"Kicking off during September’s National Breakfast Month and to make sure everyone can regularly enjoy both the simplicity and fun of breakfast for dinner, Krusteaz is officially naming every Wednesday Night “Breakfast Night.”
When I growing up, next to my mom making my favorite comfort foods like mac and cheese, homemade chicken soup and grilled cheese sandwiches, I loved it when she would surprise us with breakfast for dinner. Usually during these meals, she would make waffles or pancakes and let us top them with our own toppings. From fresh cut fruit to chocolate chips and even whipped cream, my brothers and I would see who could eat the most pancakes, or create the best face or design on our waffles. Ah, the good ole days, without a care in the world. :-)
Now, flash forward 20+ years and I am now seeing how hard it is to have a weekly meal plan set for the family, as we still have one picky eater, and my husband comes home at different times each night, depending on meetings and traffic. So, unlike when I was a kid and we sat down at 5PM, there are some nights that my family is not sitting down until 7PM to eat a meal together. I still keep pasta Wednesdays in our house, which I grew up with with my Italian background, but have made a point to do fun dinners, including taco night and breakfast for dinner, in hopes to get the girls excited about eating, and making dinner time less stressful.
Last week was full of firsts, as Savannah started preschool, and Bella finally had one on one alone time with me without her sister home, since she was born. While Bella is going through a little separation anxiety from not having her sister home with her, Savannah, on the hand, was so excited to go to school to learn new things and make friends. By the second day, she was hopping out of the car and running in the building to start the day, not noticing her sister and I leaving. And, now that school is in session, I can see why so many families find mealtime stressful. From 6AM until about 3-4PM, I find myself going going going -- dropping Savannah off, picking her up, running errands or going food shopping, to doing homework and getting things ready for the next day. There have been times that I had to improvise or resort to take out, as the meal schedule I had planned called for more time that I had, or I was rushing around too much that I forgot to thaw food for dinner.
Like I shared above, I have been serving up pasta and homemade sauce every Wednesday, as it is tradition in our house. But, last Wednesday was a crazy day that I didn't have time to make sauce, and couldn't find the pasta to cook up. So, needing a quick dinner, I decided to do breakfast for dinner -- and, it was a hit! Both of my girls loved helping me prep the blueberry pancake batter, and sat at the table coloring, as they waited for me to make their Mickey Mouse shaped pancakes.
Then, when it was time to eat, they had a blast decorating their pancakes with their own toppings.
Usually Savannah is not up for trying new things, but seeing me make Mickey Mouse and sand dollar sized pancakes with the baking goodies/supplies I was sent from the folks at Krusteaz, she couldn't wait to decorate and then eat the ears and then Mickey's face.
In honor of National Breakfast Month in September, Krusteaz sent me a fun Breakfast Night starter kit that included the following -- scroll down to learn how you can win a similar prize pack:
- Krusteaz mixes for popular breakfast items like Buttermilk Pancake, Belgian Waffle, Blueberry Muffin and Blueberry Pancake.
- Some fun kitchen items like a pancake spatula, two squeeze bottles for pancake art, and a Krusteaz-branded oven mitt.
- Breakfast Night inspiration including a sample Breakfast Night recipes!
"In a national survey, Krusteaz found that nine out of ten (91 percent) Americans say they eat breakfast for dinner, with 56 percent doing so once a month or more often. For families, the trend is even more prevalent as 67 percent of respondents with children in the household say they have breakfast for dinner once a month or more."
Having leftovers that could be enjoyed as breakfast or even a snack on the go was extremely helpful the next as the girls woke up a little late, and we found ourselves rushing around to get out the door. But, because the breakfast was already cooked up and just had to be reheated, they were able to enjoy the most important meal of the day -- breakfast. :-)
Out of all the mixes I was sent from Krusteaz, I have to say my family's personal favorite was the blueberry pancake one. Both of my girls took a liking this year to blueberries when we went blueberry picking, and have since asked when we go food shopping for blueberries to snack on. They loved seeing the blueberries in the pancakes I cooked up, and even added a few fresh blueberries to complete their pancake faces. As for the muffins, I have always been a fan of the wild blueberry muffin (which I was sent to try) as well as the banana nut muffin. These muffins are so easy to make, and always come out fluffy and full of flavor. I love serving these muffins on the weekend to the family. My husband continues to compliment me on these "made from scratch" muffins...if only he knew they came from a mix. Shhh, don't tell. :-) I ask for extra time in the kitchen when making these as "made from scratch" take longer than box mixes. :-)
In addition to the delicious flavor of the pancakes, waffles and muffin mixes I use and was recently able to sample from Krusteaz, I love how the pancake and Belgian waffle mixes only call for water, while the muffins need vegetable oil, eggs and water. With only a few ingredients you probably already have handy, these mixes from Krusteaz are great to have on hand, for busy families on the go, as you can have your own "breakfast for dinner" night whenever you want or find yourself in a pinch from not taking out dinner or having enough time to prepare a meal you had planned. And, if you do like I did and make extra, you will have enough to save for breakfast the next day, or to serve up as a snack, or even freeze for later.
"A variety of factors contribute to the rising popularity of breakfast for dinner, with the main appeal being ease of preparation versus a traditional dinner meal (43 percent). For families especially, it’s also “a fun way to break up the monotony of weekly dinner night” cited by 44 percent."
I am so happy that Savannah is slowly learning to explore new food options beyond the 3-4 things she will eat. Now, I can add blueberry and buttermilk pancakes to the list. And, whenever the weekends roll around, I love being able to pull a box of Krusteaz pancake mix from the pantry and cook up a delicious, yet so simple to make breakfast the whole family can enjoy, before we spend the day together. The girls are already asking me if can have "breakfast for dinner" this week, as they want to have more Mickey Mouse pancakes. I will not hesitate to add this to the weekly meal plan, as I have always loved the idea of "breakfast for dinner," since I was a child. Now I get to enjoy it again, while sharing this special mealtime experience with my girls. I couldn't ask for anything more! :-)
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Click here to get the above berry pancake topping recipe from Krusteaz
Want to have your own Krusteaz "Breakfast Night"? Head on over to http://www.krusteaz.com/
Look at these pancakes -- they are PB & Jamcakes!
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This and other recipes can be found at http://www.krusteaz.com/
There are even a few that I will make for on the go snacks during the week, or as sweet treats on the weekend. If only I had more time in the kitchen, as this website offers an amazing collection of recipes that any foodie or cook would love to try out. :-) I can't wait to hear which recipes you end up trying, and which ones become favorites in your house. So, be sure to head back here and leave a comment letting me know. :-)
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--GIVEAWAY--
Want to surprise your family with "Breakfast for dinner" one of these nights? Well, thanks to the kind folks at Krusteaz, they are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a fun "Breakfast for Dinner" prize pack, which will include the following Krusteaz mixes: Buttermilk Pancake Mix (1), Blueberry Pancake Mix (1), Belgian Waffle Mix (1) and Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix (1), as well as Krusteaz coupons for free product.
To enter this giveaway, please complete the entries on the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclosure: I was sent samples from the vendor in order to write up an honest review. All views shared are mine and mine alone.
I like omelets and hash browns for dinner.
ReplyDeleteveggie omelets and turkey bacon!
ReplyDelete2 eggs over medium, white toast, bacon, sausage, and pancakes!
ReplyDeleteI love blueberry pancakes and sausage!
ReplyDelete