You are in a hurry and need to rush out of the house, but you want your children to have a healthy breakfast too. You know that if you give them a bowl of cereal they will sit and pick at it too long. You could stop for fast food, but that can be expensive and may contain more fat and sodium then you prefer. You could throw a handful of bite size cereal into a plastic sandwich bag and fill their sippy cups with juice. But, you hate to do that because it gives you “bad mommy” syndrome. Why not make some quick breakfast burritos that are warm, contain many of the food groups, and the children will love them.

(c) Photo by Rick Audet.

Ingredients

You’ll need a package of flour tortillas (Buy the small size to fit into small hands. Not to mention, they are a bit thicker so they don’t tear like the larger tortillas.) Better yet, make your own. Mix three cups of unbleached all-purpose flour, a pinch of salt, 2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 4-6 tablespoons of Crisco. Cut the Crisco into the flour mixture, and then add water by tablespoonfuls until you get the consistency of your children’s play-doh. Here is the link to the recipe. http://www.texasrollingpins.com/tortillarecipeprint.html

Fresh egg scrambled in a frying pan, about one egg per burrito

Shredded cheese, about half a tablespoon per burrito

Optional: Half slice of bacon per burrito. (I like the precooked kind there is so much less mess.) Optional: If your children like onions, mushrooms, tomatoes or hash browns then add a little to the burritos.

Preparation

Lay a tortilla flat. Place the scrambled eggs, cheese, and any optional items in the center. Roll the burrito, folding one end up about half an inch so the ingredients don’t fall out when your child is eating it.

If your child likes the optional vegetables then each burrito has foods from the four food groups. Bread and grain group – tortilla

Meat and bean group – eggs, bacon

Milk and cheese group- cheese

Fruit and vegetable group – onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, or potatoes

If your child is like mine and won’t eat those optional ingredients a sippy cup with 100% juice will round out your meal nicely. Each burrito should cost you less than 50 cents to make yourself.

By Julia Fuller