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a healthy breakfast for kids in the car?

7.6K views 10 replies 9 participants last post by  SevenVeils  
#1 ·
Hi! I am looking for a healthy, homemade, portable, not-processed breakfast for my kids- ages almost 5 and 20 months- to eat in the car
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: on our way to work/daycare. We have about a 20 minute drive in and they usually are snacky. They aren't usually big eat-as-soon-as-they-wake-up kind of kids, so they don't usually sit at the table and eat breakfast before we go. They both have a cup of milk in the morning and off we go. That's about when I hear, "I'm hungry".
I am willing to make lots of stuff ahead of time, but would like a quick prep for it in the morning. We do dry cereals at times, and I just now thought of french toast sticks (without syrup, of course!
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). I would love any other ideas!!
Thanks in advance, mamas!!
 
#2 ·
Depending on your level of comfort for cleanliness and choking hazards, here are some things my DD (age 7) likes that may work for the car:

breakfast burritos (scrambled eggs, cheese, turkey bacon in whole wheat tortilla or any contents your kids like...mix it up to keep it interesting) - When we go camping, we often have these for breakfast made with the leftovers from the night before (potatoes, beans, veggies) plus freshly scrambled eggs, which are very fast.

pancakes (eaten like a piece of toast with peanut butter or plain for the car, but DD likes applesauce or other fruit and yogurt on hers) - We make pancakes on the weekends sometimes (add wheat germ and use some whole grain flour) and freeze extras for quick weekday breakfasts.

fresh fruit - Cut up for finger food may work. Perhaps prepare smoothies and serve in spill-proof cups with straws? Add more nutrients to make it a complete meal. I sneak in lot of veggies to the "fruit" smoothies I make my family. Shhhh...
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yogurt - Add your own cut up fruit and perhaps some whole grains?

sandwich - Maybe try nontraditional breakfast foods?

Best wishes!
 
#3 ·
Oh, how could I forget our FAVORITE pancake recipe??? We have a Vitamix and there is a recipe for banana oat pancakes in the regular book. I adapted it a little since I make my own whole wheat flour and choose not to use much soy. Anyway, these are healthy and taste great by themselves. You can go to the vitamix site and find recipes. A stand mixer or blender can probably be used just as well, just add extra time for mixing.
 
#4 ·
Don't feel bad, we do this every morning! My son needs to really wake up before he wants to eat and that's usually once we are on the road.

I like to bake large batches of muffins with cheese and meat in them (he likes bacon or ham) and freeze them. Then I can just heat it up and it's a nice breakfast on the go.

I do the same thing with waffles, and again, sometimes I'll put bacon or ham pieces in there. He does well with protein in the morning.

If we are out of those things, often I'll make cinnamon or cheese toast for the car. We also do dry cereal sometimes, with organic squeezable yogurt in the tubes.
 
#8 ·
sunnysandiegan is pretty complete in her list. Pretty much all of those are the travel foods for our 2 minute drive to daycare
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Despite the fact that they are served breakfast at daycare, my kids howl bloody murder if they leave without eating beforehand or having something to take along. I suppose I should take it as a compliment that they prefer our home food.
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For us we're usually more basic: bread, bagels, waffles or pancakes with cream cheese. Sometimes they have berries in their little breakfast sandwich. They're also really into bringing along dry cereal - if they don't eat it all, they can give it to their teachers who will add milk for them.