So what's for breakfast?

As I stated in the first post, we're trying to stay on a budget for 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. This includes breakfast - so I thought I'd write a few notes on the topic of the best meal of the day (in my opinion!)

Eating Breakfast on the Cheap:

• Rethink cereal: Despite rising cereal prices over the past few years, cereal is still a fairly affordable breakfast food/anytime snack. When I met my husband he was sharing an apartment with a friend and eating mostly cereal. He was also frequently hungry. If you haven't before, take the time to flip over the box of your favorite cheap cereal and look at three numbers 1. protein content, 2. fiber content, and 3. sugar content. Amid the low-sugar low-fat craze of the 1980's and 90's, many cereals are low in fat and sugar, but few have the amount of fiber and protein that will fill you up and keep you from stopping at the coffee shop during your midmorning break because you can't ignore your grumbling stomach a moment longer!

So we've established that most cheap cereals are abysmally low in fiber and protein, however, if you look at most of the cereals on the grocery store shelf, the only ones that aren't are the granola (at least $3/box) or expensive diet variety (ie: Kashi go-lean or Special K).

The solution t the cereal conundrum? There are several. First, you can make your own granola for significantly less than the store bought variety.

Home made Granola (the quick, easy, stovetop way!)

2 c "Old Fashioned" oats $.26
1c favorite grocery store cereal (Honey Bunches of Oats, Honey Nut Cheerios, and granola all work well, buy store brand, if you can!) optional $.31 (this assumes a $2.50 box with 8 servings)
1/3c of any TWO of the following: raisins, well packed; chopped nuts; shredded coconut, other dried fruit; flax seed or multigrain mix. Cost varies: for raisins and coconut $.85
2T plus 1T oil $.10 (from a $2.00 bottle with 64 T)
2T butter or margarine $.12 (from a four stick $2.00 box)
2T brown sugar. Approximately $.05
2T honey (substitute maple syrup or more brown sugar)
1 tsp of vanilla flavoring OR cinnamon (you can also add 1/4tsp of ginger, nutmeg, or cloves)
OPTIONAL: 2T protein powder

To Make: Heat 1T oil in a large pot (not frying pan). Also, get out a cookie sheet or baking pan and set aside. It is helpful to me to have my ingredients out on the counter, pre-measured, because you have to work fast at the end. When the oil is hot add the oats to the oil and toast, stirring frequently. This should take about 5-7 mins, depending on your stove/pot. They are done when the edges become smooth instead of "fuzzy" looking (you laugh now, but wait until you try!). Dump them out onto the cookie sheet or baking pan to cool.

Return the pot to low heat, and add remaining oil, butter/margarine, sugar, and honey/sugar, as well as the spices and protein powder, if using. Heat the ingredients until the sugar dissolves, stirring frequently. Then, working quickly, return the oats to the pot and add the rest of the ingredients (including grocery store cereal). Toss everything to coat it in the syrup, and heat 2mins. Finally, spread it out on the cookie sheet to cool. When kept in a sealed tupperware, this lasts about 1 week without going stale - though I doubt it will last that long!

Try it with yogurt, or as cereal topped with fresh fruit!

Cost: $1.69 for over 3 cups of granola, make just the way you like it!
Number of Servings: 4 three quarter cup servings
Cost Per Serving: $.42


Second option? Go for the oats! I vastly prefer the "old fashioned" variety to the quick oats, however, I know many people who aren't safe with a hot stove first thing in the morning, so make your choice accordingly. Both cost $2.00 for a 30-serving container of store brand, making each serving only $.06! (note: a single serving is only 150 calories, so make at least two if you aren't eating anything else for breakfast!) The issue I have with oats is that for pseudo-vegetarians, they tend to be a bit low in protein. Even if you're a regular meat-eater, having a good amount of protein for breakfast helps stave off the mid-morning munchies! So here are some suggestions to liven up your oatmeal.

1. Add 1/4c frozen blueberries and 1/2 tsp vanilla per serving when you add the oatmeal to the boiling water. Yes, they turn the oats a bit blue, but the frozen variety are cheaper and hold up better to stirring. At our local grocery the store brand are $1.50 for 2 cups, so that's about $.19 more per serving to make your oatmeal exciting!

2. Add 1/2tsp cinnamon and 2T raisins per serving when you add the oatmeal to the boiling water. Not only does this taste great, but it makes the kitchen smell wonderful! At $2.99 for a 3c container, that works out to an extra $.12/serving.

3. If you have a soymilk maker, make one serving of oatmeal and mix in 1/2 c of okara to the hot oats (free!). Then I add 1/2 sliced banana at $.08 (after boiling) and honey to sweeten. Yum!

4. Shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened, your choice) is also a wonderful addition - I love this with dried apricots. Unfortunately, apricots are a little pricey, so only buy them on sale or with coupons! Cost for coconut (again, about 2T before boiling is good). $1.50/2c = $.05/serving

For ALL oatmeal I recommend drinking it with a big glass (8oz!) of soymilk or dairy milk to increase the protein content. Or, if you have access to a discount store like I do, buy a container of whey protein powder (vanilla flavor) and add a scoop of that to the cooked oatmeal. I used to do that every day at the cafeteria at my undergraduate college. I got a lot of sideways looks coming into the breakfast line at 7:30am with a baggie of white powder, but it helped me get through my days of cross country running!


If you're a fan of eggs and don't have any cholesterol problems, try 2 eggs fried (you can just spray the pan with non-stick spray to keep fat down), fresh fruit and toast.

2 eggs $.22
whole wheat toast (bread machine loaf) $.12 - this includes margarine and jelly, however, grocery store bread bought on sale would be only slightly more expensive
1 banana $.16 (at $.49/lb)

Cost: $.50

Note: On buying bread - I highly suggest the bread machine route. It costs us about $.70 to have our own, fresh, whole wheat loaf that makes about 11 slices. However, if you can't come across a used bread machine or afford a new one, a good intermediate choice is to buy frozen bread dough at your grocery store. Rhodes is one brand I've tried. At $3 for 3 loaves of no-preservative whole wheat bread, that's not a bad deal! http://www.rhodesbread.com/products/view/812

Now that's a post to make anyone a morning person! (I'll have to post later with my favorite crepe and pancake recipes, also very affordable!)