5 Ways To Get Your Child To Eat Breakfast

5 ways to get your child to eat breakfast

In spite of the obvious health benefits, many kids in Singapore seem to be skipping the most important meal of the day.  A survey done by Abbott Nutrition showed that 68% of children rushed through breakfast, while 27% of parents found it hard to prepare a nutritionally balanced breakfast.

For a wholesome and nutritious breakfast, parents should incorporate foods from different groups on the food pyramid (ie. carbohydrates and proteins with a good mix of vitamins and minerals from fruits and/or vegetables). The first meal of the day should also provide kids with one-fifth of their day’s caloric intake to keep up their energy levels throughout the day.

Kids who eat breakfast are able to go longer without feeling hungry, allowing them to perform well at work and play. According to American Paediatrician Dr William Sears,  children who have breakfast regularly are also less prone to obesity and other associated health risks.

Here are some simple ways to get your kids to fill their tummies with something nutritious, without dealing with the dreaded early morning meltdown.

1. Go for something simple

Between dealing with the early morning wakeup call and scrambling to get ready for school, most kids are not in the best of moods at the crack of dawn. So, this may not be the best time to serve up a complicated breakfast for your cranky picky eaters. Make things easier (and happier) for everyone by going for comforting favourites like oatmeal, kaya toast and soft boiled eggs. Work around your picky eater’s favourite foods, and they will be more willing to polish off  breakfast before dashing off to school.

2. Choose your options

Parents often find themselves cracking their heads to think of what to serve their kids for breakfast – only to have their picky little ones make a face and throw tantrums when the food is placed in front of them. To save yourself the hassle and stress of dealing with this sticky breakfast situation, give your kids the option to choose their breakfast food instead. ("Would you like cereal with milk or a ham and cheese sandwich for breakfast today?")

3. Make it quick

Like working mums and dads, kids do not have a lot of time to sit down for an elaborate breakfast on weekdays. So, it is best to go for something quick and easy that packs a nutritional punch. Peanut butter and banana sandwiches, avocadoes and eggs are perfect for a quick power breakfast. If your child is making a fuss about eating so early in the morning, you could offer nutritious drinks like fruit smoothies or milkshakes.

4. Put the fun in eating

One of the reasons why picky eaters get extremely fussy about the food that they eat is because it looks boring to them. You can get creative and jazz things up for breakfast by cutting up sandwiches in fun shapes with large cookie cutters(hearts and trains are a hit with younger kids), or adding colourful fruits to their plate to make their food look more cheerful. With these simple touches, your child can head off to school on a full tummy.

5. Hide and seek

If you’re worried that your picky eater is not getting enough nutrition with the breakfast that they had at home, you can always pack a yummy snack for them to take to school – and stuff something healthy in it too! Make a batch of oatmeal muffins or cheesy scrambled eggs and pack these in their lunch box. You can also get them to bring a nutritious drink to school, such as PediaSure’s Ready-To-Drink , which comes in 2 great flavours – vanilla and chocolate.

Click next for quick and easy breakfast ideas

Here are a few recipes that might put a smile on your kid’s face! You can also stuff in healthy ingredients such as fruits and veggies to your creations and serve them as a light snack during weekends:

Fluffy breakfast omelette

Let your kids start their day with this amazing omelette that is crispy on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside. You can also include wholesome ingredients such as finely chopped vegetables and gooey cheese to tempt your picky eaters’ taste buds!

You will need:

4 medium eggs

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large tomato, finely chopped

¼ green capsicum (bell pepper), finely chopped

4 button mushrooms, finely chopped

4 tablespoons grated cheddar cheese

8 tablespoons baked beans

4 slices wholemeal bread

Preparation:

Prepare one omelette at a time. Using one egg, separate egg white from yolk. Whip egg white until light and foamy, then add beaten egg yolk and whip until well mixed. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a non-stick pan and coat lightly with oil. Add egg and swirl pan so egg covers base of pan. Cover with tight-fitting lid and cook for 2 minutes.

Place one-quarter portion of chopped vegetable over omelette, then replace lid and cook for another 2 minutes.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon grated cheese over omelette and cook until top of omelette is almost done. Fold omelette in half and place on a serving plate. Repeat to make 3 more omelettes.

Serve hot, with baked beans and wholemeal bread.

(Source: Smart Food for Tweens by Anna Jacob and Ng Hooi Lin)

Banana Pancake

Turn this breakfast favourite into a filling and healthy creation. You can also dress it up with berries or cut fruits to give your kids their daily serving of fruits.

You will need:

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cup low-fat milk

½ cup banana puree

½ cup berries (preferably blueberries or strawberries)

2 tbsp sugar

½ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg powder

Preparation:

Whisk all ingredients together. Make sure that there are no lumps but do not over mix.

Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Pour in about a quarter of cup of batter onto the frying pan. Cook each side for about 2 minutes or until the edges start to turn brown.

Serve with maple syrup and a sprinkle of berries on top.

Green Smoothie

Vitamin-rich fruits and vegetables will make this smoothie not just healthy, but also yummy. Perfect for picky kids who do not like chewing on fruits and veggies!

You will need:

1 cup frozen bananas

½ cup frozen pineapple

300g jute leaves or any other greens

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Serve right away.

Chawanmushi

This quick and easy Japanese dish presents a savoury egg custard that most kids will love – especially those who prefer food that are smooth in texture. Vary the toppings to create varieties for a great breakfast meal.

You will need:

2 eggs

½ cup homemade chicken stock

1 dried Chinese mushroom, soaked to soften, stem removed and thinly sliced

4 small prawns, peeled and halved

1 crabstick, cut into 4 short lengths

Preparation:

Lightly beat eggs, then mix with chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper. Strain mixture.

Pour mixture into 4 small bowls with lid. Cover bowls and place in a steamer. Steam for 5 minutes.

Remove covers and top custard with sliced mushrooms, prawns and crabstick.

Replace lids and steam for another 5 minutes.

Remove from steamer and serve warm.

(Source: Smart Food for Tweens by Anna Jacob and Ng Hooi Lin)

Savoury oat porridge

Most parents are familiar with the sweet version of oats, cooked with milk and sugar. This recipe uses oats in a Chinese meat porridge dish with the healthy addition of vegetable slices. A perfect way to surprise your picky eaters with a familiar dish.

What you need:

100g lean minced pork

1 tablespoon light soya sauce

2 water chestnuts, peeled and finely chopped

2 cups homemade chicken stock

1 cup water

0.3cm knob ginger, peeled and thinly sliced

1 cup oats

4 dried Chinese mushrooms, soaked to soften, stem removed and thinly sliced

½ medium carrot, peeled and thinly sliced

Salt and ground white pepper to taste

1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional)

Preparation:

Marinate minced pork with light soya sauce and pepper. Leave for 10 minutes. Add water chestnuts and mix well. Shape mixture into 16 small balls and set aside.

Heat chicken stock and water in a pot. Add ginger and oats, and cook until almost done. Add meat balls and cook until done.

Toss in mushrooms and cook for another 2 minutes. Add carrot and cook until tender but still crunchy. Taste and season with salt, pepper and sesame oil, as needed.

Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired. Serve hot.

(Source: Smart Food for Tweens by Anna Jacob and Ng Hooi Lin)