English Muffin Mornings

Special thanks to Maple Leaf Foods for sponsoring this post and giveaway. CONTEST CLOSED.

My son will eat almost anything I cook with gusto. He’s willing to try new dishes and will even reluctantly choke down bites of things he doesn’t like in the name of nutrition. I should probably brag about this and write a book about how to not raise a picky eater. There’s just one problem.

Breakfast is a nightmare. He won’t eat cereal. I mean, sure, he enjoys oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, french toast, bagels and eggs, so what’s the big deal? Listen, maybe in your family you wake up two hours early to shower and dress and have your coffee and make lunches and cook a nice, hot breakfast before waking up the kids, nursing the baby, changing diapers, getting them dressed and packing school bags. Maybe you do. I won’t judge. But I tend to stay up way too late, basking in the sweet, sweet quiet, and then wind up hitting the snooze bar four or five times too many.

Mornings around here are more of a tropical storm than a peaceful time for nutritive and emotional restoration. “Get dressed! No, pee first! Where’s your sweater? Where’s your bag? What’s this form? What?! That’s due today?! Eat, eat, eat! Forget it, let’s go. Coats! Boots! Hats! Where’s your other mitt? Run, run, run!” It’s really a wonder they aren’t in tears by the time they board the school bus.

Suffice it to say, then, that I love any sort of non-cereal breakfast food that is both fast and healthy. We usually end up doing toast or bagels or oatmeal, but I like variety. So I was super happy to try Dempster’s new and improved english muffins on for size this week. We’ve done english muffins before, but I tend to forget about them.

The Demspter’s come in plain, whole wheat and cinnamon raisin, and are nice and soft with lots of crevices for sopping up your favourite topping. The verdict: cinnamon raisin with butter is a quick-and-easy crowd pleaser. But clearly whole wheat is the healthiest. Spread it with peanut butter and serve with fruit on the side and a glass of milk and I can even feel good about rushing my kids out the door.

For pure enjoyment, though, you’re not going to beat strawberry jam.

CONTEST CLOSED: Congrats to Cheryl and Susan Margaret!

Giveaway: Okay, let me have ’em. What other weekday morning breakfasts (other than cold cereal, alas) am I forgetting? Answer in the comments and I’ll draw two names to win four free Dempster’s product coupons each. Contest closes at midnight on December 23. Canada only.

I have received compensation for this post as part of the MLF Connects program. Opinions and words are still mine, of course.