Presentation Counts!

Most mornings I consider it an accomplishment to put breakfast on the table in time to allow the girls to eat before scurrying to the bus stop. My girls are not fast eaters, 15 minutes is not gonna cut it.

This being the case, I don't typically put a lot of effort into presentation. I serve it, and count on them to eat it. Done.

This morning I planned on yogurt and granola for breakfast. As the kids are sitting at the table, they are calling out orders as if they have somehow moved into a restaurant where the chef cooks made to order meals every day. 'I don't want granola, I just want yogurt.' 'I want to eat out of the container today.' 'I don't want berries, I just want it plain.' And the requests keep coming! Wow. We woke up on the demanding side of the bed today. It happens.

Short order cooking does not. So, how to make everyone happy? Mom needs to stick to a meal plan to stretch those grocery dollars. The kids need a healthy breakfast that they WANT to eat.

The answer? Presentation. Yep. Really.

I got out the "fancy" glasses. In this case a wine glass, as I did not want to use enough 'stuff' to fill a whole parfait dish. Layer in your ingredients and garnish appropriately. Listen to the kiddos go nuts because they get to eat a fancy breakfast. Contents? Forgotten. I think I could almost get away with layering spinach and brussel sprouts in these glasses and they would eat them. Well, I might need to add pink sprinkles for garnish.

Be creative. You know your kids. Serve it on cool paper plates with toothpicks that are typically reserved for adult beverages. You know the ones. Umbrellas, swords, you name it. Put it in a parfait dish. Write a joke on the plate and they have to eat enough to uncover the joke. Serve it on their play dishes from their kitchen. Just change it up. It's magical for them, it takes the focus off the food and puts it on the fun! Now, go serve up a surprise.


Breakfast Parfait

1 carton SO Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Yogurt
6 strawberries
1 banana
1 cup granola of your choice

Slice two strawberries and divide them into the bottom of three wine glasses or custard bowls. Add two spoonfuls of yogurt to each glass. Add a layer of granola. Now slice a layer of banana into each glass, followed by the rest of the yogurt. Top with remaining sliced berries and an additional sprinkle of granola. Enjoy.

You can change this up with whatever fruit you have on hand. You can also drizzle a bit of honey or maple syrup on the top, or add sprinkles. Use rice krispies or cheerios instead of granola. It's flexible, just make it fit your diet, and make it fun.