Easy Breakfast Ideas Part 3 - Submitted by Blog Readers

One of the easiest things to make is some sort of sweet bread in the bread machine because all you do is add the ingredients the night before and the machine "works" for you. Otherwise, in our family, my two older children don't have an appetite that "wakes up" at the same time their bodies do. So for them, fruit will usually suffice until much later in the morning. But my husband is hypoglycemic and must eat breakfast. So here's what I do: chat with hubby to find out what he would like to eat for the following week and plan that into my shopping time and menu planning. I inform the kiddos the night before what will be for breakfast and if they choose not to eat that particular thing they are welcomed to grab some fruit on their own. However, do be careful that you don't become a "short-order cook" or your mornings will be quite hectic!! Also, the tip about setting the table and setting out non-perishables the night before is a HUGE head-start for the morning times! -Sherri

We are into very healthy eating (low fat, low or no sodium, whole grains, whole foods, etc.), as well as into "simplified living," so our breakfast menu is:
Sunday - whole wheat pecan waffles with fresh or frozen fruit OR buckwheat blueberry pancakes OR strawberry whole wheat pancakes, OJ
Monday - hot cereal (whole wheat farina with dried fruit, nuts and milk), whole wheat toast, OJ
Tuesday - eggs, whole wheat toast, OJ
Wednesday - hot cereal (oatmeal w/ fruit & milk), whole wheat toast, OJ
Thursday - hot cereal (whole wheat farina with dried fruit, nuts and milk), whole wheat toast, OJ
Friday - hot cereal (oats-barley-rye-wheat mixture with fruit and milk), whole wheat toast, OJ
Saturday - cold "whole-grain" cereal that is just the grain, with no additives or salt/sugar (ex. shredded wheat), fruit & milk, OJ, whole wheat toast

On very special occasions, such as in-laws visiting or holidays, we will also have bacon, but we get the nitrite/nitrate-free kind. -daybreaking

We have a system that follows like this:
Monday-muffins, nuts, fruit or juice
Tuesday-Cold cereal(whole grain)-this is errand day, fruit or juice
Wednesday-Oatmeal with raisins (Dad is home and makes this with our five year old-it is their routine)
Thursday-Eggs and Toast,fruit or juice
Friday-Pancakes or French Toast
Saturday-Cinnamin Rolls with cream cheese frosting,nuts, milk or juice
Sunday-Egg casserole (made the day before) and coffee cake (quickly made that morning
It took awhile to come to this. My children are each assigned a day to help with breakfast. My 10 year old boy can do any breakfast,except weekends by himself. Recipes are all whole grain from either Sue Greggs cookbooks, Whole Foods for the Whole Family, or Crystal Miller's recipes. We eat between 7:30 and 8:30. -Anon.

We have quick breads and muffins for breakfast most days. Banana bread, blueberry muffins, carrot bread, pumpkin bread, lemon poppyseed muffins, rhubarb muffins, etc. All made from scratch with home-ground flour and less sugar and oil than many recipes. I make 2 loaves or 2 dozen muffins at a time, which lasts us for 3 days or so. We have them with a banana and water to drink, or with juice. On weekends, we'll sometimes have hot oatmeal seasoned in a variety of ways, or homemade granola. -Heather

Breakfast is always a regular meal at our house, something us children have been responsible to get together for the most part. :) We almost always have bread, peanut butter and jam, tea, and some sort of fruit, usually oranges or bananas. For a treat once in a while we'll do pancakes, or eggs, or apple/rhubarb crisp or muffins. - Elizabeth

I could not live without my breakfast! (Although, some days, I sure do wish I could be like people who "forget to eat", so I could lose a little wieght!) I start to feel really sick if I don't get something in my tummy shortly after waking up! But we are really boring. My husband doesn't like eggs or cheese much, so I only make my best egg casserole when we have company. Mon-Sat we eat baked oatmeal, with milk and fruit. It is truly yummy. :D My 3 year old always asks for his "brekkies wif fwoot" and enjoys in thoroughly. Previously, on Sunday's we've had pancakes. But my husband has taken a shine to apple crisp with homemade pudding, so I think that will be our Sunday breakfast from now on. It's a lot less work that pancakes, that's for sure! My husband has an odd schedule, so make-ahead foods are really important. There's no way I can stand in front of the stove at 3 am trying to put together a big complicated spread. I'd make a mess of it for sure. I love baked oatmeal because I can just plop it in a bowl, zap it, and dump a little fruit on top.

Here's the recipe. I make it so often I have it memorized

Beat:
4 eggs
1 c oil
1 1/2 c sugar
Add
6 c. oats
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
cinnamon (optional)
Add:
2 c. milk
Let set 5 minutes so the milk soaks into the oats. Pour into greased 9x13 pan, and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. If you like you can sprinkle chopped apples and raisins and cinnamon on top before baking. I'm sure you can also fiddle with the recipe to make it more healthy. I use skim milk, to sort of cancel out the oil. :D

-C