Making a healthy breakfast for your children can become one of the biggest headaches for many mothers, especially when you have a busy work schedule. I have personally grappled with finding the time to prepare wholesome meals, which is non-negotiable for me, while still meeting my other responsibilities.
Over the years, what I have come to learn is that planning is key. And when I say planning, I don’t mean assigning specific meals to each day on a calendar that must be followed every week. No, that feels quite restrictive to me. I believe eating should be fun.
What has worked for me is creating a list of breakfast, lunch and dinner options that I can always refer to. This also means ensuring that my pantry is stocked with the ingredients I need to prepare these meals.
Today, I’m sharing some of my children’s favorite breakfast meals, and they are all African foods! I make a conscious effort to include more African foods on our menu, both because they are accessible and because I want to teach my children to appreciate the abundance of wholesome foods available on our continent.
Here are four of our favourites.
1. Fonio Cereal
Fonio cereal is first on the list and a household favourite. I cook about a third of a cup of fonio, which is usually more than enough for three people because it expands as it cooks. You can, of course, adjust the quantity to suit your appetite. Learn more about fonio and its health benefits here.
I serve it with locally made honey and either plant-based milk, such as homemade tigernut milk, or powdered milk. It is a simple breakfast that requires very few ingredients and is easy to prepare.
2. Banana Oat Muffins with Scrambled Eggs and Raw Cocoa
This is one of my favourite breakfasts to prepare in under 30 minutes, excluding preparation time. The muffins are made with oats and overripe bananas, making them a great way to use bananas that might otherwise go to waste.
Ingredients
For the oat muffins:
- 2 cups blended oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 5 large, overripe bananas, or more depending on their size
- ¼ cup pure honey
- 2 eggs
- A pinch of cinnamon
- A little water, if needed
- 1 spoonful of Nutella or a little vanilla (optional)
For serving:
- Scrambled eggs
- Raw cocoa powder
- Honey
- Milk
Method
- Preheat your oven and prepare your muffin pan.
- In a bowl, combine the blended oats, baking powder and baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, mash the overripe bananas. Add the honey, eggs and cinnamon, then mix well.
- If the banana mixture is too thick, add a little water.
- Add the oat mixture to the banana mixture and stir thoroughly. The consistency should resemble a very thick smoothie.
- If you like, add a spoonful of Nutella or a little vanilla for extra flavour.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake for up to 20 minutes, or until the muffins are cooked through.
- Serve with scrambled eggs and a cup of raw cocoa.
A Note on the Raw Cocoa
I always use raw cocoa powder when making chocolate drinks for my children. Since it can be quite bitter, I balance it with honey and plenty of milk. It makes a lovely alternative to the popular sugary chocolate drinks on the market.
3. Seasonal Fruits
This might sound unbelievable, but yes, we sometimes have an all-fruit breakfast using seasonal fruits. Get the seasonal fruit guide here.
When mangoes are in season, we have only mangoes for breakfast. The same applies to pineapples. You might be surprised to find that your children do not need an excessive quantity of fruit to feel satisfied.
If you prefer, you can combine two different fruits, such as bananas and pineapples. I love taking advantage of fruits when they are in season, and this is also a wonderful way to help children appreciate the variety of fruits available to us.
4. Pap
Pap is another favourite of mine and, in my opinion, one of the most undervalued foods in our communities.
I get mine specially prepared using a blend of yellow corn, guinea corn (sorghum), millet (a wonderful heart healthy grain), dates and tigernut. Paired with homemade akara or koose, it makes for a delicious and nutritious breakfast.
I should also add that pap is a wonderful food for gut health. Because it is fermented, it can support gut health and is a great option to include in children’s diets.
For me, a combination of meals like these are a reminder that feeding our children well does not always require complicated recipes or ingredients sourced from far away. Sometimes, we simply need to make better use of the wholesome foods already available to us.
Frequently Asked Questions
African breakfast options for children include fonio cereal, pap made from grains such as corn, millet and sorghum, homemade akara/koose, and other meals prepared with locally available ingredients. Seasonal fruits can also be part of a family’s breakfast routine.
Planning ahead can make breakfast preparation easier. Keep a list of meals your family enjoys and stock your pantry with the ingredients needed to prepare them. This gives you options without having to follow a rigid meal plan every day.
Fonio is a traditional African grain that can be cooked into a simple cereal and served with honey and milk. You can use homemade tigernut milk, another plant-based milk or powdered milk, depending on your preference.
Pap is a fermented cereal food made from grains such as corn. Fermentation changes the composition of the food and can produce compounds that may support gut health. The specific benefits depend on the grains used and the fermentation process.
This article is for educational purposes and must not be substituted for professional medical advice.
