Just over ten years ago I moved from Ontario to British Columbia. In addition to the three hour time change and milder climate, I was baffled that prices could be so different in the two provinces. Fitness studios, manicures and spas are a much better value on the west coast, but life’s staples are considerably more expensive. It’s not just the million dollar teardown homes that blow family budgets, but gas and groceries take a huge dent out of monthly paychecks compared to what the family spent in Ontario.
Truly the most important meal of the day, breakfast should not be skipped – especially for kids heading off to learn at school. We’ve put together 12 healthy breakfast ideas, some of which can be made in advance and frozen. Moms need to save all the time possible in the morning!
Smoothies are a fabulous option and a great way to add fruit and vegetables to the diet. We like to ‘hide’ spinach in smoothies and disguise it with dark fruit like blueberries.
Mini quiche are great to make in mini muffin tins and an easy place to throw in tiny peppers, cheese, bacon and herbs.
Shaped pancakes are fun to make in huge batches and keep in the freezer. You can pull out a few at a time for the kids and heat.
Breakfast wraps (we call them ‘hand snacks’) are fun with scrambled eggs, cheese and salsa. Wrap the end in tinfoil and they become a great portable breakfast option!
Oatmeal from scratch is easy when you add mil to the oats and finish with with cinnamon and brown sugar.
Homemade muffins are fantastic for hiding pureed or grated veggies such as zucchini and carrot. Here are our zippy zucchini ones.
Whole grain waffles that you can pop in the toaster make a great start to the day. Try to opt of real maple syrup over the artificially flavoured ones..
Poached eggs on whole wheat toast are a favourite in our household. You can skip the hollandaise to save a few calories. And a ton of time!
Granola with a few hidden chocolate chips at the bottom of the bowl helps my kids eat everything. Wink.
Scrambled Eggs and Smoked Salmon on brown toast is a great way to start the day, and packs a ton of lean protein.
Ham and Eggs is a great way to begin a day and the protein boost will help the kids retain the juicy tidbits they learn at school.
Cut up fruit with Greek yoghurt dip is a healthy snack, and you can make fun patterns with different shapes of fruit – a sailboat scene for instance. Sprinkled with chia and hemp seeds, it packs a ton of omega 3’s. Enjoy your breakfast!!