This post is brought to you in partnership with Jif® Peanut Butter. Thank you for supporting the brands we love!
I can’t believe we’re halfway through July and the boys will be back in school in less than a month! I haven’t done anything to get ready for school yet have you? Like, Miles isn’t even registered for preschool!! ???? SO much to do to get ready. I am at least already thinking about how to make the transition from our relaxed non-regimented summer schedule to the routine of a new school year a little more pleasant. The thought of getting the boys up, fed, and out the door by 8am stresses me out just a little!
This school year I’ve partnered with Jif® Peanut Butter to share a few “happy morning hacks” as well as recipes and ideas for quick breakfasts using the new Jif® Cinnamon Peanut Butter Spread and Jif® Maple Peanut Butter Spread. These morning inspired flavors are a great addition to breakfast, especially with 7 grams of protein per serving! You can find these new flavors at grocery stores nationwide! I love both, but really love the cinnamon flavored one!
Before getting to the recipe and NEW video, I want to share a few hacks that make our mornings easier (and easier = happier) around here. Nothing earth shattering, just little things that make a big difference in the overall “feel” of our mornings….
1) Lay the boys clothes out for the day the night before. This just eliminates the battle of picking out clothes + getting dressed in the morning. If they are laid out the boys can get dressed as soon as they wake up, before they even come downstairs for breakfast! (They bathe/shower the night before as well!) I like to lay my gym or running clothes out the night before as well. If I’m ready for my workout as soon as the boys get out the door I’m more likely to actually get my workout done!
2) Pack lunches + backpacks/bags the night before! An obvious one, but I like to do this too, if I have an outing planned with Miles and Graham in the morning once Owen is off to school. I’ll pack my diaper bag, snacks, and lunches the night before if we’ll need them.
3) Have some ready-made breakfasts (not just cereal) that the boys and I can easily grab or easily assemble (like TODAY’S recipe + video)!! My boys often want a glass of milk in the morning but I really try not to let them drink it before they’ve eaten, otherwise they don’t fill up on actual food!
4) Wake up at least 15-20 minutes before the boys. Sometimes this is easy if I’m going for an early morning run and will be back long before they even wake up. But if not, it is so hard for me and something I need to do better at this year But just a little bit of time to get myself ready(ish), have a few minutes for personal study/prayer, get breakfast out, or take a few minutes to check/answer emails BEFORE the boys wake up can make such a big difference in our morning.
5) Take time to plan my day out (either the night before or before the boys wake up in the morning). Write down the top 1-3 priorities of the day? What absolutely needs to get done? Then add the things I’d like to get done. I really love lists and checking them off!
Okay, so these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites are more for myself than the boys. I love eating one or two before my run or workout, or just to hold me off until I can make myself something more substantial. Of course the boys love these! (Owen is actually getting tested in the next month to see if he can start eating peanut butter!! I am so hoping he can enjoy these too soon!)
They take just minutes to throw together and then I just keep them in the fridge to eat throughout the week. And they totally taste like a cookie! I used the Jif® Cinnamon Peanut Butter Spread and that hint of cinnamon is really what makes them taste just like an oatmeal cookie 🙂 So obsessed with these! {Recipe for these are at the very bottom of this post, so keep scrolling}
Another really great quick breakfast we love is a toast bar! We made a short video below to show you how we like to do ours. But be nice to us, we are rookies in video. We use both of the new Jif® Cinnamon and Maple flavored spreads!
These spreads pair so perfectly with whole grain toast, English muffins, bagels and lots of fun toppings. Pancakes and waffles (pre-made and reheated/toasted if you’re smart and saving time) are a great option too.
You can get as creative as you want with the toppings, but fresh fruit is our favorite! And granola! I love the additional crunch and sweetness granola adds. Mini chocolate chips would be good to add too ???? I like to have everything set out so the kids can just belly up to the bar and build their own toast. They’re so fun, you have to give them a try this school year!
And don’t forget about these babies….
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/3 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup Jif® Cinnamon Peanut Butter
- 1/4 cup honey or agave
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- In a large bowl stir oats, flaxseed, Jif cinnamon peanut butter, honey, vanilla, and cinnamon together until everything is incorporated. Lastly stir in mini chocolate chips. Roll into one inch balls and store in an air tight container in the refrigerator.
[…] a movie and worked on puzzles I whipped up these protein balls! I know I just shared these Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookie Energy Bites a couple of weeks ago, and while somewhat similar, these Almond Butter Crunch Protein […]