and more, which at least then I know he's having protein, carbs and some brain fuel. He's not underweight though, at all. Looks like a very healthy normal 5 year old. As much as anyone can be called normal!

Forgot to answer your bit about the evening options. Idk I think it's just who he is. He never had a big feed before bed even as a tiny baby. Doesn't seem to matter what we offer him, he just sort of picks at teatime. Picky tea/european style with lots of breads, cheeses, meats, cut raw veg etc is probably the best way to get him to eat a slightly larger amount, but it's not really suiting the household budget atm. We're on more of a 'batch cook' budget. Tough to find the balance.

This sounds delightful. Not sure I'm going to get my 5 year old to eat it but I'm adding it to my list for this weekend!

Mine like poached eggs on toast just make sure I toast the bread in advance or cooking the eggs so it has a few minutes to cook before butter and it doesn't go all soggy. Protein is key to being fuller. If they don't like eggs what about a yogurt and toast?

Fry some grated cheese for a minute . Add a beaten egg and fry for a minute. Add a tortilla and fry for another minute then flip and another minute. Filling cooked breakfast in a few min. If you have time, you could wrap it around some kind of protein e.g. a sausage or leftover roast cooked chicken.

Full fat yoghurt is filling especially with home made granola (smitten kitchen has a good recipe) and nuts and fruit.

A cassoulet (roast sausage and beans) might make a good breakfast put in the slow cooker overnight and topped with a fried egg

More protein less carbs I think, will keep him fuller longer and not have hunger spikes ( some cereals and white bread worst for thjs) so eggs, bacon, sausage, ham,

scrambled eggs/ omelette with tomatoes and cheese can be cooked in minutes, plus wholemeal toast.

most cereal is not good, full of sugar and over processed.

What about toasties? They can be easily carried and eaten on the way, cook in under 5 mins and you can fill them with all sorts. Egg cooks pretty well in them (I love it with lots of black pepper and a bit of crumbled up crispy bacon).

My dad used to put scotch eggs into them as his hangover cure.

I make these Greek yogurt pancakes. Very filling and would be great with some peanut butter etc. Also great to grab in your hand.

Pancakes

Have been having a blast working through this thread!

Thanks all :D

Protein will keep you fuller.

Worth another go with overnight oats as there are lots of ways to male them tasty. Use Greek yoghurt, higher protein the better. Add nuts for healthy fats.

Or greek yoghurt with granola as the topper and fruits.

Eggs. Cottage cheese mixed with Scrambled egg is good for protein. Can vary adding avocado, maybe ham or sausage.

Add some seeds for healthy fats which slows down carbs metabolism.

Ooh egg muffins are a good one as well. Can be made in advance and frozen. If you CBA. I was initially enthusiastic.

Homemade baked beans is another winner- I add sunflower seeds on top, again slows down the sugars release.

Scrambled egg is super quick and you can make for multiple people in one pan. We tend to have scrambled eggs without toast as that takes longer to make for multiple people.

so just scrambled egg and wilted spinach (microwaved) topped with either mozzarella or feta. Super quick and filling

There’s a couple of Nigella breakfast bar recipes that are filling and good for going out the door, with a yoghurt or smoothie on the side. I used to make on the weekend as suggested and then bring to work with me.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/breakfast_bars_20_09760/amp

and

https://www.nigella.com/recipes/breakfast-bars

Beans on toast
French toast

A little picnic alongside their normal breakfast:
cold meats
sliced cheese
boiled eggs
Greek yogurt
fruit

My dd loves a blueberry muffin for breakfast, I make whole meal low sugar ones, with a sprouted seed crumble on top, and she normally has some Greek yoghurt too. I make the muffins on the weekend and freeze them. I can’t remember where the recipe came from to share though, I’ve made that many that I know it, but super easy and convenient.

You can make a batch of breakfast burritos and wrap them in foil and freeze, take out the night before and heat in the oven for a few mins while you're getting ready then eat

Also savoury muffins can be frozen and got out the night before. I made some cheese, spring onion and sweetcorn muffins recently which were fantastic for a quick and filling breakfast. Couple of these muffins and a small bottle of home made smoothie and you have a nutritious and filling meal.

Breakfast quiche, prepared in advance.

Pancakes. Batter made in advance. Sweet or savoury

Smoothie or juice to go with them.

Yoghurt/fruit/granola with loads of extras like chia and flaxseed to pad them out and stuff like.ground almonds and nuts.

Healthy flapjack.

Baguettes with jam and butter.

Bread muffins and avocado

Healthy cake muffins.

Scrambled eggs take seconds to make and are so filling on wholemeal toast, followed by some fruit and yoghurt.

Oh and another tip is you can actually quickly mix an egg into hot porridge (once cooked, a raw egg just whisked in fast with a fork). Adds extra protein and cooks on contact. Just makes the porridge a little thicker and more nutritious. You can't even taste it.

That's genius!!!

That's genius!!!

Batch cook breakfast burritos and freeze them.

I make mine with rice, scrambled egg, minced beef, kidney beans, cheddar cheese and guacamole. 30 seconds in the microwave and you've got a hot, tasty, filling breakfast ready to go.