Homeschool Mornings: Cake for Breakfast?

I hate mornings. No, really. I do! I have tried to become a morning person . . . several times. And it still hasn’t happened. I am of the strong opinion that the hours of 6:00, 7:00, and 8:00 should not come twice a day.

I am also the only one in my family who has this strong opinion. The rest of my family enjoys things like sunrises. I prefer sunsets.

But whether it’s during summer break or smack in the middle of the school year, my family and I do share the strong opinion that breakfast is important.

The nutrition that starts our day (physically and spiritually) tends to influence how the rest of our day goes. While our morning routine often flexes depending on the day’s demands, there are two things that often tend to help get our days off to a good start.

The first is turning on praise and worship music, hymns, and scripture set to music while we get dressed and have breakfast. This is one way we “Let the word of Christ dwell in [us] richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God” (Colossians 3:16). God’s Word and truth, music, bopping, and movement (after a coffee or two) sure bring to mind Psalm 143:8: “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; cause me to know the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul.

The other thing that helps our day get started well is to have cake for breakfast.

At least, that’s what my kids told our family doctor . . .

I’ll explain.

Due to various factors, focus during school being the main one, we switched to breakfasts that can be fairly grab-and-go but also include good protein, fiber, and good fats. Very quickly after making this switch, we noticed focus improved, attitudes were more joyful and peaceful, and no one needed second breakfast half an hour later. And not just the kids—my husband and myself too! Some of our favorite breakfasts include black bean cake, sweet spinach muffins, banana Greek yogurt muffins, and chickpea peanut butter bars.

We have experimented with recipes by reducing or eliminating the listed sugar amount or using honey or date sugar; using gluten-free flours; using coconut oil, applesauce, or mashed bananas in place of oil; and including “fun stuffs” like pepitas, nuts of choice, sunflower seeds, flax meal, and diced or dried fruit.

Often, our kids help make the breakfast recipes. It has encouraged conversations about where vanilla extract comes from; what a cup and one-third doubled is; the difference between baking soda and baking powder; why bananas are technically berries in botanical terms; and why Mama adds some dark chocolate chips whenever possible (because mornings are hard!).

So when the sun shines through your window in the morning, may it be a reminder of God’s intentional creation, of His presence, and that seasons come and go . . . but He’s always with us.

Am I saying this is the only or best way to have breakfast or start your mornings? Absolutely not. Maybe these recipes will be your desserts. Maybe you’ll just have more ideas of what you might like to try for a morning routine. Genesis 1:14 says, “Then God said, ‘Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.’” So when the sun shines through your window in the morning, may it be a reminder of God’s intentional creation, of His presence, and that seasons come and go . . . but He’s always with us. Even when mornings are hard.

This blog is not intended to be medical or nutritional advice.