4 Ways to Make Busy School Mornings Easier on the Whole Family

October 26, 2016 by Kathryn 32 Comments

There’s so much that can sidetrack a family on a busy morning. From picky kids to forgotten homework to unpacked lunches, getting kids fed, clothed and out the door on their way to school can feel downright impossible sometimes. Luckily, I’ve done quite well at setting a morning routine this year and for the most part, even a busy morning goes quite smoothly. But some days, it seems like the morning brings nothing but challenges. So, when Quaker Canada offered to send me a special package to help manage those busy mornings and share my experience, I was thrilled. Here’s what I learned after a week:

1) A Little Nighttime Preparation Makes Mornings Easier

My oldest son loves oatmeal for breakfast and usually there’s enough time to put the kettle on, boil water and make him a couple packages of his favourite Quaker Instant Oatmeal. But some mornings, even that few extra minutes of breakfast preparation can make the morning feel rushed. So, for the first time last week, I tried Overnight Oats. I’d heard a lot about the concept in the last few months. Just mix equal parts oats and liquid, and then add toppings, sweetener and flavouring as desired. I used milk as the liquid and added blueberries and maple syrup for flavour, then refrigerated the mixture overnight. The next morning, Zackary sat down to a delicious, creamy and hearty breakfast…no extra time required! [Read more…]

Tropical Peanut Butter Snack Bites Make a Tasty Spring Snack

April 21, 2015 by Kathryn 52 Comments

Looking for a family snack that’s quick, made from wholesome ingredients and easy to customize? Look no further because Kraft Peanut Butter Snack Bites have it all! These no-bake snack bites combine oats, honey, peanut butter and any other fun additions your heart desires for a snack that’s as healthy or as decadent as you want it to be.

There are so many amazing recipes for these tasty morsels on the Kraft What’s Cooking website, but I decided I wanted to create my own, and after seeing the recipe for Fruit And Nut Peanut Butter Snack Bites, I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to use for these fun morsels. And so my Tropical Peanut Butter Snack Bites were created!

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Take the Hassle Out of Breakfast with Berry Rolled Oat Rounds and Other Recipes from Minute Maid

March 5, 2013 by Kathryn 17 Comments

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it does bring challenges, especially on a busy weekday morning! Recently Minute Maid conducted a national poll to see just how Canadians approach that all-important morning meal:

Solo eaters: Eight in ten Canadian families don’t sit down for breakfast together
Do as I say, not as I do: While most Canadian parents would feel worried (41%), guilty (27%) or disappointed (31%) if their children went a day without breakfast, 14% of parents still skip breakfast themselves
Timing the challenge: Two in five Canadian parents say their biggest breakfast challenge is lack of time to prepare; a third say it’s a lack of time to eat in the morning at all.

easy breakfast berry rolled oat rounds recipe

In my own province, a lack of time to prepare breakfast was found to be the biggest morning challenge and I can certainly relate to that! Between packing lunches, getting my boys dressed for school and bundling us all up to face the cold winter weather, there’s not a whole lot of time left to cook a hearty breakfast! Fortunately, Minute Maid has partnered with the Canadian Living Test Kitchen to create some recipes that are both hearty and convenient. I decided to try the Berry Rolled Oat Rounds since both my boys are big fans of oatmeal. [Read more…]