So we're moving and my commute is going to change from 5 minutes now to about 30-45 minutes starting in July. I bring my toddler (2.5) to work with me (daycare on site) and I feel a bit overwhelmed with changing up our schedules and trying to coordinate leaving the house at 6:45 instead of 7:25 in the morning. Starting this early is voluntary on my part, but it really cuts down on my commute, since traffic is a lot lighter both ways.
So here are my questions:
Right now she goes to bed at 8 PM (usually doesn't fall asleep until closer to 9 though) and sleeps until about 6:45 - 7:15 AM depending on the day.
Do you think I should move her bedtime up, or might she just adjust by falling asleep sooner (she usually just lays in bed talking and singing to herself until she falls asleep, it's not a big bedtime drama issue). She also still naps at daycare.
I plan on getting her up at 6:00 AM and leave at 6:45 AM. Now she likes to have some breakfast (usually cereal) before we leave, but I think with the earlier wake up and shorter time to get out of the house, she will be too cranky and tired to eat (she's not a morning person).
What are your suggestions for "on the go" breakfast that she can have in the car without making a mess? I would prefer recipes over commercially prepared, as we are trying to stay away from processed food. This just needs to be a small snack, since she will be served a full breakfast at daycare around 9 AM. Does anyone know of a good recipe for a toddler friendly DIY cereal or breakfast bar?
Thanks!
Thank you moms!
I love the idea of preparing waffles - so I will be looking for a waffle iron. We already make pancakes or muffins on a semiregular basis so I will just freeze the extras to use later.
Unfortunately she is not a fan of smoothies, but I will try those for myself :)
I've fed my son French toast with nothing on it (no butter or syrup) as a finger food. Ditto pancakes (I use the basic recipe in The Joy of Cooking). He also likes to snack on dry cereal like Kix.
You could make DIY waffles on sunday and freeze (or refrigerate) them, then toast them throughout the week. Thats what we do for our kids (5 and 3). they love them just out of the toaster, no butter or syrup...just waffle in hand and out the door. You can even add fresh fruit to the recipe. It takes a little effort on the weekend, but well worth it not to buy the store bought ones.
My kids love dry cereal. Also, they love the mini pancakes by Eggo. I just warm them up in the microwave and they eat them plain in the car. You could also make toast and cut into pieces and she could eat that in the car without too much of a mess. Grapes, sliced apples or any fruit is good as well.
Green Smoothies. Delicious! You will be a happy momma because you know that when you drop her off at daycare she will have already had 3 to 4 servings of fruits or vegetables.
Here is a favorite recipe of my nieces. This makes enough for both of you.
1 cup water
2-3 leaves of de-stemmed red kale
1 banana
1 cup frozen sweet cherries
Using your blender:
Most blenders struggle with smoothies. Put the water in first followed by the greens, then banana and cherries. Get the vortex (swirling) going, by helping with your rubber spatula, once you've got the vortex switch to high power. 1 to 2 minutes is all it takes!
Use a paper cup like what you have left after a Starbucks. So her little hands don't get cold. Get some straws and you'll have it made. Let me know if you try this.
Probably one of the easiest, that won't be too messy, is to get a waffle maker and keep a batch of mix in the fridge and then throw some on the waffle maker.
You can make whole grain, applesauce (really good), etc.
Honestly, I looked at the nutritional info on the Kashi and Special K multigrain waffles, and they're really not bad for being commercially-prepared.
You can also give her something carnation instant breakfast in a sippy cup or make a smoothie (also in a sippy cup).
My kids eat String Cheese ALL day long - breakfast, snacks, bedtime.
Clif also makes some really good (and again, not bad according to their label) kid's bars. My husband and I stumbled upon them when training for a 1/2 marathon and looking for protein supplements (the Clif Mojo bars are great for adults).
My son loves to take a baggie of dry cereal in the car. He also loves a tortilla spread with peanut butter or cream cheese and layered with thinly sliced strawberries. I roll it up and he can eat in in his car seat.
Here is a link to a recipe for homemade granola bars:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/I.-garten/homemade-gra...
Another favorite for my son is raisin bran muffins, ( you can google the recipe) it makes a ton, but you can keep the batter in the fridge and bake them as you need them. I use a mini muffin pan and throw a few in a bag or reuseable container for my son.
Good luck!
Here are a few ideas:
Hard boiled eggs (or at least the egg white and maybe smush up the yolk with mayo like a deviled egg so it doesn't get everywhere?)
PP&J or (we have a peanut allergy) Cream Cheese and Jelly on bread
Banana
Mix some cereals together to make your own snack mix
Good luck!
J.
I found a great site called Once a Month Mom at www.onceamonthmom.com and she has great recipies for things you can make ahead and freeze. I have been doing this with my kids as I have a similiar situation and they eat "on the go". Another quick thing if for some reason you don't have anything in the freezer prepared (as I need to do now ;)) a go to in our house is taking eggos and putting slice bananans and peanut butter or almond butter on them and eating it like a sandwich, my kids love it!
Go-gurt. Freeze it so it won't be so messy, but giving her a frozen tube of it to eat at the breakfast table or on the way to work in the morning is a quick, easy and nutricious morning snack.
I always have some healthy pancakes made with whole wheat flour, oatmeal, applesauce, and fruit for rushed mornings. I also have a wonderful recipe for healthy oatmeal cookies (very low sugar, lots of healthy extras like peanut/almond butter, raisins/craisins, nuts, etc). Email me if you're interested and I'll give you the recipe.
I can answer on the breakfast bar thing and you can vary it anyway you wish, or even make a homemade batch. (I do use pancake mix in it instead of flour because it takes less prep time and because I use less sugar with it.
I wish I was more of a recipe person sometimes..but mostly I come up with my own bars and things for my kids because my son is diabetic and I try to reduce sugar without using artificial sweeteners. I understand about the processed foods, and try to avoid them as much as possible.
So, breakfast bars...I use your standard generic pancake mix, (add water type) and instead of water I use whole milk. I add a couple of extra eggs to expand it a little further and instead of oil I add peanut butter. (depending on how she likes peanut butter more or less to taste..but I use about a half cup most of the time. I add a cup of oatmeal for a double batch of pancake batter. Mix it all together..add diced apple, banana, peaches, raisins, nuts. Whatever she will eat except maybe citrus as I've found it takes a very long time to bake if you put citrus in it. (But if you have time..I think go for it :)
Mostly the only sweetener I use other than the fruit is a swirl of maple syrup over the whole thing. (A quarter cup at the most). I bake at 375-400 in a greased big cake pan. (I use a sheet cake pan to make it thinner, a cast iron skillet or smaller cake pans to make it fluffier and sometimes I just do muffins. )
When I am feeling like spoiling them a bit I mix coco with peanut butter and sour cream mixed together and spread it on top but if you want this in the car..I'd skip that :) (Tastes just like that Nutella stuff to me, only peanut instead of hazelnut :) The sour cream makes the frosting very rich so use just a little for each bar. Sometimes they get to put jelly on it..again not for the car.
At her age..a big one can be cut into hand size pieces to munch in the car. Take along a couple pieces the first time in case one isn't enough but its a complete breakfast, and very hearty. Get her a sippy or spill-proof straw-cup that she can have her milk in and there ya go. My kids like them so much they will eat those breakfast bars instead of cake for dessert even. Thrills me because the frosting is more dessert than breakfast anyway :)
(Another good dessert topper for variation is to take a big marshmallow on one piece of cake. Put the cake slice in the toaster oven or broiler until the marshmallow looks toasted..but isn't quite dribbling. (She might like watching and telling you when its just brown on top). It's rainy weather marshmallow roasting for us :) However, don't do that ahead of time as the marshmallow gets hard and chewy and isn't very good then. And for the adults..the above mentioned frosting ..smeared over the top of the roasted marshmallow is the best :) It's waaay to rich for little kids though I think.,..even my kids have a hard time finishing one of those and they are seven and 10 :)
Smoothies work great here is recipe from Spot On Ideas.
Kids Smoothie (I double this for my 2 kids):
½ cup plain organic whole-milk yogurt
¼ cup frozen organic blueberries
1/3 organic banana
1 tblsp ground organic flaxseed (you can use flax oil and adjust the amount)
2 tsp fish oil (make sure your brand is tested for contaminants)
2 tblsp organic apple juice (may increase if the smoothie is not sweet enough)
You can use organic ingredients, substitute goat’s milk yogurt or soy yogurt, or use strawberries. The important thing is that it is yummy and looks good to the kids, so make sure it is well blended.
Adult Smoothie (I double this for me and my husband):
1 cup plain, non-fat organic yogurt
½ cup frozen organic blueberries
½ organic banana
2 tblsp ground organic flaxseed
I make these every weekday for my kids, my husband and myself. My kids and I drink these for breakfast, for my husband it’s his mid-morning snack in the office. Amara likes the recipe so much she uses before she heads off to the gym after work. We all like that it’s an easy way to get our daily serving of flaxseed.
When your kids are bored of smoothies, try another quick, nutritious breakfast on weekdays.
My son likes dry cereal, he also likes the Danimal's Yogurt Drinks, or gogurt, or just some fruit...
I would move up the bedtime a smidge to try to accomodate your new schedule...
good luck!
We often give our daughter pancakes or muffins when in the car. I make pancakes from scratch and add applesauce and flax so they're much more hearty than just carbs. She also loves quesadilla and english muffin pizza in the car.
My son enjoys the Earth's Best cereal bars. There are apple and strawberry flavors.
