healthy breakfast Archives - Wild Blueberries

Brain-Healthy Breakfast Recipes to Start Busy School Mornings Off Right

It’s that time of year again–some kids have already had their first day of school while kids here in Maine are just heading back to the classroom. While it’s still a little unclear what the school year will ultimately look like for your child–either in-person learning or remote–we want to say a big thank you to all the parents out there.

While we can’t help with the homework, we can help with making your mornings a bit easier. For most families, mornings are super busy but breakfast is the one meal during the day that parents tell us they have complete control over what their child eats. So, why not make breakfast filled with brainy-healthy foods to give your kiddos a great start to their school day? Here’s a little breakfast inspiration: six wild blueberry breakfast recipes that will help nourish your child’s brain. With 33% more brain-healthy anthocyanins and 2x the antioxidants of regular blueberries, adding a healthy scoop of wild blueberries to your kid’s morning is a great way to begin the day.

Try these grab-and-go Wild Blueberry Mini Muffins

The morning goes quickly, especially when you’re juggling so much! Out of time? No problem, these quick and easy, grab-and-go Wild Blueberry Mini Muffins are the perfect solution. Simply bake them in the evening, store them in a tupperware container, and everyone will be able to grab a yummy muffin on their way out the door in the morning.

Pro tip: throw them in the microwave for 15 seconds to make it nice and warm before biting into some wild muffin goodness.

Whip up some Wild Blueberry Zucchini Bread

Start your day on a nutritious note with our Wild Blueberry Zucchini Bread—a delicious and wholesome treat designed to fuel young minds. Packed with vibrant wild blueberries and nutrient-rich zucchini, this bread offers a delectable way to kick-start your mornings. Wild blueberries are best in this recipe because they add a bold, tart flavor and their small size means more berries per bite.

Prep some Dried Wild Blueberry Almond Granola

Bursting with nutty almonds and antioxidant-packed dried wild blues, this Dried Wild Blueberry Almond Granola not only supports cognitive function, but also delivers essential nutrients that growing bodies need. Prepare a batch in advance and enjoy it as a quick weekday breakfast or as a topping for yogurt parfaits.

Have dessert for breakfast with Wild Blueberry Crumb Cake

With ‘cake’ in the title, this is an easy make-ahead breakfast option that tastes good and may encourage your kids to eat breakfast–especially if they think they’re getting away with eating dessert in the morning. Wild Blueberry Crumb Cake tastes delicious without sacrificing added nutrients.

For the toast fans out there, try some Coconut Peanut Butter Wild Blueberry Toast

If your child loves old-school PB&Js, try this homemade spin-off: Coconut Peanut Butter Wild Blueberry Toast. Using just seven simple ingredients, top your grain of choice (e.g., whole wheat bread, an english muffin, or whatever your child loves!) with some wild blueberry goodness.

Blend up a Mix-In-A-Pan Wild Blueberry Snack Cake

Introducing a hassle-free marvel for busy mornings: Mix-In-A-Pan Wild Blueberry Snack Cake! The ease of preparation makes it an ideal option for hectic school days—simply mix the ingredients in a single pan and pop it in the oven. Plus, it’s a versatile delight that can be sliced into convenient portions for breakfast on-the-go or as an after-school pick-me-up.

Did you know that research has found wild blueberries to have a positive effect on your child’s memory, decision making, response times, concentration, and mood? That’s why wild blueberries should power your family’s morning to make for a great day ahead. If you try one of the above breakfast recipes, let us know which one your kids loved the most! Take a picture, post on social, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so we can see your kids’ *wild* breakfast. If your profile and/or post is public, we’ll be sure to repost it on our stories or respond. Can’t wait to see what you come up with for your family!

Got The Back-to-School Breakfast Blues?

If you’ve got kids (or are in school yourself), chances are the beginning of the school year brings feelings of excitement, but also a little wistfulness. Long lazy summer days have turned into hectic school days. How to get back into a routine? A healthy (and tasty) breakfast is a good start. Unfortunately, a leisurely nosh at 9 a.m. is probably not going to work —you need a bit more of a plan. Here are some ideas to help you kick the back-to-school breakfast blues so you successfully begin your day with a tasty and nutritious meal.

Get Inspired

Of course, not every morning spread you create is going to be worthy of an Instagram photo—and that’s perfectly ok! A bowl of quick oats, cooked in the microwave and sprinkled with cinnamon and a handful of berries (may I suggest Wild Blueberries?) is a wholesome, hearty breakfast that’s simple and easy to make. When you do have more time, however, try perusing Pinterest for new ideas. I like searching for “healthy school morning breakfast recipes” or “easy healthy breakfast ideas.” For some great breakfast recipes featuring Wild Blueberries, we’ve got you covered here.

Get Trendy

By now you must have seen all the wonderful recipes for overnight oats made in the cute little jars that are oh so portable when topped with a lid. The Mason jar trend is one that’s been around a couple years, but shows no signs of slowing down yet. Kids like the novelty of eating out of the jar, and in a pinch, they could even eat their breakfast-in-a-jar right in the car. Plus, this trend is endlessly customizable—use what you like most, what you happen to have on hand, or put together seasonal combos. Best of all you can create this delicious breakfast the night before to cut down the morning chaos. Involve the kids because they’ll be more likely to eat it if they help create it.
Another trend is what I’ll call the “non-bread breakfast sandwich.” This is where you use something instead of bread, such as two waffles or two pancakes instead of bread, then stuff the sandwich with breakfast faves like peanut butter and banana, cream cheese and berries, or a fried egg and slice of ham. Don’t forget that things like whole grain crackers and even rice cakes can make a sandwich. Again, portable, filling and kid-pleasing are the keys here.
Smoothies are here to stay, and both children and adults seem to have smoothie fever these days. It certainly helps to keep smoothie ingredients on hand (think yogurt, frozen Wild Blueberries and other frozen fruit, lowfat milk, nut butters, bananas) so you can easily whip up a smoothie with very little fuss. Some folks have even gone so far as to create resealable bags of smoothie ingredients all pre-measured so that kids (or whomever) can just grab a bag from the freezer, add a little milk or yogurt and in a jiffy they’ve got a nutritious smoothie. If you’re looking for some inspiration, we’ve got a great little smoothie recipe book to share with you—also check out our smoothie recipe section on the website for other ideas.

Get Ahead

Prepping breakfast ahead of time isn’t a new concept, but it sure is a handy one. Here are some ideas that might help you save time on busy mornings:

On the weekends I like making Wild Blueberry muffins or a quick bread recipe (then baking it in a muffin tin for portion control), and freezing the cooled muffins. A few seconds in the microwave yields a perfectly delicious, fresh-tasting muffin that will help pull any sleepyhead out of bed! Also, if I have extra pancakes, waffles or French toast from the weekend I freeze them in reasonable portions (say, three small pancakes or 2 small waffles per quart-sized freezer bag). I hate to waste good food!

Using the slow cooker is another way to prepare breakfast ahead of time—let the machine cook your breakfast while you sleep! Steel-cut oats are great in the slow cooker, but you could also make a savory breakfast casserole, or a sweet French toast casserole. Do be sure to check the cook time on all slow cooker breakfast ideas—some don’t take all night. In general, cereal-based slow cooker recipes can be cooked overnight, but not so with eggs, etc.
Kids welcome the opportunity to customize their food—in fact, that’s a trend most age groups enjoy these days. If your kids love yogurt or cereal in the morning, organize foods in advance to make customized toppings for everyone in your household to use. For example, keep a few see-through containers of toppings in the pantry and in the fridge/freezer that are easy to see and reach. Try chia seeds, ground flax or wheat germ and have a variety of chopped fresh fruit and frozen fruit like Wild Blueberries, strawberries and frozen cherries, coconut shreds, chopped nuts and granola to round out your selection. With add-ons and mix-ins like these, the easy container of yogurt or bowl of cereal will really make the grade taste-wise, and will likely earn bonus points in nutrition as well.

Are You Fiber Deficient? Here’s One Easy Way to Fill Your Bowl.

A simple breakfast of cereal and milk is a staple for many people—and for good reason. Not only is it quick, easy and tasty, this classic morning combo has a good nutritional profile as well, providing plenty of vitamins and minerals, some protein and some fiber.

About that fiber… According to the USDA, most of us typically fall far short of reaching daily fiber intake goals, making it a “nutrient of concern” in American diets. The recommendation for Adequate Intake of dietary fiber is 14 grams/1,000 calories, or 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men. There are two forms of fiber (soluble and insoluble), and both types are found in plants, so eating plenty of produce goes a long way toward upping your daily fiber tally. Choosing Wild Blueberries is a smart move in the right direction—a cup of Wild Blues provides 25% of the Daily Value for fiber.

Why is fiber so fabulous?
Most of us have heard that what Grandma called “roughage” is good for keeping things moving along well in the GI tract and helping prevent constipation. And while that’s still true, there are several more reasons to favor fiber-filled foods. According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, fiber can help prevent heart disease by helping to lower cholesterol levels, and can help deter diabetes by aiding in blood sugar control. What’s more, a high-fiber eating plan tends to be lower in calories than one without, and also contributes to a feeling of fullness—together that can help with weight loss or weight maintenance efforts.

Why “go wild” at breakfast?
Fruit in general is a good choice at breakfast, and berries atop a bowl of hot or cold cereal are a natural. “Going wild” at breakfast by sprinkling Wild Blueberries over oatmeal or a favorite whole grain cereal is a great way to get more fiber into your morning meal. Why? The petite size of Wild Blueberries means there are roughly twice the number of berries in a cup compared to their cultivated counterparts. And, given that much of the berry’s fiber is found in the skin, more berries means more berry skins and therefore, more fiber. In fact, Wild Blueberries contain double the fiber of their cultivated counterparts (6 grams per cup).

Start your day with frozen Wild Blueberries
It’s so easy to add Wild Blueberries to your morning cereal—you don’t even need to have fresh berries on hand. In fact, most of the Wild Blueberry crop is frozen at the peak of ripeness (and usually within 24 hours of harvest), which preserves their nutrients and intense blueberry taste. What’s more, Wild Blueberries don’t even need to be thawed before sprinkling them onto your bowl of bran flakes. How’s that for nutritious, delicious and convenient?

Kit Broihier is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and co-author of several cookbooks. She contributes regularly to a variety of national and regional publications and blogs. Previously on the editorial staff at Good Housekeeping magazine, she now owns a food and nutrition consulting company and currently serves as a nutrition advisor to the Wild Blueberry Association of North America.