Up 'n' Go for toddlers/pregnant women

I work just one day a week. On that morning I really struggle to get the kids to eat their breakfast as it is quite a lot earlier than usual (even I struggle to eat that early). I hate the idea of them going to daycare without something in their tummy. Do you think once a week it would be ok to give them an Up n Go type thing, which will get them through to morning tea at daycare. The kids are 3yrs and 17mths. I am also thinking those days I'd have one but I am 28wks pregnant atm. What are your thoughts? Asking the daycare to feed them their brekky is not an option.

I'm not sure what is in them so can't help there. When i used to catch the train to work early, i would have a yogurt and a muesli bar on the train. do your kids like the suck yogurt things? banana? or a fruit smoothy?

They had a segment about these on a morning show and they're really full of sugar. As are those yoghurt squeeze things. Can you not just make them a Vegemite (or something) sandwich the night before? Or some fruit? Or carrot sticks? Or homemade muffins/muesli slice?

Having them while pregnant is ok, just high in sugar as I said. Not sure if sustagen is the same... When I had my DS and had no appetite, the midwives suggested sustagen and bananas to fill me up.

I also don't find up and go very filling.

No I wouldn't, up n go has a lot of sugar but then again so do a lot of cereals people give their kids :/

Maybe like HotI suggested and some yoghurt and fruit, bananas are great. Even a sandwich you could make the night before and so it's ready in the morning.

You could make almost anything the night before, pop it in the fridge and serve it the next morning. Fruit salad and yogurt, Bircher muesli, smoothies etc.

is it the preparation, or just not wanting to eat solid breakfast so early?

i think the vaalia squeezy yogurts are not too bad in terms of sugar.

You can also get your own squeezy tube things and fill with yoghurt of preference :)

You can also get reusable squeezy sachets that you could put your own yogurt/smoothies into.

Can you take their usual breakfast to childcare and they have it there? We were always happy for children to bring breakfast, especially if it meant less rushing in the morning for the family.
What about a smoothie with fruit and
Yoghurt made the night before? That way you control what goes into it.

A lovely ex mod used to make her kids boiled eggs, sometimes even baby sausages the night before and they would have a care package to eat in the car on the way to daycare. Even wraps or sandwiches are better than up and go. Convenience foods teach bad habits. I hate any food that's on the go. Even some good breakfast muffins would suffice. You can do veggie ones or fruit and cereal ones.

I give mine a banana to eat on way - they do get breakfast at daycare too but I can't leave house without eating so hate thought of them doing same even though they get toast at daycare. How about a banana smoothie if think a drink would go down better.

Coconut flour muffins are super awesome (bake the recipe in a slab tin and cut in squares for super easy). Banana bread too. A lot of those things you can mix in under 15mins then shove in the oven and pull it out when the timer goes off and it's done. You can store it in the fridge and grab out for breakfasts or even make a bit a few weeks ahead and freeze, just pulling out the portions you want the night before. The coconut flour ones are great because they're full of eggs and coconut oil and are a great breakfast. Have it with some fresh fruit and you're sorted.

Eenee and PZ where do you buy those pouches? Just the other day I was thinking wouldn't it be great to buy the pouches as I make my own yoghurt.

How about buying some sinchies pouches? They have a FB page. They're fairly inexpensive too and reusable! You could then use plain yoghurt and add your own fruit to them or even just buy some plain yoghurt and mix in some puréed apple. The Coles 6 pack has no baddies in it and you would only need a small amount to sweeten or you could sweeten it with a little honey or vanilla bean paste.

Why isn't breakfast an option at daycare? If it's because you arrive after the breakfast offerings are over, then packing breakfast for them to have when they arrive, or to eat in transit is a good option. I don't think the up n go type thing is really enough to get them through until morning tea, TBH - mostly because I've noticed my own kids need more food up front at the start of the day than during the rest of it.

FWIW my DD used to arrive at family daycare at an awkward time, so we developed a routine where I would give her a warm milk drink (low GI) at home/in the car on the way, and then 20-30 min after she got to care, she would sit down and have her actual breakfast. Even when i tried to shovel breakfast into her at home, she wouldnt' eat enough and ended up needing a 2nd breakfast at care anyway (LOL). When we've gone other places first thing, she's always happy to have a picnic breakfast in the car, in which case I try to give her a selection of things like sandwiches, dried or fresh fruit (cut up), small pieces of boxed cereal, cheese cubes, etc - so it's like finger food (bit less messy in the car).

Having said all of that, when I was pregnant I would do the Up and Go thing in the car on mornings sometimes when I was struggling - but always with another portable food like a (dietician-recommended brand) muesli bar or a banana. There's not enough in it to be a good breakfast by itself for a preggy lady.

Hi Nel.B.

I use to have an up and go/sustagen in the traffic on the way to work when pregnant, then a bigger breakfast at work.

Do you have a stick blender? Early mornings my DD isn't keen on eating a breakfast first thing either so I just quickly wiz up a banana and strawberry smoothie with yoghurt and stick it in straw cup. Only takes a minute. That would be perfect for in the car. You would probably love it also.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. The kids arrive after breakfast and the daycare has a no outside food policy as all food is provided. I think I might just make them/me a smoothie packed full of fruit and yoghurt =)

Meh... It's only once a week. I wouldn't beat myself up about it if we all had an up and go every now and then. Although, They are really expensive and also I've found they aren't that great on filling the tummy.