NOW CLOSED: Tell Weetabix about breakfast in your house - you could win a £100 Sainsbury's voucher

[NewGirlHelenMumsnet]

Weetabix would like you to share your top tips for making breakfast time as stress free as possible. What are your top breakfast tips? Can you share your best breakfast stories with them on this thread? For example, do you run round trying to eat and feed the baby at the same time or is it a calm, relaxed affair in your house?

The best tips and stories will feature on their new page on Mumsnet (coming soon).

Everyone who shares a story or tip on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky winner will receive a £100 Sainsbury's voucher, from Weetabix.

Thanks MNHQ

DH gives 3 year old DS1 breakfast during the week while I have a cup of tea in bed (best way to make it stress-free if you ask me!).

He gets a choice of whichever cereal he'd like from Shredded Wheat, Weetabix, Cheerios, Fruit and Fibre or porridge at the weekends.

Then he has toast when he gets to nursery, and at weekends he'll have toast, crumpets or fruit.

DS2 is just 8 months so has mushy cereals, porridge or a jar of something once we get back from dropping DS1 at nursery.

Ahem.

The marketing guys at Weetabix are doing their job well, monitoring product mentions on forums.

Who knew Weetabix could be so contentious?

[wunk]

Train eldest DC to get breakfast for household, while adults have a quiet 15 mins upstairs
That's not what weetabix are looking for is it?

but THIS is the best one for breakfast

weetabix use THIS for your advert

We wake up in stages and there is 3 breakfast sittings in our house

1st , (DH works ver early) me and Dh, very relaxing I have cereals DH is more of a bread and butter fan.

2nd , (Dd1 has an earlier bus than her siblings deadline for the school walk and her brother likes to have breakfast with her) DD1(12) and Ds2(10) make their own bowl chosen from a variety of cereals -2 of them weetabix brand (weetabix,Oatibix flakes)-

3rd , (I hope they enjoy being the family' s sleepy heads as it won't be forever.) DS3(7) and DD4(4) have the priviledge of getting their breakfast made for them, DD4 very partial to porridge, just plain.

I think it is really nice that way because I am a much better person when I have had my breakfast first

I am very fortunate to have Dcs who do very rarely ask for anything to be added on plain cereals.

As other posters already mentionned, the ideal breakfast is arround the table without the TV on.

Seriously, the longer my children have to themselves in the morning, the more arguments they have. Thus breakfast (and the rest of the routine) is quick and no messing. Children eat together while we parents eat on the run. School stuff is all set out the night before, ready to be packed in the morning. Breakfast is a choice between two things, which vary - toast/cereal/waffles/croissants/cheese and crackers. At the table, no TV. Children clean up their own crumbs . Thee, teeth, shoes and coats and off we go...

My dd eats a breakfast bar in the car on the way to school....... I usually have 2 min microwave porridge in the bath.......

DH alarm goes 7.15 - he turns bath on to run goes down for fag
I slip in for a wee
He comes up and I go down, get lunch boxes in bags and get her school bag and dance bag annd ping my porridge
I go up as he comes out of bath and I get it.
This is usually about 7.20
DD rolls out of bed and stomps into bathroom and berates me for something, anything
She drips round for ages dropping dirty knickers and hair pins in her wake
I dry hair and put on face
We leave at 8.08am

I should add that my tip is - breakfast bar! If she stops to eat then it's all over really. Cereal down uniform, over floor, down chin, or only eats 2 spoonfuls and wastes the rest (She is 12)

Breakfast has always been eaten at the table. We all eat breakfast together but often have different cereals etc. (unavoidable due to allergies). Have everything needed for the day ready the night before so breakfast can be calm rather than checking what people need/do they know where it is!

Have never had the TV on at breakfast time which has made it all run smoothly(though they used to be envious of pals who watched programmes on a morning), always have radio 1 on which keeps everyone bouyant and gives us talking points! The Dcs are older now so choose their own cereals when they are ready for it,plus toast or yoghurt if they fancy them - we do tend to eat in shifts as different schools have different start times. Weekends are more relaxed, and when there is no football training/matches we may have a cooked breakfast/brunch as a treat! How decadent!

" weetabix, that's my breakfast" is teh strap line
each family
breakfast their own way
filmed to rereleases of 7-s funk that then hits no1 on itunes

cheque in the post?

We have a lovely relaxing start to the day during the week . 6:50am, I get up, nudge DD until she makes an intelligible noise (usually "huh? wha? mmmm... mornin', urrrhhh...", head downstairs and make my first cuppa. 7:00am I set the table and call DD for breakfast. 7:01 I call her again. 7:02, ditto... 7:10 is about when I get VERY LOUD.

Actually once she's downstairs we have a good routine. She pours the cereal while I make tea, we have the radio on so we sort of 'bop' round the kitchen handing over the milk, spoons etc. Then we eat breakfast with the newspaper open between us, chatting about the interesting bits. DD nips upstairs to get ready while I clear up and drink insane amounts of coffee.

Weekends are much more relaxed, Saturday is usually a proper cooked breakfast or cereal and fruit; on Sundays I am under orders to stay in bed so DD and DH can cook pancakes together and have their DaddyDaughterDay! It's tough but I manage.

Breakfast starts with DD1 with cereal at 715. I have quick shower and join her for a quick tea before she leaves for the school bus at 735. Next DD2 arrives and we have hotmilk on cereal (she has never been offered sugary cereals so hates it if I make hers like mine and add a sprinkle or two). By then DH has surfaced and if eating will make himself some eggs on toast and everyone is out the door by 815!

Breakfast time on a school day usually consistes of - getting ds and dd1 up at 7.15am, dressed,washed, teeth cleaned book bags sorted etc- then out with dh who drops them off at breakfast club at school(7.40am), on his way to work. There, they have cereal and usually a bagel or yoghurt, with orange juice or milk.

I, meanwhile, have a coffee, and return to bed to feed dd2 (aged 6 months). She may have a nap, I may get up lie in bed with the laptop.

Dh has usually been up for hours (and eaten something left over from the night before).

I echo this 'Seriously, the longer my children have to themselves in the morning, the more arguments they have' BumsOnSeats!

Weekends are a bit different- Dh makes ds and dd1 french toast on a Sunday morning whilst I do housework stay in bed

Have something special in reserve for those mornings when the monsters wake up in a bad mood. Pancakes is normally a weekend treat but I make spares and keep them in the freezer to be produced with a flourish to brighten up a revoltingly grumpy school morning.

The dcs (4 and 2) demand breakfast the instant they get up so in our house it is:

Downstairs, nappies off and in the bin/bucket, clean any necessary bits. They do this themselves.

Battle over control of the cereal cupboard door, drag chosen boxes over to the table and get bowls.

Yell at mummy/daddy until they get spoons and milk (out of reach).

If porridge has been chosen then dance around being impatient in front of the cooker or microwave.

Sit up and shovel it down while complaining that I'm being too slow in bringing drinks.

We always have oats, muesli and wheetabix in the cupboard. I buy a certain amount of cornflakes or fake-not-so-sugary cheerios a month and when it is gone it is gone. They vary their choices themselves and usually have a bowl or 2 of cereal/porridge with some chopped fruit and a drink of milk.

During the week dh is out of the door by 7am, usually before dcs are up so I stumble around with a glass of orange juice while the dcs eat then when they are done sit them in front of the TV (only way to leave them unsupervised without war breaking out) and have a shower before I can even think about putting some toast on for my breakfast. Strangely enough the whole process doesn't actually take too long and we are still capable of getting out of the house for the 8am bus.

Since we are all awake at stupid o'clock just now, there is plenty of time for breakfast.

DS1's school uniform is laid out the night before and also his lunch is made and bag packed.

We all eat different things, ds1 likes cereal or porridge, I like leftovers or toast and ds2 eats once we get back rom the school run.

Weekdays I get everything non-fridge out and on the table the night before. Sit and help selves. It's the first thing we do as it always ends up all down them. DH if he's not starting early will sit with us if not he drinks his coffee on the toilet

Weekends I don't bother, help yourself when you want it, although 2yo will need to give my duvet a tug to do it for him. Sundays consist of two breakfasts. Kids eat some cereal at 7am, then watch TV. Then when we get up get hungry we'll do bacon sandwiches.

Special days we have homemade scotch pancakes. Special person (birthday perhaps) gets to choose the topping. It's usually Nutella and chocolate chips.

Ds1 needs to be dressed before breakfast for us to be on time. Also, uniform (including pants and socks) out the night before and ds1 knowing what he can choose from (including Weetabix ) for breakfast.

We start the morning with a cup of tea or milk for us all. I dress the boys and make the beds while dh has a shower and then he looks after them while he dresses and I shower.

Everyone sits down to breakfast and then dh is off to work and I do faces, teeth, shoes, etc. Easier for us as I'm a SAHM, but breakfast is much less stressful than teatime .

We have lots of cereals to choose from, porridge in the winter.. DC are just about old enough to help themselves (6 and 5) though this is hit and miss and I need to supervise, but they are getting better.

I find having the variety of different types means they are very keen to have a good feed before they go to school, as they never have the same thing two days in a row.

Once they are eating I can get dressed/get uniform ready.

Oh, and I NEVER let them eat in their clothes, always still in PJ's!!!!!

Breakfast at the table as a family & limit the options. Breakfast in pyjamas so not such an issue if it is spilt (my dd's are 4 &2)

My girls (7&9) eat at the table. My son(2) tends to get his breakfast after the school run as he likes to be fed and ir's to manic to do before school. I usually feed him on the sofa.

school days - nobody downstairs until they are dressed; breakfast at the table - choice of 'sensible' things (ie cereal like and including weetabix!), then and only then (after teeth and faces) tv if there's time.
weekends - tea brought to me in bed by dh; dh off to work; pajamas and pain au chocolat/ naughty cereal/ pancakes at the table

push dh out of bed and downstairs while we chill out upstairs or alternatively, I sneak out of the house before the kids are up - this is very important - only one adult should be organising the breakfast routine or it ends in shouting

once he's gone to work, go downstairs and get cup of coffee sorted for self
wait til this takes effect
train children to make own toast and make toast for younger siblings or pour out cereal. on a very good day, offer to make egg on toast or something similar
send children through to watch cbeebies while you nibble small piece of toast and start to feel a bit more human again
send children up to get dressed (star chart for youngest members of household) - clothes were put out the night before
brush teeth
count number of things needed to take to school - each child responsible for own things - even nursery age children - it's good for them
leave house
tada

Shouldn't the question really be 'Weetabix, how do you eat yours?'

It needs to be with cold milk and retain a slight crunch, just enough milk so that it doesn't all get absorbed.

If you are one of my dc then you absolutely have to add some other crappy cereal to it to the extent that you can't see the bix at all. Never add hot milk, that's just gross. Strawberries and bananas are allowed on slow days.

I highly recommend eating two weetabix before running a half-marathon. That's my top tip.