Heart-Healthy Breakfasts for the Whole Family

Quaker Oatmeal














In the past few weeks, I've noticed that my middle daughter has started to skip breakfast. She's always the last one out of bed in the morning, which isn't always conducive to an 8 AM school start. When I ask if she wants something to eat, her response is always a shrug of the shoulders or a mad dash to the pantry to grab a granola bar or a toaster pastry that she plans to eat on the walk to school.

This simply won't do. As a mom, I feel like it's my job to make sure everyone in the house has a delicious, healthy breakfast on a daily basis, including myself and my husband. Can I combine a quick meal with a healthy one and add in a dash of "this tastes great," too?

Quaker Instant Oatmeal

Oatmeal is my husband's quick breakfast of choice, and the great flavors offered by Quaker Instant Oatmeal have made it a favorite of my young daughters, too. Simply combine the individual package with hot milk or water to preference, and enjoy. Oatmeal is a soluble-fiber, making it an excellent choice for my husband who suffers from high cholesterol. It also helps reduce my daughters' risk of heart disease, too.

Whole Wheat Toast & Egg White Omelets

Whole grains are show to reduce your risk of a variety of health issues throughout your life, including the chance heart disease and stroke. As a result, make sure to keep whole wheat bread or another bread rich in whole grains on hand for breakfast on a daily basis. Choose from peanut butter or a margarine containing Omega-3 for a heart-healthy spread.

Add an egg-white omelet on the side, should time allow, to top off this healthy breakfast option.

Make-Your-Own Yogurt

I've started purchasing a large tub of low-fat vanilla yogurt for my daughters. The girls scoop some into an ice cream bowl and add some fresh fruit (raspberries, banana, strawberry slices, blueberries, and kiwi work well). Then, they can sprinkle either granola or oatmeal on the top of the dish, adding an extra dose of fiber and some crunch that they'll love.

The whole family can enjoy these four heart-healthy breakfast options - one day they'll thank you for taking care of them from morning to night, moms!

Content by Kelly Herdrich .