Avoiding UPFs at breakfast

[Ayechinnyreckon]

After breakfast we eat virtually no UPFs but the kids breakfast is a huge issue.

They wake early and are hungry. They're 9&6 so can be trusted to go downstairs, get themselves some cereal and occupy themselves in the morning until we get up.

They eat cereal and pastries mainly until we get up and make a more substantial breakfast if they want it) 90mins - 2 hours later.

AIBU to want quick and easy breakfast that the DC can get themselves? So I don't have to get up at 5.30!

Replace pastries with home made muffins or 'healthy' flap Jack's?
Tbh I like a healthy balanced diet and dont like a lot of processed foods am not remotely convinced by the excitement against UPF. But I'm sure NOT having them won't harm you so why not if you feel happier!
However a quick Google says there are several cereals that class as minimally processed, what are they having atm? If they are having a lot of high sugared and flavours then swap them for cornflakes, rice crispies or wheatabix.
Or if you want them to keep having a sweet based breakfast -
https://robustrecipes.com/healthy-rice-krispie-treats/

Or plain yoghurt, sweetened with some good soft set jam or honey stirred through.

This is what I’m confused about. Pretty sure shreddies is actually better. Weetabix is good.

I make three ingredients pancakes from oats, bananas and milk. I often chuck in a handful of flax and chia seeds too for added nutritional benefit. They keep well for a few day in a sealed container in the fridge so that could work? If they need something to sweeten them up you could make a pot of strawberry chia "jam" or similar.

Home made granola

Surely buying a toaster would be easy? I don’t know much about upf but toast made from whatever bread you usually have, porridge/overnight oats. Are weetabix upf? My 7 year old can make his own toast.

Egg “muffins” - eggs, cheese and veggies baked in cupcake cases? You can bake them and store them in the freezer and they can defrost a couple each? Or fruit, natural yogurt and make your own granola?

Maybe don't buy UPFs if you don't want them eating it.
If you're not going to get up with them, which seems odd to not even get up and get them sorted, then at least prep them things such as overnight oats, fruit bowl, yogurts with homemade granola etc

Maybe chia pudding? I like mine with a bit of vanilla and mango pieces (I buy the frozen ones).

I’ve been doing Greek yoghurt with honey (and a small amount of granola)

or

sorry I know you said not UPF but it’s not quite as bad as other cereals: weetabix organic. It doesn’t have so many additives as the original weetabix or other cereals.

boiled egg. (You can make the night before and cut up and put in fridge for them to grab)

@Ayechinnyreckon
what about a can of Red Bull and a Mars bar Op? Have you considered that as an option?

Also try blending overnight oats, a smooth consistency is apparently much nicer than the unblended oats.
Or make some healthy breakfast muffins, lots of easy recipes on line although I like Cookie and Kate ones

Try this Facebook group OP, they are really helpful unlike some posters on this thread 🙄

m.facebook.com/groups/1624807241363256/?ref=share

It's called Reducing Ultra Processed Foods (UPFs) UK

They don't have massive sweets tooth's to be honest.

I'm not totally anti "ultra processed food" tbh, I just prefer us to eat freshly prepared whole foods. Not to say we don't have the occasional take away or McDonald's.

Current breakfast cereals are alpen, rice Krispies and Coco pops, but they get switched up regularly. I'll see if they like shredded wheat. They don't like Weetabix.

I'll also try so egg muffin thingies and see how they like those.

Cereals have loads of added vitamins that children might not get elsewhere. I wouldn’t get too hung up on UPFs for one meal, plus the jury is still out on the science. Good choices are still weetabix etc

Buy a toaster so they can have toast.

Mine are slightly older but will make smoothies, yogurt, fruit and granola pots, sourdough toast with marmite or scrambled eggs. They also like leftovers warmed up in the microwave - the eldest had leftover vegetable fritters with a poached egg and chilli sauce this morning, and the youngest had eggs in purgatory (made with leftover chickpea tagine) with sourdough toast and butter.

OK

I have tarka dhal a lot

OP can they use the microwave safely, I suppose not if things come out too hot and they burn themselves.

Oh lord, the fucking UPF fear…I was speaking to an Oxford Uni nutritionist on this subject not long ago.

Her advice to me - UPF is an unhelpful title designed to sell a product by a medical doctor whose specialist field is not nutrition. We already know that heavily produced food containing mountains of sugars and fats isn’t good for us, and that eating fast food and takeout isn’t either. She said that she would never label supermarket bread, low sugar breakfast cereals etc as bad as other stuff. It’s a nuanced situation and it depends on what you as a family have access to, food needs, time, money etc… if you have an overall healthy diet and most of your food is being freshly made most of the time, there no big drama to worry about.

Dr Xand can do one, imo. I’m so sick of the guilt it’s created. If your kids are eating cornflakes or weetabix, nothing bad is going to happen. If they’re eating really sugary cereal, maybe see if you can reduce/swap it for less sugary. Mainly though, give yourself a break - I’m sure they’re fine.

Leave hard boiled eggs in the fridge.

Make a jar of Muesli or buy some from a whole foods shop, Shredded wheat is just whet and nothing else, not UPF, Weetabix is OK though has some sugar, I think. Puffed Wheat 100% wheat.

I guess you just accept cereal, or get up earlier and cook something. Cereal will give you more sleep. I know what i’d choose

My kids have yoghurt and fruit (they can add nuts and seeds too).

I don't know why you're getting a hard time here OP, it's a reasonable question!

Definitely get a toaster and some wholemeal bread. My 6yo makes his own toast, he likes it with either cream cheese and sliced cucumber or with 100% peanut butter and a sliced banana.

Pre-sliced carrots, celery, cucumber etc with cheese or hummus are also favourites here. Or pre-boil some eggs and put them in the fridge to have with oatcakes and apples.

He’s actually not prescriptive about people eating UPF at all and says his own children eat them.