This week, kids across the country are headed back to school. You’ve been back to school shopping for clothes, school supplies, and stocked your pantry with quick and easy lunch supplies. All that’s left is a healthy, nutritious breakfast to jump start their days. Prepare their little minds and bodies for learning with better back to school breakfast ideas, featuring more vegetables, and less sugar like these 3-ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes from certified health coach, Liz Robert.
The Importance of a Healthy Breakfast
I remember sitting in Social Studies class my sophomore year of high school, elbows on the desktop with my weight resting heavily on them. I was staring blankly at the top right corner of my desk, not really looking at anything in particular. The class was silent except for the other students furiously scribbling away and a clock ticking. I felt as if I couldn’t move. I was supposed to be taking an exam but how could I possibly pick up my pencil in such a state let alone draw on my memory, consider the best responses, write meaningful essays?
It was back then that I was in the habit of grabbing Carnation instant breakfast or a baggie of dry cereal with cute colored marshmallows, the quickest breakfasts I could find, as I ran out the door for school. The instant breakfast drink made me feel full at first with all the cold milk and I really enjoyed the creamy chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavors. The cereal was sweet and crunchy and I loved saving all the marshmallows to savor at the end. This sense of contentment lasted only until the end of the cup, the bottom of the bag though, and not soon after I was left with something of a breakfast hangover: moody, foggy, extremely low energy. My mind and body had not been sufficiently fueled for this exam or my day ahead.
One Simple Rule for Better Back to School Breakfast Ideas
We want, and dare I say expect, so much from our children – to do their best, be their best – but how can they put their best foot forward if they are not taking in what their bodies need? Realistically, they can’t, at least not on a regular basis.
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It can be challenging for moms to ensure their kids are eating nutritious meals while they are at school and out of sight so it’s critical to start their day right. The easiest way to do this is to prepare breakfast in following the simple rule: more vegetables, less sugar. By doing these two simple things a diet can be drastically improved because good is added in, bad is taken out, and a number of other nutritional imbalances can be cleaned up as a secondary result. Transform the first meal of the day from cold cereal to a veggie omelette, from instant breakfast drink to spinach and berry smoothie, add pumpkin purée to a bowl of oatmeal.
A Quick and Easy Better Back to School Breakfast
Celebrate the first day of school with these quick and easy 3-ingredient pumpkin pancakes, packed with protein and vegetables but not sugar. My kids, ages 1 and 4, adore them and I love that their moods are level, energy high straight through until lunch. Follow the recipe below, or scroll to the end of this post for a printer-friendly version!
3-ingredient Pumpkin Pancakes
Makes about 6 small pancakes
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin purée (I like Farmer’s Market brand purée)
2 eggs
4 tablespoons almond flour
Butter for the skillet
For dipping-
1/2 cup organic applesauce (alt 1/2 cup plain organic yogurt)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Directions
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and pumpkin. Add in the almond flour and mix until well incorporated. Heat butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter onto the hot skillet for each pancake. When the surface starts to bubble (about 2 minutes), carefully flip the cake with a spatula and cook the other side until golden brown (about 45 seconds). Transfer cakes to a serving plate. In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce and pumpkin pie spice. Serve alongside the pancakes for dipping.
If you enjoyed this post, you might also enjoy our Instant Oatmeal Muffins and Whole Grain Blueberry Pecan Granola Pancakes, two more quick and easy breakfasts for back to school. You may also love these healthy, simple back to school breakfast ideas from Liz: Supercharged Waffles, Greens and Chocolate Smoothie, and Pumpkin Pie Smoothie (yum!!!).
For more back to school tips, check out 10 Things All Parents Should Know for Your Child’s First Day at Kindergarten and 7 Ways to Make Cute Back to School Outfits & Save.
About Liz Robert
Liz is a health coach certified with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, yoga instructor, and mom of two. Her mission is to improve the health of children by helping them eat more vegetables and less sugar. Visit her blog, lizrobert.com, for simple and delicious recipes, tips for picky eaters, and much more. You can also find her on Facebook, Instagram (@liz_arobert), and Twitter (@liz_a_robert).
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Send your kids back to school with a better, more nutritious breakfast. Swap vegetables for sugar in this quick and easy 3-ingredient Pumpkin Pancake recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup pumpkin purée (I like Farmer's Market brand purée)
2 eggs
4 tablespoons almond flour
Butter for the skillet
1/2 cup organic applesauce (alt 1/2 cup plain organic yogurt)
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and pumpkin. Add in the almond flour and mix until well incorporated.
Heat butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Pour 3 tablespoons of batter onto the hot skillet for each pancake.
When the surface starts to bubble (about 2 minutes), carefully flip the cake with a spatula and cook the other side until golden brown (about 45 seconds). Transfer cakes to a serving plate.
In a separate bowl, mix the applesauce and pumpkin pie spice. Serve alongside the pancakes for dipping.
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