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Breakfast at home: family fun

15 June 2024
Food & Finances
Self-help article

Make breakfast a fun time for families, try one of our ideas for a special weekend breakfast, and have a go at one of our fun quizzes or even grow your own herbs to use in your breakfast. Find tips, ideas and quizzes below.

Grow your own

Why not have a go at growing your own fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices that you can use to make a tasty breakfast? For example, grow chives to make your scrambled egg extra tasty or basil to add to your breakfast pizza. It is a fun activity to get children involved with.

Here are some tips to get you started:

What can I grow in?​

  • Sandcastle bucket
  • hanging basket
  • old food tins
  • cups/mugs
  • welly boots
  • backpack
  • yoghurt pots
  • teapots.​

What do I need? ​

Soil or compost: usually available very cheaply from low-cost stores.

Seeds: available from most low-cost stores or supermarkets.​ Look out for free seeds and plants with magazines or plants/cuttings being given away by others.​

What breakfast foods can I grow?​

Here are some examples of things you can grow:​

  • strawberries
  • raspberries
  • blueberries
  • tomatoes
  • basil
  • chives
  • parsley.

60% of parents struggle to find time to eat breakfast as a family.

Weekend breakfast

Breakfast can encourage family bonding time and can be a relaxing start to the weekend. It can be a good way to get the kids out of bed and is a chance to talk and puts everyone in a good mood for the rest of the day!

Tips on planning a weekend breakfast together​

  • Involve everyone in planning or perhaps take it in turns to plan.​
  • Make it healthy – introduce fruit, oats, wholemeal grains and new foods to try, click here for recipe ideas.​
  • Sitting together around the table is good, but have a think about new places to have breakfast too, e.g., in the garden, make an inside den with sheets, go to the park… ​
  • Send an invite to everyone.​
  • Have it once a week/once a fortnight or even once a month – put the dates in so everyone remembers.

Ideas for a themed breakfast

  • Choose a country, e.g., America (pancakes) or Sweden (yoghurt and fruit) and find out what their traditional breakfast would be, then create your own version of this. ​
  • Choose a book or a favourite film and dress up as characters or create a breakfast from the book or film, e.g., a mad hatter’s breakfast or a superheroes breakfast!​
  • Create a hotel style buffet breakfast – everyone helps themselves to a range of breakfast items. ​
  • A version of a fast food takeaway breakfast e.g., an egg muffin or pancakes and blueberries.​
  • An unusual breakfast e.g., breakfast on a kebab stick, a breakfast pizza or a breakfast wrap, click here for recipes!

Fun quizzes for families

Why not have a go at testing your knowledge with our fun quizzes for families…

Stroop test

The aim of the Stroop test is to see how quickly a person can process information, their ability to pay attention and control their behaviour. These executive function are extremely important, especially when at school. Why not try the Stroop Test, before and after breakfast and see the impact on your executive function?

Attention test

Research has shown that we are able to concentrate more if we have eaten breakfast. Here is a selection of videos and interactive games you can try to test your attention. Please try them either before or after breakfast and see if there is a difference in your performance.

Nutrition factsheet quizzes

Have a look at our calcium, vitamin D, iron, fibre and B vitamins factsheets and try the fun quizzes on each and test your knowledge.

Call, text, email or web chat FamilyLine

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, worried or upset about any aspect of your family life, FamilyLine is here for you. We offer free emotional support and guidance on family relationships, conflict, parenting, caring, financial worries and more.

Contact FamilyLine

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