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Lux: taking a photo of pair of doors after I told her they were two of my favorites in the neighborhood.

Joan: her granola came with four blackberries. ‘I need more blackberries,’ she repeated for the rest of the meal. Don’t we all, Joan.

Alma: her little eyebrow furrows.

I had two food goals for March: 1/ get the girls to eat muesli or “cold oatmeal” for breakfast. I spend an enormous amount of my weekly budget on food, and yet I loathe putting money into cereal manufacturer’s coffers. The girl love oatmeal, but the ten-minute-prep-and-cool time is usually too long for us to wait. So muesli would eliminate processed grain cereal—saving money and cutting sugar. And it would mean breakfast would be ready in bowls, in the fridge, first thing every morning.

2/ Get the girls to eat beans and rice for several meals a week.

Both goals get an A for Attempted. Joan took to the muesli, aside from the one day I optimistically added raisins the night before and they bloomed into foreign things (in her mind). Lux did not take to it, now matter how charmingly I set out little bowls of brown sugar and raisins to accompany it, and she skipped breakfast all together on those days.

I made an enormous pot of rice and beans but made the mistake of following a recipe that asked for Chinese chili spice. It was too much for them, obviously, and it was just me that ended up eating rice and beans for about ten meals.

I’ll do a simple batch next and serve for lunch–a time when my meal prep is needlessly harried.

Both goals are coming with me into April.

15 Comments

  • Chloe Chouinard

    i make my oatmeal in the microwave, with 1.5 minutes oats (NOT 1 minute, they’re too mushy). Takes 2 minutes for a bowl, perhaps you could try that for Lux if you have a microwave.

  • Cindy

    Regarding oatmeal, I use quick oats (not instant) and pour over boiling water from the kettle I heat anyway for coffee or tea. My toddler loves it this way…it cooks and cools quickly. However, I’m thinking muesli will be a good summer goal. Thanks for the inspiration.

  • Susannah Williams

    Please do share if you find a winning beans and rice recipe. Love your goals…we started “new food Sunday” in January for my picky eaters and it’s been a positive way to challenge their eating.

  • Caitlin Marie

    I make steel cut oats in the slow cooker overnight and then reheat in the microwave for breakfasts all week! The reheating only takes about 1.5 mins

    • Caitlin Marie

      PS – I add a dash of milk to my toddlers after reheating to speed up the cooling process and maybe heat his less time, since they’re already fully cooked it doesn’t matter much

  • Katie

    Sounds like you have already gotten some great advice to make your breakfasts easier but I thought I would let you know what works for me. My son loves baked oatmeal but it bakes for 35 minutes. I usually make it l at night and then reheat in the microwave each morning with a little extra milk. It is good for several days. The blog two peas and their pod has some great recipes. We love the peanut butter apple and the blueberry coconut. Also, on my Instagram @katiealcottwellness I just posted a recipe for baked oatmeal muffins. My kids loved them! Happy cooking!

  • Susan Magnolia

    Since my daughter was little I have been making oats with more water and then straining out the hot liquid at the end. Adding cold milk and frozen blueberries also helps to cool it off fast. She still will not eat cold oatmeal either, it has to be that perfect temperature! I end up adding to pancake batter or make leftover oatmeal muffins.

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