Cooking up Some Healthy Fun

We have all probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but that doesn't mean that we always eat it.  From the race to get out the door in time, to fussy eaters, to kids who just don't feel hungry first thing in the morning, that most important meal can easily be missed. I often wish that I had a  magic clock that made time move slower in the morning, or gave me an extra hour to get ready.  Until one of those things is invented though, I will take any suggestions that I can get to make my morning routine easier, and ensure that I am able to fit a healthy and well-balanced breakfast in.

It goes without saying that I was excited about our Back to School Breakfast Party with Kellogg's at Epicurious Kids Cookery.  Finally, an event where I could arrive in my pajamas, eat when I got there, and learn some tips about how to avoid showing up to future events with unbrushed hair, and food in my mouth!  

We were lucky to be able to host our breakfast at Epicurious Kids' Cookery, a kids' cooking school in Northwest Calgary.  From the brightly painted walls, to the kid friendly measuring spoons, to height adjustable risers so even the smallest chefs can reach the counter, everything about Epicurious Kids is designed with the needs of children in mind.

When big and small guests arrived at the studio, they had the opportunity to prepare for their cooking adventure by decorating a chef's hat:

Then, it was time for a cooking demonstration by Michelle, the owner of Epicurious Kids.  Michelle showed us how to use cereal, fruit, and yogurt to create a fast, healthy and delicious parfait that could be eaten for breakfast or as a snack, and could even be taken in the car for a meal on the run.  What a wonderful way to incorporate three important food groups in a meal, and to allow kids to create their own custom creations.  

As we learned from Kellogg's, getting kids involved in breakfast preparation and allowing them to do things like create their own unique blends of cereals and toppings can be an excellent way to encourage fussy eaters to eat.  We had a wonderful selection of Kellogg's cereals and bite sized fruits to choose from:

Each table in the cooking area was also stocked with larger fruits and child safe knives so that our little ones could practice their cutting skills:

Soon, it was time to select our cereals, and head into the kitchen to make our breakfast treats:

I think everyone had fun :)

After all of that hard work, we sure enjoyed the fruits of our labour:

We also learned from Kellogg's that you can encourage your kids to take time to eat breakfast by making the breakfast table a fun and festive place, so we let the little ones play with their food while they ate:

This meant there was lots of time for our moms to chat, learn about cereal nutrition, and share tips for dealing with morning challenges:

Of course, there was storytime too.  We enjoyed reading "The Grumpy Morning" by Pamela Duncan Edwards, an adorable story about a farm full of animals that aren't happy until they have eaten a proper breakfast.  We were sad to see the morning come to an end, but everyone went home with a reusable shopping bag full of Kellogg's cereal coupons and other treats, and one lucky mom won an enormous gift basket of Kellogg's cereal and merchandise:

The fun and giveaways aren't over either.  Stay tuned, because we are going to announce the details of a related contest shortly.

Thank you Kellogg's and Epicurious Kids for literally making our breakfast.  We had a wonderful morning, and learned so much!