Doesn't want breakfast - too early?

[Tweakster]

So Finn is really starting to go off eating breakfast.  He's just not hungry when he gets up.  Now we all know he's an early riser and actually we have to get him up at 6 and leave the house at 7 weekday mornings.  So DH does breakfast between 6-6:30.  He doesn't want to eat.  DH doesn't want to eat either really but he does since it's important for Finn.  I eat cereal only and then have my fruit, yogurt or what not at work.  Daycare does give them a breakfast-y snack at around 9:30 I think.  So he gets something between breakfast and lunch.

It just makes me sad because I know how important breakfast is!  

I guess there isn't much that can be done right?  It's what our schedule dictates.

Anyone else's LO not keen on breakfast?

[mokey_cat]

Hi Wendy

My DD is exactly the same if we have to wake her on the days I go to work.  I have to get her up at 6.30 to leave at 7.30 but its too early for her to eat much more than a few bites.  On the days I dont work she wakes at 7.30ish and then has breakfast 8.30/9 and scoff the lot.  I dont really like eating right away in the morning and also find it hard to eat as soon as I get up so I understand but I also worry since its the most important meal.  DD also gets a snack at 9.30 at daycare so I am not so worried now.

Does he take a few bites or just refuse all together?  Would he eat toast or something instead of cereal?  Sometimes DD will eat a bit of toast on these days I work and she has to leave early.  Does he still get milk in the morning?

[Mom to M&M]

DS is the same way too. And in fact so is DH - he's not ready for breakfast for a good while after waking. Generally DS will sit with DD and I (DH is already at work) and have some fruit. Then later he'll eat a more "proper" breakfast. Generally by that point I'm doing an exercise walk with a friend, or at the grocery store, or at his mommy and me class. So often breakfast is on the go (in the stroller or shopping cart or whatever). French toast works well for this and is super healthy, as is raisin toast with a smear of cream cheese, cereal bars/granola bars (I make my own), etc. For french toast I dip slices of challah into a mixture of egg, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla extract and then cook them in a frying pan with some melted butter and canola oil. Super yum and you can make a bunch in advance and freeze and just quickly reheat in the morning.

Basically that's a long way of asking - maybe he can have breakfast on the way to daycare?

[Mashi]

Is your drive to nursery long enough that he can eat toast or dry cereal in the car? Or is he allowed to turn up at nursery with one or the other and they can give it to him at 730/8am ish?  Sounds pretty gross but my DS loves cold toast...like, toasted buttered and then wrapped in foil and then unwrap it an hour later at playgroup and he's the happiest kid in the room.  Ick. 

[Tweakster]

For french toast I dip slices of challah into a mixture of egg, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla extract and then cook them in a frying pan with some melted butter and canola oil. Super yum and you can make a bunch in advance and freeze and just quickly reheat in the morning.

Karen, I'm serious, will you be my mommy lol?  Sounds delicious.  I will indeed do that and reheat them, I never knew about adding nutmeg - I always do cinnamon and cinnamon is really so good for you or so I hear.  I also saw a great recipe for pancakes yesterday that are really quick and easy and you can just keep the mixture for 2 or so weeks in a tight container - then we can whip them up with blueberries or whatever fruit is on the go at the time.

Sadly daycare is less than 5 mins from our house so we are in the car and out again before anyone can say boo.  

Laura - he will take a few bites but it quickly dwindles to him just playing with the food.  I do note that we aren't offering much variety and DH normally just has toast so he normally gets toast and cereal and fruit, his milk is in the sippy.  If we can get more organized about it, he may be interested in eating.  He was doing well with eggs last week, when DH was on his scrambled egg frenzy.  Things are short-lived with DH hehe.

[Mom to M&M]

LOL Wendy, thanks! I've actually always wanted to be a personal chef - the kind of person that comes to your house twice a month and cooks two weeks worth of meals and freezes them for you with reheating instructions.

Hmmm if the car ride isn't long enough maybe like Mashi said - will they let you drop him off with raisin toast or french toast or the like and eat it around 7:30 or so?

[Mom to M&M]

And LOL on the eggs - he's not whisking them for 2 minutes until his arm hurts anymore? That was too cute...

Oh, another good one is banana bread or zucchini bread - have good recipes for those too!

[nosenose]

Oh I am! This evening I made cheesy chicken scrambled omelet!

And in the mornings I have like a 20 min window to get food cooked and in him...

[Mom to M&M]

LOL on the omelet. Totally understand on the 20 minute window - hence why stuff that can be made in advance and frozen/reheated is good - banana bread, muffins, quiche, french toast, pancakes. Happy to provide any and all recipes!

[~ Vik ~]

Sounds pretty gross but my DS loves cold toast...like, toasted buttered and then wrapped in foil and then unwrap it an hour later at playgroup and he's the happiest kid in the room.  Ick.

PMSL Mashi!  You're describing Dylan to a T!

Dylan's the same as Finn, Wendy.  Dh's mornings with him are pretty rushed (I'm already out the door and working before they even get up!).  We're lucky in that Dylan still drinks his soy milk in the mornings - he takes 8-10oz, and that seems to tide him over.  Dh will try feed him *something* in the car (graham crackers or cheerios or the like, it's about a 20m drive) and that's hit or miss.  Then they do snack at daycare between 9-10am, which seems to be when he gets hungry for something a bit more substantial.  Even on the weekends, the earliest I've gotten him to eat is 830 or 9.

Karen, could you post your pancake recipe?  I might be able to make some substitutions to make it safe for Dylan   Be another handy thing to feed him in the car, and less messy than handfuls of cheerios!!

[Mashi]

Isn't it gross Vikki?!  It makes me laugh to see his eyebrows raise and him say "mmmmmm" with this little snicker in his voice, almost like he knows it's gross and that makes him happier!

[Mom to M&M]

Happy to post it Vikki - just need to get the kiddos dressed and fed first. What diet limitations does Dylan have? I have post with substitutions...

[Tweakster]

So this morning due to a wonkier wake up I came to work later and fed him breakfast.  I gave him a cut up waffle with some cinnamon spread and blueberries.  Rather than put him in his chair I put it on a plate and left it on the coffee table while I sat and ate my cereal.  He ate it all and then said sadly 'all gone' lol.  He took a few bites of my cereal as well.  He didn't eat the berries, he has all of a sudden gone off the berries, he used to wind them down like no one's business.  So I gave him 1/4 banana.

I think more variety is going to help.  Lesson learned, kids get bored with food too!

[Mom to M&M]

Sounds like a good breakfast Wendy! And you can always add a sprinkle of wheat germ if you want to up the nutrition some more. Matty (and Marisa) is also big on variety.

Vikki - here is the pancake recipe I usually use. I've subbed in different fruit as well (though we like the blueberries best). You could definitely use soy milk if that is an issue. What is Dylan allergic to/intolerant of?

1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup blueberries

Sift together flour and baking powder, set aside. Beat together the egg, milk, salt, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl. Stir in flour until just moistened, add blueberries, and stir to incorporate.
Preheat a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and spray with cooking spray. Pour approximately 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until bubbly, about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking until golden brown. Freezes well.

[~ Vik ~]

It makes me laugh to see his eyebrows raise and him say "mmmmmm" with this little snicker in his voice, almost like he knows it's gross and that makes him happier!

It's so true!  When Dylan's done his first half he says "More!" - and Lord help you if you don't respond fast enough, he gets right in your face and goes "Mo-o-o-o-o-o-re!!"  I never knew that word could have so many syllables!

Thanks for the recipe Karen!  Dylan is allergic to dairy and eggs, among other things.  The milk is easy to replace with soy milk.  When I bake I replace eggs with applesauce, but I'm not sure if that would work in pancakes?