Your family does a lot for you: helping with homework, cooking your meals, and taking you to fun places. Why not give them a treat on Valentine's Day? A relaxing breakfast with a few special touches is a great way to show how much you love them.
Everyone Can Help!
Little sisters and brothers can do simple tasks, such as adding and stirring ingredients. Always be careful with heat, sharp knives, and electricity, and check with a grown up before starting any kitchen task. Click here, opens a new window to learn about kitchen safety rules.
Create a Keepsake Hearts Place Mat
Use sturdy construction paper as your background. Gather some glitter glue, paper doilies (available at many grocery stores), different colors of construction paper, tissue paper or Valentine's Day napkins, and paint pens, crayons, or markers. Cut out hearts and overlap them a bit to make a more interesting design. Add pictures of yourselves and anything else flat you can think of that might be fun, and, of course, write a loving message. When you're finished, cover both sides with a clear, sticky sheet (available at most craft stores) and trim the edges.
A Tiny Bouquet!
There's not much choice for fresh flowers in February. They fade so quickly and can be expensive. Instead of cut flowers, choose 1 or 2 dried or fabric flower bunches from the crafts department, and wrap the stems with fabric tape for security. Then, glue a scrap of lace or other pretty fabric over the tape for a little something extra to go on the breakfast tray.
If there's no time for a sit-down breakfast, consider creating this frothy and healthy fruit shake. Just remember to remove the blender bowl from the base and soak it so you don't leave a mess for later!
Banana Breakfast Drink
- 2 small ripe bananas, peeled, strings removed, sliced
- 2 cups cold milk
- 2 tablespoons honey*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Place bananas, milk, honey and vanilla in a blender. Cover. Blend until smooth and frothy. Serve immediately. From BigOven., opens a new window
*Please note: the Food & Drug Administration warns that children less than a year old should not eat honey., opens a new window
More Cooking Ideas in the Library
Click here, opens a new window for a list of all of our children's cookbooks. Below are a few that are especially nice for breakfast treats.
Emeril's There's A Chef in My Soup! by Emeril Lagasse
Fun and wonderful food! Breakfast treats include Wake-You-Up Apple-Cinnamon Muffins, Yummy Wake-Up Smoothies, Mile-High Blueberry Muffins, Gooey Cinnamon Buns, Buttery Maple-Corn Muffins, Kicked-Up Scrambled Eggs, Cinnamon Toast of Love, and Emeril's Favorite French Toast.
Honest Pretzels written and illustrated by Mollie Katzen
Provides step-by-step instructions for a variety of recipes, arranged in such categories as "Breakfast Specials," "Soups, Sandwiches & Salads for Lunch or Supper," and "Desserts and a Few Baked Things." A fun how-to for kids from the author of vegetarian classic, The Moosewood Cookbook, opens a new window.
Pancakes to Parathas, opens a new window
Explore the morning meals of 12 countries in this playful approach to the world!
Especially for Valentine's Day
Hearts & Crafts by Sheri Brownrigg
Why not include a pretty Valentine craft on your breakfast tray? This book has recipes for scones, truffles, and tea time treats which may also be good choices for a light breakfast.
My Very Own Valentine's Day by Robin West
Recipes and crafts to help make Valentine's Day special.
For Younger Chefs
Salad People and More Real Recipes by Mollie Katzen
Twenty more recipes that are healthy and fun to make as well as delicious!
Super Simple Breakfasts, opens a new window
Recipes with easy-to-follow instructions on preparing foods and beverages for breakfast, including waffle sandwiches, buenos días burritos, and peanutty banana splits.
The Toddler Cookbook by Annabel Karmel
Easy recipes for drinks, meals, and sweets that toddlers can help make.
Recipes and Cooking Tips on the Web
Emeril's Favorite French Toast , opens a new window
This is one of the first things the famous chef made when he was a little boy. Fresh-squeezed orange juice adds an extra bit of "Bam!" Orange zest is grated orange peel. You can find it at the grocery store with the spices or grate your own.
Honey-Cinnamon Cream Cheese Spread
Good for bagels, toast, or as a dip for apples. Not for children under 1 year.
How to Make Cinnamon Toast, opens a new window
Dependably delightful and super easy.
Kitchen Safety Tips
Children's Hospital Colorado gives suggestions for tasks children can handle, broken down by age level.
Microwave Scrambled Eggs, opens a new window
This breakfast classic packs a lot of protein.
Mini Morsel Pancakes, opens a new window
A sweet take on the standard flapjacks.
Rainbow Breakfast Wraps
Featuring granola, Greek yogurt, and fruit. Not for children under 1 year. Hint: if you want to keep knife work to a minimum, just use blueberries for Blueberry Breakfast Wraps.
