Breakfast ideas for children that hate porridge/weatabix

[Poppybella2015]

My two daughters age 2 and 5 eat toast for breakfast with Nutella or jam or baked beans or a boiled egg. Sometimes spaghetti hoops. They HATE porridge, weatabix and all types of cereals. The problem is they eat sandwiches for lunch and I feel they are just eating so much bread. My oldest is currently suffering from acid reflux and I am really worried about her diet. I wish she would eat a giant bowl of ready brek in the morning! Does anyone have any suggestions of healthy filling breakfast ideas that a fussy child might eat? Thank you in advance

[CSLewis]

Cucumber is about 95% water, so give her as much of that as she'll eat.

Those flavoured waters might be a good step to weaning her off the squash - though do check that they actually have less sugar first!

Will they eat soup? That would be a good way of sneaking some veg into them, even if it needs to be accompanied by yet more bread.

[MilkRunningOutAgain]

My 9 yo DD often eats left over rice dishes (chicken or bacon risotto, chicken curry with peas/veggies, generally frozen ones) for breakfast, I make too much on purpose the night before. Rice seems to agree with her much better than wheat. She has always had reflux and although she now likes milk, it does make her reflux worse so we avoid it, especially in the mornings. Fruit in the mornings is a no no too, well really very acid fruit like citrus is a no no at any time.

[Allalonenow]

Perhaps they would eat slices of cheese or lean ham, kedgeree, fish fingers, Spanish omelette?

[Asteria36]

I make breakfast muffins for ds. There are some fab healthy ones on the Internet. Try Deliciously Ella or similar for inspiration. Ds also loves my DIY Nakd bars - dates and almonds/cashews whizzed up and then whatever you like added for flavour. I usually put in raw cacao, baobab powder and a bit of orange zest for a scrummy (and surprisingly nutritious) chocolate orange flavour. We also love the basic recipe with a bit of ginger, allspice and cinnamon, which makes a gingerbread flavour. There are loads of variations online.

I used to get a terrible reflux from dairy as a child, we only have it in the house for Dh's coffee and the dsc's minging sugar laced breakfast cereals

[Dontlaugh]

She will drink if she's thirsty enough! Not to be mean or advocate starvation, but seriously if she knows she'll get sugary juice every time she holds out, then try the options suggested here - lower the squash content, change it to orange, mango etc, mix with fizzy water etc. Thirst will win the day!
I often find myself saying "shop didn't have it".
I'm no saint either but I'm aware.

[VulcanWoman]

What about half pure juice and fizzy water.
Banana and milk smoothies
Fruit smoothie frozen lollies.

[Poppybella2015]

I might try buying some nice water bottles and limiting juice to meal times. It's worth a try!

[MinesAPintOfTea]

DS is allowed as much fruit juice as he can drink at mealtimes, which helps with constipation. Outside mealtimes he has free access to water, but no juice.

[MinesAPintOfTea]

Eggs on toast. Pancakes are a hit here (although banned on nursery days due to time). Scrambled eggs, omelet. Beans or even peanut butter on toast are much better than all your current options. Bread roll with meats or cheeses, Northern European style.

Cereals aren't superfoods, and a lot are worse than toast and stuff. Likewise 50:50 isn't much different nutritionally to white bread.

"Run out" of the sweet stuff, and the shop can not have it next time.

[Poppybella2015]

I would love to get away from the sugary drinks but she gets constipated if she doesn't drink enough. I feel like I'm in a viscous circle sometimes with her drinks. I keep diluting the high juice but she won't drink it if it's not strong enough :(

[cece]

My fussy son often has a baked potato with tuna for breakfast. At least it fills him up!

[laundryeverywhere]

if the acid reflux is caused by wheat or gluten you should look into that and may need to be a lot more careful about removing wheat from her diet.

My dd used to love rice cakes for breakfast sometimes with marmite or ham. Ryvitas are another choice too. If you really need to avoid gluten, genius gluten free bread is nice.

[Dontlaugh]

Just saw your post in AIBU - her diet is high is sugar and refined carbohydrates and low in fruit, veg and sugar free drinks. That's a lots of squash. She will eat pepper and cucumber, which is great! You are on the right track, maybe ask the doc who prescribed the Ranitidine to refer to a dietician if you are concerned. If her weight is ok, they tend to not interfere, in my experience. But she may benefit from some dietary input.

[Dontlaugh]

Forget about the fruit with breakfast then and focus on the lunches/dinners/snacks.
Hoummous? Pepper sticks, cucumber, apple? Or fruit salad with dairy free yoghurt?
Has oldest seen a paediatrician or gastroenterologist? Is her acid reflux clinically diagnosed? If so, she can have a referral to a dietician. They would assist with diet plans. Is she on meds for the reflux?

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Could you make tiny changes to introduce fruit. Something like one raison or half a grape every day for a week. Then on week two double up. Within a few months you'd be upto what equates to one serving.

Something like a thin strawberry slice on nutella on toast as the introduction of fruit.

[Poppybella2015]

I would love to get them to eat fruit with breakfast but they won't :(

[Poppybella2015]

They are both average weight, the oldest has acid reflux and I was wondering if maybe too much wheat makes it worse. Youngest has a dairy allergy.

[MisForMumNotMaid]

Oat pancakes go down well with my DC.

35g porridge oats soaked overnight in about 175ml yogurt any flavour or plain plus sweetner/ your fruit of choice/ honey (1 biggish individual pot i.e. Muller is 175ml) in the morning you whisk in an egg. The oats dissapear into the yogurt mix overnight and you get slightly puffy pancakes that are a bit like scotch pancakes. We love them.

You can batch make and eat cold or microwave warm freeze and defrost if mornings are a bit rushed.

My DC also like bacon medalions, beans, dry fried potatos and scrambled egg when i've got time.

[Dontlaugh]

Oooh yes, French Toast, high calorie and looking like a pancake. Good choice. My boy loves this. Pancakes also a huge hit. With fruit and maple syrup.
BUT are OPs kids under/over weight? Why does she want to reduce bread? Are they diagnosed with anything? Coeliac, intolerances, SN, dietary restrictions? Otherwise how could strangers dictate 2 little girls diets on the internet, with no evidence of any health issues? Children need calories, fats and sugars as they grow.
Just saying really. I am sure OP is a fantastic mum, or she wouldn't have posted. There's no fruit or veg mentioned in the diet above. They need their 5 a day, even if it's sneaked in. Smoothies, fruit on a pancake, mixed with a yoghurt, hidden in a lasagne, smothered in a pasta sauce. Laced with ice cream, whatever.

[VulcanWoman]

Will they have that 50/50 bread.
Wholemeal or bran muffins.
Pancakes or omelette.
Scrambled egg.

[Tatie3]

I know this is still bread based but all my children love eggy bread, pancakes with fruit, toast with almond butter.

[Dontlaugh]

If they won't change their breakfasts then have a look at their lunches - soups, winter salads, a spiralizer to make veggie "pasta" (it's not really pasta)? Breadsticks to add filling, but not overload, if you are worried about wheat. Or gluten free bread snacks. There are loads now in all supermarkets.
Again, it all depends on their weight and development. My youngest has huge feeding issues due to illness, so I have to learn the hard way. I'd love to fill him with nutella as he is underweight but have to hold myself back and try to be the good parent.

[Dontlaugh]

Reading what they have, it's not the wheat as much as the sugar that i notice. All of their choices have added sugar, except the boiled egg. Nutella in the morning doesn't fill me with joy, but I know lots do it.

Sugar is everywhere though so we just have to work around it I suppose.
Are eggs an option? Other than boiled? Poached, scrambled, fried? On wholemeal toast.
Or maybe ham and cheese rolls? With fruit and/or yoghurt. No bread, unless they want it?
Take the continental approach - cold meats, yoghurts, fruits (dried and fresh), croissants.
Although they are still very young. How is their weight generally? If they are a healthy weight, then by all means reduce the bread/pasta etc.

[Louise43210]

Croissants, pain au chocolate? Or seeded bread?

[BrandNewAndImproved]

My dc eat dried cereal or toast. My dd heaves at anything milky in the morning as well.