Exam season is here again and if you have teens in the house, that means a few things – mornings will be busier than ever, your offspring will likely be more stressed and irritated and a great breakfast is crucial.
Finding time to prepare a cooked breakfast each morning is unrealistic for most households but that doesn’t mean you need to skimp on a great start to the day. Each of these delicious breakfast ideas are teen-approved and take just a few minutes to pull together so they’ll leave for their exam well fed and set up for the day ahead.
- Cacao porridge
Porridge is a quick, easy, nutritious and endlessly adaptable breakfast idea. It’s great for boosting energy levels and provides a steady stream of energy release, meaning there’ll be no mid-morning slump in the middle of the exam. Cacao porridge is really easy to make too – just grab a serving of porridge oats, add any kind of milk (skimmed, semi-skimmed or a favourite nut milk) and a scoop of cacao porridge.
Now, chocolately porridge is delicious on its own but it’s totally possible to pimp those bowl and add a whole host of tasty toppings for a different combo each morning. Try a swirl of honey or maple syrup, a spoonful of nut butter, seeds for crunch and a chopped banana, coconut sautéed banana pieces, berries or even mini marshmallows to jazz it up.
- Smoothie bowl
You might have seen smoothie bowls on Instagram – and if not you, your teen surely will. This is a great way to start the day with a few of their five-a-day and again, it comes together in minimal time and can be customised in a million different ways. Just throw a frozen banana in a blender as your base with some nut milk or fruit juice and then add in any other ingredients you like – apple juice, mint and ginger is a good combination or go tropical with mango and pineapple. Frozen berries work brilliantly or, stick to the banana and add a scoop of cacao to make a chocolate-milkshake vibe. Healthy and delicious.
- Banana pancakes
With just one or two simple ingredients, you can make a twist on the ever-popular pancake stack. All you need to do is mash up a ripe banana in a bowl, add two eggs and mix. Simply fry as normal in a little oil. To mix it up, you could add a handful of chocolate chips, blueberries or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Want more ideas for healthy brain foods? Click here to see our guide on Brain Food for Exams (that children will actually want to eat!)
