Breakfast, Picky Kids Can Mix

If your kids don’t like typical breakfast foods, don’t let that stand in the way. “Sometimes you can be a little unconventional,” says Debby Demory-Luce, a nutritionist at the federally funded Children’s Nutrition Research Center in Houston. Among her ideas:

“How about a leftover slice of pizza? It has tomatoes and cheese and there are B vitamins in the crust. Put that with 100-percent fruit juice and it’s not a bad breakfast.”

“You might even think of leftover macaroni and cheese. They have some reduced-fat macaroni and cheese now that’s pretty good, made with a lower-fat cheese.”

“A peanut butter and jelly sandwich would work. Or what about cheese and crackers? My kids like the low-fat (mozzarella) string cheese.”

“Peanut butter on toast will give you protein. If you just have buttered toast, you won’t get a complete mixture of nutrients and the energy won’t last as long.”

“Bagels are low in fat - take a whole-grain bagel and top it with peanut butter.” It’s OK to add jelly.

Smoothies, the blender drinks made with fruit and dairy products, can be nutritious if you use low-fat or skim milk and don’t add lots of extra sweeteners. Enriched milk stir-ins such as Carnation Instant Breakfast are good morning starters as long as you use low-fat or skim milk.

And if your kids won’t drink white milk but gulp down the low-fat, chocolate-flavored kind, serve that, she says.