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!

I wouldn't want a 6 year old using a toaster unsupervised

Get up and make them breakfast then

They won't - her butler will do it (it's how she describes the 9yo).

Fab thank you. I’m going to google a recipe now

I'm sure this has been suggested but I make mine overnight oats; peanut butter and banana, or honey and cinnamon, peanut butter and cocoa powder. Fridays I put chocolate chips in (UPF but only once a week!)

I'm not trying to be horrible but it's not fair for your 9 year old to look after your 6 year old and make them breakfast while you sleep in. Your the parent

There's lot of muesli without UPF or you can just make it yourself. I just throw together some oatmeal and some dried fruits.
Also a nine year old is probably old enough to make themselve and his brother/sister a smoothie or a banana milkshake. Just have some frozen food in the freezer.
I have now clue about UPFs but clearly choco pops are sweets and should be treated as such.

Bake a batch of this once or twice a week https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/banana-blueberry-muffins

I would let them have the cereal. I wouldn’t give them 2 breakfasts if I’m honest. You can have healthy cereals. Then they could have a healthy mid morning snack

Why not make them overnight oats?

Porridge oats soaked overnight with fruit added. Make in individual small pots.

Loads of recipes online.

But TBH your kids need 'training' to get up later when you do.

Even if OP got up at 5.30am to make breakfast it's likely her children would still need some sort of snack before they leave for school more than 3 hours later

Oh and granola is really easy to make as well and keeps well so you can make in a big batch. I use Nigella's recipe.

I absolutely do care about UPF, more fool those who don't.

I could also put the smoothie ingredients pre measured in to the smoothie cups and the 9yo could blend them.

If they're blended the night before they separate and aren't nice the next morning.

My kids have Greek yogurt with honey and berries most school mornings, my eldest also has scrambled eggs on sourdough. We also sometimes have porridge (organic oats and organic milk, with a little honey). On the weekend I make them pancakes cooked in butter x

Nutella is super easy to make and only a couple of ingredients make it taste like the real thing (compared to all the garbage extras they put in the jar).

Bacon sandwiches all round. No sauce.

Also, wholegrain Wheatabix isn't ultra processed.

Or you could make sandwiches and leave them overnight in the fridge- wholegrain bread, nut butter, with a banana or an apple.

Didn't mean it towards people in your position. Obviously there are many illnesses that mean major diet changes are needed.

Nutella is very high in sugar- it's dreadful stuff.

Presume you mean you can make your own nut butter?

There are plenty of lovely nut butters like almond butter - Meridian- that is 100% nuts .

Trust me, I've tried and it's more trouble than it's worth. Like I say 6yo will often sleep later (8.10 on Friday!) but the 9yo likes his sleep routine and changing it creates much bigger issues elsewhere.

@thestudio completely agree.. I think in the future there will be a completely different position on UPFs

OP I’ve been cutting back in our household a lot, trying to achieve a more 80/20 particularly with having a young child, and one of the main breakfast foods I give is home made granola with different seeds and nuts/dried fruits (my LO selects them from jars herself dependant on what she fancies). I’ve also switched to this myself (in my heart I’m a big cereal fan!) and have noticed a big difference in that I’m full until lunch/no late morning sugar crash so feel the proofs in the pudding!

No sauce is a crime got have ketchup with loads of butter so it melt in together 😋

I wouldn't allow a 6 year old downstairs at 5.30am on their own as it's simply too dangerous. You have no idea what they might get up to.

By the side of the bed, some flap jacks, some cheese scones, a small pot of philly type spread (wont go off overnight)

Perhaps the slow cooker prepared before you go to bed with either savoury congee or good old rice pudding, what a thing to wake up to

nothing wrong with the 9 year old putting a slice of toast in the toaster for the sibiling either, no one is suggesting she become a young carer FFS!!!

That's why that poster was suggesting home made 'nutella'.