Cold cereal makes me happy: Captain Crunch, Marshmallow Mateys, Raisin Bran, Chex, Cheerios, and my personal favorite Cinnamon Toast Crunch. With most of these I might as well just pour myself a nice large pile of cane sugar for breakfast, but that wouldn't crunch so satisfyingly.
One summer in college I lived on cold cereal. My favorite roommate that I cooked with had just gotten married, and another roommate owned the kitchen table and took it when she moved out to get married. I have sad memories, that were only brightened by the deliciousness of cold cereal, of sitting on the kitchen floor balancing a bowl on my knees three meals a day. It was cheap, but I'm pretty sure my running career suffered from lack of nutrition. Anywho, I shouldn't be surprised that my girls also love cold cereal.
Kenzie cries and goes on a hunger strike when I try to make pancakes or eggs. Hannah just pretends to eat them and really spills them all over the floor. I only have enough strength to gear up for a meal-battle once a day, so usually I just give in a pour a nice bowl of cold cereal for them and then I try to force them to eat fruit too. But sometimes I feel guilty about this and I resolve to make them a more filling breakfast, something that will "stick to their ribs." This not only happens when I feel guilty but when we run out of cold cereal or milk. You know, hardly ever.
Since I haven't hit up one of those $1.00 per box sales lately, this week we ran out of cold cereal. Thursday Hannah woke me from my sleeping stupor at 7:30 a.m. and I quelled her "I want cereal. No. I. Won't! eat eggs," cries with promises to let her help me make them. So together we cracked the eggs, cleaned up the spilled eggs, poured in some milk, cleaned up the spilled milk, pushed the eggs around the pan, and let the spilled eggs coagulate on the stove.
When Kenzie woke up she wanted to help too. Our kitchen is small and once the girls each push over a chair to the counter I can't reach the counter or stove and then they start fighting and when a hot stove is involved I go a little ballistic and usually send them to their room while the hot breakfast gets cold. It's a great plan that unifies us as a family.
But I decided to change it up a little on Thursday and told Kenzie she could help with something else. We have to take turns. Then I finished the eggs with Hannah and got out the blender to try an avocado smoothie recipe from my Family Fun magazine. Hannah was upset that she didn't get to help with that and so she threw a fit. Once I safely installed her in her room, Kenzie and I proceeded to make the smoothie.
Cooking with kids takes about five times as long as cooking alone. And it takes about 10 times as many paper towels. Our hot and nutritious breakfast was served at 10:00 a.m. And my kitchen still hasn't recovered.
Hot Breakfast: 0; Cold Cereal: 100.
2 comments:
I'm a huge fan of cold cereal too. But my 6 year old is something of a budding nutritionist and when he found out (at school, not from me!) that it was loaded with sugar he won't eat it anymore. So now I make him instant oatmeal. Which is also loaded with sugar but he thinks he's eating healthy so we both win!
my hot breakfast includes a toaster and a frozen waffle:)
But really, I only attempt hot breakfasts when Kyle is there to help...so Saturday or Sunday morning. Cold cereal all the way babee!
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