Leave it our intrepid food editor Janet Keeler to come up with tons of great ideas for stress free breakfasts to start the school year off right. Read this helpful article by Janet and know that a fellow working mom has your back.

I like her thinking that by focusing on breakfast, you can let your blood pressure ebb over the crappy school lunches. "As a parent, I've always tried to send my wolverine off to school with a decent breakfast. Just like dinner, I have more control there, or so I think. Bookend the days with healthy meals and a rogue lunch here and there won't matter as much."

Great thinking. Here's just some of her suggestions:

For the kid who loves lunch: If you're lucky enough to have one of these, breakfast is an easy proposition. Consider a grilled cheese sandwich on whole wheat with a few thin slices of tomato or Granny Smith apple tucked inside. Need more? A cup of fresh berries or a mug of chicken noodle soup. 

For the running-late car eaters: Sure, you could give them a cereal bar and a juice box, but how about a homemade breakfast sandwich tossed into the backseat on takeoff? (Wrap it in foil to keep warm.) Make it on a small bagel, English muffin, croissant, their favorite bread or even a pita. Between the slices, layer scrambled eggs ("scramble" them so they'll cook in a sheet, like an omelet), shredded or sliced cheese and a slice of Canadian bacon. Or regular bacon. Or turkey bacon. Or sausage. They won't eat eggs? Substitute a tomato slice. Wraps are good portables, too. Try lettuce, cherry tomatoes, shredded chicken and cubed feta or milder shredded cheese, tossed with a little salad dressing and folded into a spinach wrap. 

For the fruit eater: Fresh fruit is good for a body because it includes both fiber and carbs. But fruit doesn't have protein, which helps the fuel last longer. Adding tofu, peanut butter or dairy bolsters a fruit smoothie that will please the palate and give them longer-lasting energy. Two possibilities: Pomegrante-Berry Smoothie or Banana-Peanut Butter Smoothie (recipes included). 

For the picky eater: These children are a challenge, especially because they'll want to eat the same things over and over. If the foods are healthy, let them do it. Another tactic is to offer foods that look appetizing, almost partylike. Make kebabs of cheese cubes and fruit, such as cheddar and apple chunks. Grapes go nicely with ham cubes. A parfait of yogurt and granola might also be appealing. Don't give up on your picky eater. Keep offering different items mixed with the familiar. Sometime it takes a dozen or more tries to get a child to taste something new. 

For the lover of sweets: To this child, cake and cupcakes sound like a delicious breakfast. Not a lot of nutrition there, plus the sugar high might give way to a crash right about geometry time. Try a sandwich of cinnamon toast with thinly shaved turkey, a carrot muffin (not chocolate chip!) slathered with cream cheese, or two small frozen whole wheat waffles, toasted, spread with maple butter and sandwiched with a maple-flavored turkey sausage. 

For the morning grump: Don't expect a lot of pleasant chitchat. And, for heaven's sake, don't ask these kids what they want to eat or risk getting bitten into yourself. Talk about breakfast the night before when they are more amenable to the discussion. Plan the meal then and stick with it in the morning. If they're invested in the decision, they might be more likely to eat. Basically, go with what they like, but make sure there's some protein in the mix. You should have a handle on their likes and dislikes. Cereal is easy, but look for something that's not sugar-laden and nutrient bereft. Breakfast bars and yogurt might work, but so might a calming cup of hot tea and toast with peanut butter. 

She's got tons more in that article, plus recipes. So thanks, Janet! Now it's your turn, readers. What are you go-to breakfast plans for school days?

--Sharon Kennedy Wynne

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