Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Running Club started again this morning and it got me thinking about healthy breakfast ideas.  If you are like me, we are usually running out the door and grabbing a breakfast bar or dry cereal the kids can eat in the car.  Well my daughter, who is in 1st grade, started running club for the first time today and it got me thinking about how important it is to eat a healthy breakfast.

A good breakfast should include some protein to fuel your body and will keep children satisfied longer.  Protein is the building block of our muscles but unfortunately children's breakfasts usually don't include any protein.  I know I am bad about this too.  Here are a couple of ideas to add some protein to your kids breakfasts.

Egg Cups/Muffins

These are easy to make ahead of time and then pop in the microwave in the morning.  I like them because you can make different varieties at the same time.  I have a kid who likes sausage and a kid who likes bacon so I can make a few for each.  Some great things to add include bell peppers, spinach, cheese, sausage and ham.  They can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week and can be reheated for 45-60 seconds or until hot.

Ingredients - serves 8

6 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

salt and pepper

Choice of fillings

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Whisk eggs in bowl and season with salt and pepper

3. Pour in muffin tin cups about 3/4 full

4. Add fillings to each cup

5. Bake for 20-25 mins until centers are not runny

Greek Yogurt and Fruit

Greek yogurt is a great source of protein.  1 cup contains about 17-24 grams of protein.  Make sure you look for ones that have no sugar added though.  My daughter loves to eat greek yogurt with either fresh fruit or dried cranberries and granola.  This is something you can also mix up daily with different flavors or fillings so they don't get tired of having the same thing daily.  Nuts are also a great addition to yogurt.  You can put this in a bowl in the fridge the night before and have fruit ready to add in for a quick breakfast on those crazy school mornings.

Let's give our kids a great start to their day by making sure they get a good breakfast!