This post is sponsored by General Mills Cereals.
Breakfast Cereal Smoothie Bowl: a vibrant, berry-filled smoothie bowl made with assorted frozen berries, banana, mango, almond butter and ground flaxseed, finished with crunchy cereal and seeds for a balanced, kid-friendly breakfast.
Summer moves quickly, and before you know it, back-to-school routines are on the horizon. Our household has enjoyed long days of playing outside, park trips, camps, family movie nights and relaxed bedtimes. Those later evenings are great for summer, but if you’re a planner like me, you’ll want to begin easing back into a school schedule a couple of weeks before the first bell.
To get everyone back on track, I start with bedtime. During summer we relax the schedule, but in mid to late August I reintroduce a consistent bedtime routine so the kids are used to going to bed earlier. The first few nights are easier if we increase daytime activity—extra trips to the pool, park visits or bike rides. Physical activity helps kids feel ready to sleep earlier, and it reduces bedtime resistance.
Preparing for school affects the whole family. My husband and I shift our own schedules earlier, and I begin planning make-ahead dinners, fall activities and our family calendar. I’m also the one who buys school supplies and attends orientation and meet-the-teacher nights. We like to set small, achievable goals with the kids—things like improving a math grade or practicing better listening. These simple goals help them think about the new school year in a positive way.
One of my priorities when school starts is a reliable, nourishing breakfast. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. I focus on simple, healthy options that are quick to prepare and easy to customize so the kids will actually eat them.
My approach is to prep easy, nutritious breakfasts that support our routine—egg on toast, waffles, avocado toast or a simple bowl of cereal with milk and fruit. Keeping the fridge and pantry stocked at the start of each week makes mornings less stressful and helps everyone leave the house fueled and ready.
My current go-to is a cereal smoothie bowl. These are fast to make, customizable and a big hit with my kids. You can even blend the smoothie the night before and keep it chilled—just add the crunchy toppings in the morning so they stay crisp. Letting the kids choose their own toppings makes breakfast fun and gives them some independence.
These bowls can be tailored to pack in nutrients: blend in greens for a green smoothie, add almond butter or Greek yogurt for protein, or stir in ground flaxseed for extra fiber. On busy weekdays I limit toppings to one or two choices to keep the routine quick; Honey Nut Cheerios are a favorite in our house for their taste and texture.
General Mills Cereals has been working to improve ingredients in many of their cereals, removing artificial flavors and colors from artificial sources in most products. Several cereals now use real ingredients for flavor—cinnamon in Cinnamon Toast Crunch, cocoa in Cocoa Puffs and Reese’s Puffs, and honey in Honey Nut Cheerios—and fruit or vegetable extracts for color in some varieties. Their Big G cereals list whole grain as the primary ingredient and provide vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D and calcium.
Here’s to a strong start to the school year—give these Breakfast Cereal Smoothie Bowls a try and adapt them to your family’s tastes and nutritional needs.
Back-to-school tips: pack lunches, set out backpacks and homework folders the night before, and try waking 30 to 45 minutes before the kids so you can enjoy a quiet moment and a cup of coffee before the morning rush.
*Children who eat cereal for breakfast are more likely to meet daily requirements for certain vitamins and minerals. Eating breakfast can support focus and performance at school. At breakfast, cereal can be a primary source of nutrients like vitamin D and calcium. – From General Mills
Breakfast Cereal Smoothie Bowl
Ingredients
For the smoothie bowl:
- 1 to 2 cups assorted frozen berries like blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and blackberries
- 1 frozen banana
- ½ cup frozen mango chunks
- 1 cup non-fat plain greek yogurt
- 1 ½ cups almond milk + more if needed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 to 2 teaspoons ground flaxseed meal optional
For toppings:
- Fresh berries sliced
- Hemp seeds optional
- Honey Nut Cheerios
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
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Place the frozen fruit in a blender, add the Greek yogurt, almond milk, almond butter and ground flaxseed if using. Blend until smooth, adding a bit more almond milk if needed to reach the desired consistency. Pour into bowls and finish with your chosen toppings.
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by General Mills Cereals. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands and products I use and feed to my family.