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Original poster

Are peanut butter sandwiches a Bad Breakfast?

40 replies

SmugColditz · 31/05/2008 10:13

I have fallen into the habit of letting my 2 and 5 year old have sandwiches ffor breakfast every morning - I told my friend this and she exclaimed "But they need cereal! I wouldn't let mine have sandwiches every day...." - with the implication that I shouldn't either.

So - do they need cereal? or can I continue to throw bread at them, in the manner of feeding ducks?

OP posts:
cupsoftea · 31/05/2008 10:14

seems fine to me - bread is totally normal to have

motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:15

WTF is your friend on? Why, pray, do they need cereal?

Peanut butter is a fabulous foodstuff for the (obviously non-allergic) child, packed with fat and protein and all that stuff the little buggers need. A peanut butter sandwich is a fine thing.

(Entre nous, adding a layer of chocolate spread elevates said snack into the Irresistable Foodstuff category. You may choose to keep this to yourself, though .)

Original poster
SmugColditz · 31/05/2008 10:15

i need sound nutritional reasons, you see, because my original motivation is that they spill cereal all over the place.

OP posts:
motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:16

Peanut butter is probably much better for them than Sugary Cereals. Also Processed Sugary Cereal. Go on in this vein a bit.

cupsoftea · 31/05/2008 10:16

the best cereal imho is porridge! does your friend make this for her kids?

Original poster
SmugColditz · 31/05/2008 10:16

I already do the layer of chocolate spread, on mornings when it will be a long time until lunch and they might need a little 'motivation' to fill their tummies.

OP posts:
meridian · 31/05/2008 10:17

feein g them sandwhichs is the same as feeding them toast... if they eat it I can't see a problem.. peanutbutter is pretty good por you compared so some of the cruddy chocolate covered sugar balls masquarading as breakfast cereal. DS had a fad of cereal bars every morning for 1st breakfast while we have coffee in a stupor, then he would have toast fruit or cereal next.... or he also did a few weeks woth of cereal ontop of his porridge

belgo · 31/05/2008 10:17

Quite normal in Belgium to have sandwiches for breakfast. Nutella sandwiches dd2 eats nutella with cheese, dh eats nutella and salami sandwiches

Othersideofthechannel · 31/05/2008 10:17

I would say it depends on the bread. If it is white bread with no nutritional value or fibre, it's not great.

Cereal is fortified with vitamins and usually taken with milk but if you are confident that they are getting vitamins and calcium elsewhere in their diet, why not?

We quite often have sandwiches for breakfast. DD is rarely hungry at breakfast so will have a drink of milk and two nibbles of sandwich. She'll finish the sandwich after we have put DS on the bus and we are hanging around waiting for her school to open.

cupsoftea · 31/05/2008 10:18

but belgo you are living in the land of choc

motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:18

Blimey, even I feel slightly queasy at the idea of Nutella and salami.

motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:19

You can always give them a glass of milk with their sandwiches. If they'll drink it. I am afflicted with non-milk-drinking kids.

ChippyMinton · 31/05/2008 10:19

no different from toast! I prefer mine to have oat-based cereal if they are having a packed lunch, or pasta for tea, so every meal isn't wheat-based, but if that was what they wanted i wouldn't stop them.

belgo · 31/05/2008 10:20

Belgians vomit at the idea of marmite and peanut butter

motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:21

And rightly so.

I personally think peanut butter - especially on toast - is enhanced by a good thick layer of lime or mango hot pickle. Oh god it is divine. And great for a hangover breakfast.

cupsoftea · 31/05/2008 10:22

belgo - you could confuse them as marmite & choc spread sort of the same colour. (do they have marmite there?)

motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:22

My Indian uncle used to eat poached eggs with chocolate sauce.

Original poster
SmugColditz · 31/05/2008 10:22

I think they get Weetabix, or something similarly wholesome.

[guilt]

but then, she thinks all my cooking is 'weird'. Fajitas are 'weird', sweet and sour chicken is 'weird', chicken rissoto is 'weird', bacon and tomato pasta is 'weird', tortalini is 'weird', having rice with sausages and onions is 'weird' - etc.

her ideas about meals are formulaic.

OP posts:
2sugars · 31/05/2008 10:22

Hell, no, if I can get my two to eat anything before they go to school I'm the Perfect Mummy

DumbledoresGirl · 31/05/2008 10:22

As I see it, bread is uncooked toast. Well when did toast stop being an appropriate breakfast food? Mine have either toast or cereal every day and I don't care two hoots which they choose.

Oh and I had peanut butter on toast this morning so of course I see nothing wrong with peanut butter!

belgo · 31/05/2008 10:23

I have to stock up on marmite every time I go to England

Original poster
SmugColditz · 31/05/2008 10:26

Mine have a hot lunch. Ds1 has a hot school lunch (so will be something Meal Like) and ds2 has lunch with me, so could be omelette, or cheese salad, or a cheese and bean slice (yes, from Greggs), or some chips, or scrambled egg with cheese on top, or my special toddler platter (ham, cheese, cucumber, apple, banana and crackers)

They get fruit on the way to school, and ds1 gets fruit at school, and dinner is always a Proper Dinner.

OP posts:
motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:27

Stop worrying

motherinferior · 31/05/2008 10:28

Oooh, and tell her you're keen to minimise their sugar intake (I bet her kids have sugar on their Weetabix). That'll rattle her.

cupsoftea · 31/05/2008 10:29

Sounds great - mine have a bit of everything & this works well. They love fruit & veg & bread as I've not forced it on them.

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