Although it is no longer considered the most important meal of the day - nutritionists now prioritize the set of foods we consume throughout the day instead of focusing on a single intake - breakfast is an important meal for us because it generally sets the pace of the day and often influences the quality of the food we eat for the rest of the day, at least in my house.
At home, we really like porridge, and my son asks for it several times a week, but since my daughter isn't as keen on it, and I also want to give them variety, I like to have different ideas to offer them.
Here are some breakfast ideas for the 7 days of the week, so you can choose and enjoy the ones you like best or feel like having that day. Of course, it's perfectly fine to have the same healthy breakfast every day, but having options is always good.
Monday: Chocolate chia pudding with peanut butter and sugar-free raspberry jam - that's how my son likes it, but this recipe from Being Bioutiful is to die for.
Tuesday: Overnight oatmeal with nuts and a little maple syrup. I usually just eyeball it, but it's roughly the same amount of rolled oats as plant-based milk. You can add a tablespoon of chia seeds and cinnamon. The sweet topping—usually maple syrup, sugar-free jam, or pureed fruit—I add in the morning so I can customize it more.
On cold days, I make porridge in the morning so it's nice and warm. I make it with water, a pinch of salt, and also by feel. Once it's done, you can add whatever you like: milk, fruit, nuts...
Wednesday: Plain yogurt without added sugar (made from cow's milk or plant-based milk) with a little honey (or maple syrup) and apples with cinnamon
Thursday: Sprouted seed bread with almond cream and banana
Friday: French omelet (or tofu scramble if you're vegan) with avocado
Saturday: French toast made with sourdough bread, with homemade cranberry sauce - fresh or frozen cranberries, a little water, cinnamon and if you want to sweeten it, a little honey or maple syrup.
We make them the traditional way, soaked in egg, milk, and cinnamon (I always leave out the sugar) and then grilled. If you prefer not to eat eggs, you can soak them simply in plant-based milk and cinnamon, although this recipe (in English) that adds chia seeds looks amazing.
Sunday: Buckwheat crepes with any fillings you like: strawberries, banana and peanut butter, homemade hazelnut and cocoa cream, avocado...there are so many possibilities!
This is the recipe I follow (in English). It calls for sugar—which I use coconut sugar and in much less quantity than it asks for—we've never missed it.
Crepes are easy to make, but they take time, so I save them for the weekend. They don't turn out super thin like the ones from creperies yet, but they're delicious.
If you prefer a vegan version, here's a recipe from Danza de Fogones . It uses brown sugar and is made with wheat flour—I personally prefer the traditional flavor of buckwheat—but they look good too.
As you can see, there are no ultra-processed foods or cookies on any day, although in my house we do use honey and maple syrup very sparingly, and in recipes that call for sugar I substitute it with coconut sugar - which is still sugar and its consumption should be moderate, but it contains less fructose than cane sugar.
As for drinks, I usually offer them water, hot miso broth, and they rarely ask for plant-based milk—we always have it without added sugar. I drink black coffee.
What do you have for breakfast?