20mins Fast and Simple Breakfast Suggestions for Primary School Children

How have your children's first day of school been?  Some started on 2nd Jan, some starts today.  Some in the morning session, some in the afternoon session.  By 2016 (which is next year), all primary schools should operate in single session, i.e. morning session (news here).  It's a dread for some to wake up in the wee hour in the morning. Some schools are kind enough to start school at 8am or 8 plus, but the majority of them is 7 plus. Schools are given the autonomy to decide.  But to me, starting school at 7 plus is quite insane.

"What's for breakfast, mum?"  asked the enthusiastic boy who willingly crawled out of his bed at 6am. 

No, this does not happen in our household.  I dread waking up at 6am to prepare breakfast for the school going boy who has to be in school by 7.15am.  I wish all mainstream schools can follow those International schools & start their lessons at 8.30am instead.  Anyway this post is not for ranting.  I'm sharing here with you some breakfast that AJ has been eating in the wee hour of the morning during school days.

I believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially after a fast of about 10 hours, the boy needs to eat something nourishing to his body to prepare for the long day ahead.  His recess is at 9.30am, which is very late for breakfast since he wakes up so early.  Besides, most of the time the boy is too eager to play than to sit down to have a proper meal.  At times the teachers would also drag the lessons thus eating into the recess time (shorter recess as a result).  Of course, there are times the boy was being punished so he had to stay back to clean up the classroom during recess time.  So, to miss a proper breakfast is a no-no.  But I am also not-so-willing to sacrifice too much of my beauty sleep to wake up very early to prepare a sumptuous breakfast.  So I have to succumb to quickie.

(1) Oats
We all know that oats are good for health, so we eat this about twice or thrice a week.  Whether you want pipping hot oats or cold overnight oats, they can be prepared under 15 minutes.

Warm oats (left) and cold overnight oats (right)

You may add in fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts, seeds, cocoa powder/baking chocolate chips, etc to create varieties and make them more interesting.  Here are some links for the recipes:

1) Overnight oats with chia seeds and fresh berries
2) Banana nuts warm oatmeal
3) Blueberries, nuts and chia seeds warm chocolate oatmeal

If you have the time to make steel-cut oats, it would be best because it is the least processed oats available.  But, 20mins will not be enough.  :P

(2) Eggs
I love eggs! It is the cheapest source of proteins (for muscles building) and is very versatile.

From top left to bottom right: hard-boiled eggs, soft-boiled eggs, french toast, fried egg sandwich, scramble egg and ham & egg bake.

Preparing egg breakfast can be quite simple.  I try to give me give AJ an egg a day (in any meals).  If your child loves hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, simply have 2 eggs and a slice of bread and off she/he goes. On some days you may like to do french toast, fry an egg and make a sandwich, scramble 2 eggs or make a ham and egg toast!  Here are some links for your reference:

1) Fried egg and cheese sandwich

2) Ham & egg bake
3) Egg wrap


(3) Yoghurt
Unless you make your own yoghurt, Greek yoghurt is perhaps the only best yoghurt commercially available.  This tangy, creamy yoghurt is loaded with calcium and boasts plenty of protein.  It is best to get plain ones and add your own fresh fruits, dried fruits, organic/home-made jam, chocolate spread, nuts and seeds.

(4) Bananas
Surprise to see this in the list?  This yellow fruit, besides providing fiber, provides healthy carbohydrates too, so it keeps your little ones fuller longer.  Slice it up, add it to oatmeal or yoghurt.  Or top them up on a slice of bread spread with peanut butter and you get a peanut butter banana sandwich. Awesome, right?  Banana makes good smoothies too. 

Banana peanut butter sandwich (left) and Banana soy smoothie

Here are some links that you may like to check out:

1) Pita Banana
2) Banana soy smoothie
3) Banana breakfast oatmeal bar

(5) Others
Of course, you could also make ham & cheese sandwich, cheese sandwich/wrap, tuna sandwich/wrap, bake your own muffins (the night before), make your own granola bars (the night before), toast with soup, etc.  The important thing is to keep it healthy, the less processed the food item the better.

Reference here

Reference here

I don't suggest quick fix of boxed cereal that you can purchase from supermarkets and here's the reasons why.  

Do you have any breakfast suggestion that one can prepare under 20mins? Please share if you have.  I'm sure it will benefit many sleep-deprived mummies here.  :)