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…]

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…]

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

1) A Little Nighttime Preparation Makes Mornings Easier

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