If you pulled up a wonky retro chair in my kitchen you might observe that I like to cook frugally, seasonally and with ingredients that I have on hand. I don’t pretend to be a green kale smoothie sort of a cook, but I cook almost all our meals from scratch using real food ingredients with plenty of fresh vegetables, eggs and home raised meat.
Having said all of that, I struggle with breakfast for my children who are now aged 11 and 8. Although they are not dairy intolerant, milk and yoghurt products don’t agree with them in the early hours. This mostly rules out any cereal or porridge based meals, whether they be homemade or store bought.
Eggs and eggy things such omelettes used to be welcomed but have swung out of favour for now. Fried mushrooms or tomatoes on toast proved popular for a while but have met the same fate as the previously mentioned eggy things. The same can be said for a variety of baked bean based meals.
Fruit is well and good but it is a decent trek to the shops and often our fresh fruit supplies run out quickly, depending on the season. This leaves me to fall back on preserved, frozen or dried fruit which has its limitations.
Pancakes are a winner but when they are quickly drowned in honey and other sticky products I wonder about their longevity as regular breakfast food. Enter cheese and tomatoes on toast and occasionally bacon or ham and eggs. Again, not particularly healthy but better than empty stomachs I suppose. Toast with the usual toppings is OK but not very filling.
Some of you will be thinking that my children sound very fussy or spoilt but they are mostly easy to please for other meals. The early morning just seems to be a difficult time to find something that appeals to everyone.
Here we have mulberry French toast. Slightly sweet and sticky but perhaps it might earn a few bonus points made with sourdough and topped off with some home-grown seasonal fruit, such as mulberries. Our mulberry tree is green, shady and covered in fruit and when I visit it I am reminded of childhood moments spent with cousins in my grandmother’s garden.
Do you have any miracle suggestions for school day breakfasts?
How is the breakfast vibe in your house?
Do you believe in the old motto that children should just eat what is put in front of them? I believe in this as a theory although the reality is a little different.
Wishing you shady mulberry tree moments for the weekend x
- 4 slices of sourdough or other sturdy bread
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
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Place eggs, milk and vanilla in a bowl and whisk to combine. You may need to transfer the egg mixture to a shallow bowl or dish for dipping.
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Place a lightly greased non stick frying pan over medium heat.
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Carefully dip the slices of bread into the egg mixture ensuring the slices are covered in egg mixture.
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Cook in pan for 4-5 minutes on each side or until golden.
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Top with mulberries or any other fruit. Dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.
Anne
Have some very sturdy bread, freshly laid eggs and a carton of milk. Just need to find some mulberries! This looks delicious Jane.
I’m a bit old school and believe that a child should try what’s put in front of them. If they disliked it, then I never forced them to eat it but my children knew I wouldn’t jump up to make them something else instead. Luckily none of mine had any intolerances, which is a completely different thing.
Jane S
Thank you Anne. I agree, all food needs to be at least tried!
Jacqueline Taylor
Well done. Sounds lovely. I understand the intolerance of dairy so early. For one of my children, quinoa/sourdough toast with sugar/salt free peanut butter is a good option.
Jane S
Thank you Jacqueline, that sounds delicious.
Kate Bolton
Ahh mulberries! So delicious and they come with great memories 🙂
Breakfast is a ‘help yourself’ kind of meal at my house and a lot of cereal is consumed on week days. Weekends are all about toast and eggs xx
Jane S
Thank you Kate, I am feeling hungry now that you have mentioned toast and eggs! x
elizabeth
Mine couldnt have milk so the had fruit juice on there ceral and as adults in their 40s still do they have all tried milk as they grew older on ceral but couldnt stand it and now my daughters children also have juice it certiantly makes you taste the ceral and you dont eat the sugared ones as they taste all wrong,
Jane S
Thank you Elizabeth, this is interesting!
cityhippyfarmgirl
I hear you Jane. One of mine doesn’t do particularly well with dairy and gluten for breakfast which makes it all kind of tricky. Constantly juggling things around to get the right amount of energy to get him through the day. So in this case it’s not a eat what’s in front of you scenario, it can’t be!
Jane S
I imagine that you always serve something delicious and nutritious for breakfast!
Kate
Hours and hours spent in that tree getting covered in mulberry juice then cleaning it all off with green mulberries! I have amazing memories of that tree and the whole orchard with you.
We struggle with getting our youngest to eat lunch. We have to fill him with a huge breakfast before school. I know the school isn’t amused with his almost empty lunchbox each day, but if we pack a lunch it doesn’t get eaten. Much easier to fill him at breakfast and he goes all day until 3.30. Lots of people frown about it, but it works for him.
Jane S
It was a special tree wasn’t it Kate? Lots of people frown on lots of things don’t they? Let them frown I say x
Jo / the desert echo
How delicious looking! I laughed when I read “Some of you will be thinking that my children sound very fussy or spoilt but they are mostly easy to please for other meals” because like them I too have particular problem with breakfasts, milk in particular makes me feel quite queasy first thing. Lately I have just been going a banana based smoothie so that I know I can quickly squeeze in some of the good things I need like iron from pepitas and just toss it down and go to work, but it would be good to actually chew breakfast occasionally! Will have to try some pancakes this weekend, yum!
Jane S
How lovely to hear from you Jo! I am so pleased you understand, your smoothies sound delicious x