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MNHQ

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

257 replies

NewGirlHelenMumsnet · 23/03/2011 16:31

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

OP posts:
funtimewincies · 24/03/2011 18:46

Glad it's not just me LaWeasel Grin.

Ds1 (aged 4): 'What are you eating mummy?'
Me: Nothing
Ds1: But your mouth is full.
Me: Oh that, it's scrambled egg. You don't like scrambled egg.
Ds1: Why is there scrambled egg in the fridge?

Damn Grin!

MakesCakesWhenStressed · 24/03/2011 18:51

Make the packed lunch(es) the night before. Breakfast is so much more stress free when you're not trying to worry about the next meal as well!

vacamoni · 24/03/2011 19:14

Best breakfast for fussy toddlers is to provide a choice and let them get on with it. Put different cereals in bowls (just small amounts of each one) plus things like fresh fruit chopped up, raisins, nuts etc for older children. Let them tip what they want into their bowl and add milk. They feel like they are in charge and are more likely to eat what they have served themselves. Whatever's left can just go back in the packet for another time, or used as nibbles throughout the day.

feministmama · 24/03/2011 19:24

We have been teaching our DSs (6 and 4) to get their own breakfast in the mornings. We have to put the cereal, juice and milk out for them, and then they laboriously climb onto stools to reach bowls and spoons for themselves. They pour their cereal into the bowl and on the floor, flick raisins out of the tupperware with a spoon which they then usually lick and put back in the box, pour twice as much milk as they need into their bowls and spill juice all over the table.

But it makes them happy. And if it makes them happy... :)

jenniferturkington · 24/03/2011 19:26

Our two children (aged 2 and 3) eat something 'hand held' as soon as they get up at some ungodly hour. For example a brioche or croissant, which they eat without any heating or toppings so no effort for me.
Then we all eat breakfast together before getting ready for work. If we get dressed first, dcs and us end up covered with porridge/weetabix/marmite.

asuwere · 24/03/2011 19:40

I've often heard people say that breakfast time is stressful yet I've always found it quite straight forward. Boys sit at table and tell me which cereal they'd like (usually only a choice of 2 available at any given time and youngest just copies eldest so easy!) Everyone then gets the same, I put it all in bowls, add milk (always cold!). Boys feed themselves while I eat mine and feed DD at same time. DH deals with his own! I always have to do the dishes before i get DD out of high chair. Always seems quite straight forward. On a work day, the same tends to happen but DH feeds DD while I make my packed lunch then I join them at the table to eat my breakfast. :)

happygilmore · 24/03/2011 20:05

DH gets up with the baby and feeds her breakfast whilst I try and sleep. Not sure that's a great tip but it works for me Grin

katiewalters · 24/03/2011 20:08

My son can be a fussy eater sometimes when it comes to cereal so I always make sure I eat my breakfast at the same time, and that I eat the same thing as well. If he is making a fuss, I make lots of encouraging noises and even let him eat from my bowl if he wants to. If he doesnt eat it, I dont make a fuss, I will just make him something else like toast and fruit, and try him with it another time.

emmabarron · 24/03/2011 20:11

When my kids are awake, they get dressed upstairs, mess about for a while then we all go down after everyone is dressed. By that time everyone is ready for breakfast. We all sit down together in the dining room with the DAB Radio on listening to classic gold. you can't beat a bit of classic gold when eating your toast, lol!! I dont like to rush in the mornings and you have to be organised. I like to leave the house spot on 8:40 every morning otherwise i turn to stone, lol!

catowen · 24/03/2011 20:12

Have breakfast all together, and try to all have the same thing. Start doing this as soon as baby can sit up in a high chair so they get used to eating with you, make sure baby starts eating what you eat as soon as possible, before they get chance to be picky. This is a good idea for all meals really - breakfast needs only take about 10 minutes so if you are short of time, get everything ready the night before to save time in the morning.

mildredroper71 · 24/03/2011 20:12

Put their cereal out in their bowls the night before

VerintheWhite · 24/03/2011 20:15

Allow plenty of time.

Dont stress out if its all goes wrong and the baby ends up with Weetabix in her nappy, tomorrow is another day!

swallowedAfly · 24/03/2011 20:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Checkmate · 24/03/2011 20:25

As a mother of four children age 8 and under, and pregnant with number five, I make breakfast slightly less chaotic peaceful by laying out all clothes, and packing school bags, the night before. Then, no one is allowed to eat breaskfast until we're all dressed and have hair brushed. That way, we can enjoy breakfast, rather than being stressed about things that are yet to be done, and all that remains afterwards is shoes and coats on.

ktmd · 24/03/2011 20:28

Very calm! Everything sorted out the night before. Clothes, food, bags etc. Makes for a relaXing start !

PandaEis · 24/03/2011 20:40

we have a rather rushed breakfast routine! DD wakes up at around 7:30 and potters around in her room for 5 mons while i put the alarm on snoozeBlush
DH makes us a Brew and toast and DD has weetabix minis or rice crispies and then gets dressed...she would have crusty breakfast on her school uniform if she did it the other way around TBHGrin and then school run...if im on a late in work i then go home have a bowl of something and another Brew and watch house on channel 5Grin on an early i rush off to work and dont get proper brekkie until after 10 and usually have fruit...and another BrewGrin

castleton · 24/03/2011 20:47

Prepare as much as you can the night before

stacey2kids · 24/03/2011 20:47

tip for breakfast for is . have the table out with fruit cereal and toast letting the kids choose what they want its more fun for them its all healthy and they enjoy it more ,

porkpie1981 · 24/03/2011 20:48

I will keep mine short and sweet. I cut the toast in different shapes and that keeps my 2 happy! They also get a small bowl of grapes and strawberrys for something to pick at

bekandboys · 24/03/2011 21:04

While i have a quick wash and brush my teeth my 2 and 5 yr old enjoy choosing their own bowl, spoon, cup and cereal along with getting the milk and raisens out and on the table ready for me to serve it out for them when i'm out. It does help, and save time!

mattytun1514 · 24/03/2011 21:07

We enjoy breakfast. We have some days when the children choose their own cereal (my DD loves Weetabix or Shreddies while my DS likes all the unhealthy ones!). On other days I make pancakes for everyone and we have them with fruit. At the weekend we sometimes have a cooked breakfast. I think the secret is to allow enough time. If you try to eat breakfast while you're racing about it will never be a relaxed buisiness. I get up and showered before the children wake up so we have time for a leisurely breakfast even on a school day..

asdx2 · 24/03/2011 21:18

Stagger the time that you get everybody up. I get up first and have a cuppa in peace and then get everybody else up one at a time depending on what time they need to leave. There are advantages to having three in different workplaces and three in different schoolsWink Mornings here are quiet and calm and stress free Grin mostly because they each have nobody to argue with.

huffythethreadslayer · 24/03/2011 21:22

We get up at 7:30. DD goes downstairs and I shower. Breakfast is always served at 8am because we then have 40-45 minutes to get ready for school and work.

I ensure my daughter has chosen her clothes the night before, so there's no panic in the morning - no ironing requests or fashion swaps last minute. If my husband is here he has breakfast with us.

We all have cereal because it's quick and easy to deal with. The dishes go in the dishwasher straight after brekkie so they don't congeal. Life is smooth in the mornings. If only it was like that during the evening meal!

Grockle · 24/03/2011 21:29

Breakfast is always rushed so I set the table the night before.

Breakfast is cereal, yoghurt, bread, toast or fruit and juice for DS. I hover around, barking orders, collecting eggs from the chickens, drinking tea and try to make packed lunches whilst coaxing DS to eat/ drink... tis never a relaxed affair.

stealthsquiggle · 24/03/2011 21:40

Best tip? Whatever the hell they want to eat, that's fine with me. Breakfasts for DC vary from bagel with cream cheese, to toasted muffin, to chocolate chip brioches, to hot cross bun, to cheese and garlic sausage, and very occasionally cereal.

I tend to make them eat in PJ's and then do teeth and get dressed afterward (for less crusty uniforms) - DH does it the other way around. I run around trying to sort 100 other things out, drinking coffee and occasionally eating something. Because of the variety of things they choose all bread-based things get bought, sliced, and frozen and then toasted straight from the freezer (otherwise 50% of it goes mouldy before it gets eaten)

Calm and relaxed only ever happens on Sundays!

My only absolutes are that they must have a drink, and they must eat something. Since they get up at 7am and we have to leave by 7:50am, that is the most I can expect, realistically.