If your kids are anything like mine, they have a VERY narrow spectrum of food choices they’ll actually eat. For breakfast, my kids tend to thrive on toaster waffles with Nutella (and sometimes sliced bananas). This lack of healthful variety drives me a little bit nuts, but considering the breakfasts I ate growing up – which was usually a combination of pop-tarts, toaster strudels, and sugar-packed mascot cereal – I feel like I could be doing a lot worse with my kids.
So in an effort to bring a little excitement and the appearance of variety to the breakfast table, I have found a way to “remix” their staple waffle breakfasts.
PRO-TIP: Most waffles have a side that has shallower holes. Spread the Nutella on this side so you can get away with using less Nutella per crevice. This saves you money, puts less sugar in your kids, and is easier to spread for those who have a child who unleashes an unholy fury if every square inch of the waffle surface is not FULLY covered.
Cheese Pizza waffle
Basically a flat waffle with Nutella spread over it. You can leave it un-cut or cut it into triangle slices as you would a real pizza.
Pepperoni Pizza waffle
Same as the previous, but with sliced up bananas on top, resembling the pepperoni.
Taco waffle
Take the cheese pizza, fold it in half, and voilà – taco waffle! Or a calzone if you want to stick with an Italian theme.
Burrito waffle
Along with the taco waffle, this tends to be the cleanest option for on-the-go eaters who like to wander around the house with their breakfast clutched in their hands as they do everything but get ready for school.
Hot dog waffle
This is my newest invention. Peel a banana, chop it in half, and wrap the waffle around it for a wonderful, healthy derivative of the mystery meat menace. (Don’t get me wrong, I like hot dogs, but I like to alliterate more). This method gets the most banana into your kids’ stomach per bite, so we consider this the “healthiest” option.
Shish Kebob waffle
This one is kind of fun, though takes a little more time and is much messier. If you have some extra shish kebob sticks or chopsticks, you can impale and stack alternated cut-up waffle bites and banana slices for a fun twist on the exact same breakfast.
Waffle burger
I haven’t rolled this one out yet, but may be a good option for older kids with bigger stomachs. Naturally you’ll need two waffles that endcap Nutella and banana slices or sausage patties… or whatever else you kids will actually eat – make it deluxe!
When my kids were younger, my primeval efforts to make breakfast more interesting involved pretty much just waffle bites and waffle strips (waffle cut into 4 vertical slices). With this new spin on breakfast, not only does it make it more fun for my kids to order their breakfast, but it gets me out of having to do the same thing every single morning.
By the way, we have managed to squeeze in “breakfast cookies” – also known as Morning Star breakfast sausage patties – to increase their protein intake and fill them up. Because with a name like “cookie” how can they resist! Basically, the point is to try to be as creative and tricky as possible. It’s all about properly marketing your breakfast!
Primarily known for being the husband of AllMomDoes’ content coordinator Rebecca Joy, Kyle is also known for being a keen problem-solver, riling up the kids before bed, diving head-first into home improvements without preparations, and looking at life through a sarcastic & comedic lens.
