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recipes

7 Ways to Make Breakfast Fun

We all know that a healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

7 Ways to Make Breakfast Fun

We all know that a healthy breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The problem is getting kids to eat it. Some kids aren’t morning people; some want nothing but sugary cereal. Some kids want to eat the same thing every day, and others need some variety. I’ve come up with some creative and healthy new breakfast ideas so my own don’t get tired of the same old things.

These ideas are even more fun if you have your kids help you make them; they’ll enjoy helping in the kitchen, and they’ll be more than happy to eat their own creations.

1. Fruit Pizza

Make a pizza crust and let it cool, or use flatbread. Spread it with a favorite flavor of yogurt, then top with sliced fruits. Bananas, strawberries, grapes… almost any fruit will work.

2. Parfaits

In a parfait cup or a juice glass, alternate layers of yogurt with fruit, and top with granola or cereal. For a rainbow effect, use different flavors of yogurt and different fruits for each layer.

3. Fruit Kabobs

This is as easy as it gets. All you need is some bowls of various sliced up fruits and some skewers. Supervise the kids while they create the fruit combinations they prefer. Have some yogurt on hand for dipping.

 

4. Make-Your-Own McMuffins

Scramble an egg, and layer it with cheese and a slice of ham on a toasted whole wheat English muffin. For something different, try using Swiss, cheddar, or mozzarella cheese, or use turkey sausage or Canadian bacon instead of ham.

5. Strawberry Pinwheels

Start with a small whole grain tortilla. Spread it with low fat cream cheese – regular is fine, but you can also use cream cheese that comes in flavors like strawberry or blueberry. Top it off with sliced strawberries, then roll up the tortilla and slice it into pinwheels.

6. Put Peanut Butter On It

Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein and most kids love it. It’s good for so much more than sandwiches and actually makes a great breakfast food. Spread it on toast or English muffins, or even pancakes or waffles, then top with banana slices, preserves, or raisins. Or make ants on a log by slicing a banana lengthwise, spreading the flat sides with peanut butter, and sprinkling with raisin or dried cranberry “ants.”

 

7. Breakfast Smoothies

Throw some milk, yogurt, and protein powder in a blender, and then add some frozen fruit, like strawberries or blueberries, and a sliced banana. Blend, pour, and go.

When all else fails, forget the rules. Some people, kids included, simply don’t care for “breakfast food." And that’s okay. What matters is that they get a healthy meal in the morning. A turkey and cheese wrap or an English muffin pizza made with tomato sauce and low fat mozzarella is healthy too. Include a piece of fruit and a glass of milk, and you have a healthy lunch for breakfast.

What are your favorite fun breakfast foods?

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

Snacks

10 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Grab-and-Go Snacks for Kids

You know how it is, you’re running out the door on to the next fun thing and you remember you need to grab a snack for your little one.  This seems easy, but sometimes it can be hard to come up with something on the fly.  You may even resort to, “I’ll just get him something at our destination”, but then that destination only offers junk and you’ve got a hungry kid on your hands.  Below are my top ten favorite healthy snacks to grab on the go…  1.

10 Quick, Easy, and Healthy Grab-and-Go Snacks for Kids

You know how it is, you’re running out the door on to the next fun thing and you remember you need to grab a snack for your little one.  This seems easy, but sometimes it can be hard to come up with something on the fly.  You may even resort to, “I’ll just get him something at our destination”, but then that destination only offers junk and you’ve got a hungry kid on your hands.  Below are my top ten favorite healthy snacks to grab on the go… 

1. PB&J

You really can’t go wrong with this one.  No need for refrigeration and takes 2 minutes to make.  It also provides your child a healthy snack, but tastes like a treat.

2. Hummus

Put it with pita, put it with crackers, put it with veggies, put it with apples.  Put it with anything and it’s a go.  Spoon a little into a mini Tupperware, stick your side in a baggie and you’re all set.

3. Banana, Apple, Orange

Seriously, the banana is the most ingenious snack ever devised; it even has its own container.  Throw it in your purse and take off (apples and oranges hold up good in a purse too!).

 

4. CLIF Bar

Thank you Clif, for your bar.  They make kids sized CLIF’s, but we usually just share a regular sized one with our munchkin.  A granola bar is handy too.

5. Yogurt

OK, this one may be a bit more difficult, but if you get yourself a little insulated lunch bag, yogurt becomes a quick and easy snack to grab.  Don’t forget a spoon!

6. Annie’s Organic Cheddar Snack Mix

Actually, Annie has a bunch of different snack mixes, but this is my favorite….oops, I meant my child’s favorite!  You can buy them in bulk at Costco and they are super easy to grab on the run.

7. Celery sticks with Peanut Butter

This is a new favorite of ours.  They take a bit longer to throw together but they sure are tasty!

 

8. GORP

That’s right, Good Ole’ Raisins and Peanuts!  Trail mix is a super handy snack and easy to throw in a baggie for your little ones.

9. String Cheese/Mini Babybel Cheese

Yay cheese!  This is another one that you’ll need your insulated lunch bag for, but you really can’t go wrong with cheese, most kids really love it.

10. Applesauce

Those individual applesauce packs are really handy and don’t always need to be kept cool.  It’s also another snack that tastes like a treat.

So there you have it, ten easy, healthy, grab on the go snacks!  No go have some fun!

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The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, POPSUGAR.

recipes

10 Delicious Muffin Recipes (Flip Book)

Perfect for slow Saturdays, rushed school mornings, and snacks, muffins are the jack-of-all-trades of baked goods.

Perfect for slow Saturdays, rushed school mornings, and snacks, muffins are the jack-of-all-trades of baked goods. Here we've rounded up 10 freezable muffin recipes — from mini caramel streusel to apple fritter — worthy of a spot in your recipe box!

How to Apply a Five-Minute Face

Stila celebrity makeup artist Sarah Lucero shares her quick beauty tips on how to get ready in no time!

Stila celebrity makeup artist Sarah Lucero shares her quick beauty tips on how to get ready in no time! All you need are five basic products: foundation, cheek and lip stain, eyeliner, mascara, and bronzer. Check out BellaSugar on Facebook for more tips from Sarah on how to apply eyeliner.

Behavior Tips

Lil Tip: Babyproofing on the Go

When you have a baby, you torture yourself trying to make your house babyproof.

When you have a baby, you torture yourself trying to make your house babyproof. No coins on the floor, all furniture steadied and plugs covered. But when you go on vacation, what do you do? Here are three easy to pack items you can take with you to ensure that your trip is safe and your mind is sound.

If you're headed to Grandma's house and she's got a steep flight of stairs, you might want to ask her to get a safety gate since one won't fit in your suitcase. Happy travel proofing!


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Behavior Tips

Lil Tip: Formula Packets on the Go

For moms in a pinch, getting a bottle of breast milk or scooping out formula isn't easy.

For moms in a pinch, getting a bottle of breast milk or scooping out formula isn't easy.

For months, I packed formula in zip-lock bags or in the bottles, but they weren't great options. Zip-locks are good for toting Cheerios, but getting powder out of them isn't easy. And if you pre-load a bottle with formula, it clumps to the bottom of the bottle, which will leave you shaking it for minutes.

That's when I found the Enfamil and Similac formula packs on the go and was beyond excited. Each packet makes 4 oz. of milk. All you have to do is tear off the top and pour the powder into a bottle of water. Since discovering these, I always keep a few packets and bottles in my bag. When it's time to eat, I just pour water in the bottle, add the packet and shake it up. They make traveling (and life) so much easier.

Geek Tip

Geek Tip: Using iPod's On-the-Go Feature

If you're like me and have hundreds of songs on your iPod that don't belong to any particular playlist, pay close attention to this geek tip.

If you're like me and have hundreds of songs on your iPod that don't belong to any particular playlist, pay close attention to this geek tip.

You can create a playlist on the fly with your iPod's On-the-Go feature. All you have to do is highlight a song and press the center "select" button until the name flashes, which indicates that it has been added to the "On-the-Go" playlist.

You can also do this when a song is playing - just hold the center button until it flashes and it will be added. Access all your "On-the-Go" songs from the main Playlists menu. I know some of you have been using this feature for years, but for those of you who haven't you better get on the go.


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massage

Another Reason to Head to the Spa

Stress can lead to the tensing of muscles, especially in the neck and shoulders.

Stress can lead to the tensing of muscles, especially in the neck and shoulders. If this sounds like something you can relate to then you must need a massage.

To give yourself another reason (as if you needed one) to head to the spa, read more