Kid-Friendly Citrus: Some Tips and Tricks

We try to eat seasonal fruit whenever possible. That means we truly gorge on strawberries during the month of May and eat them rather sparingly the rest of the year. Do we miss them? Not when peach season hits in all its juiciness. Then, the crisp mult-dimensional apple flavors take over. And then the perfect winter complement arrives: citrus! Just like other seasonal fruit, citrus fruit is far better this time of year than other times (and it packs a nice vitamin C punch right when we need it most).

Unfortunately, the poor orange doesn't make its way to a kid's plates as often as other fruits. Who wants to peel a million oranges, pull off any rough strings, then cut them into bite-sized pieces? It takes so darned long. Think again!

Here's a quick primer to citrus types and some strategies for getting them onto your kids' plates more often.

Grapefruit: by far, the best grapefruit are red/pink (this refers to the INSIDE color; the outside is still yellowy-pink) Texas grapefruit. If you can get them, bypass all other choices. Trust me on this. How to eat: slice in half through its equator. Slice around each section (painstaking work, I'll admit) and spoon out into a little bowl. For older children, let them spoon their own sections out. This really doesn't take that long; I usually cut ours up while toast is toasting or even while the kids are already eating their cereal. My kids like grapefruit plain (as long as it's that sweet Texas grapefruit), but you can always sprinkle a bit of sugar on it to tempt little palates.

Naval Oranges: generally, the best naval oranges for eating out of hand (as opposed to juicing) come from California. We like the giant ones Sam's Club usually has in stock (in 10-pound bags!). But you can find CA oranges in most grocery stores. How to eat: score the skin (not cutting into the flesh) twice around--in perpendicular lines--making an "x" over each end of the orange. The peel will come off easily in four big pieces. If cutting up for young children, split the orange into two halves and cut the sections horizontally across into small pieces. Then, separate the individual sections. This saves you a lot of time over splitting the sections apart and then cutting each section into smaller pieces.

Tangerines: We like tangerines, we really do. But, honestly, these are my last choice in the citrus line-up. They have a wonderfully perfumy flavor that is very different from the rest, but they are a PAIN to deseed for young children.

Clementines: Readily available this time of year (even though they frequently come from Spain), these are the easiest of the group to peel. They are also usually seedless, juicy, and a perfect size for small hands! How to eat: Older children can peel their own! Peel for younger children and split into two halves. Slice horizontally through each half once. Separate sections into individual pieces.

Mandarins: Available at places like Sam's club. These are similar in size to clementines, but a bit harder to peel. They're not quite as juicy, but they have a terrific flavor (my kids love these best). How to eat: Older children can peel their own! Peel for younger children and split into two halves. Slice horizontally through each half once. Separate sections into individual pieces.

Canned Mandarin Oranges: for very young children, this is a perfect option. Citrus fruits can have hard to chew sections, so these canned slices are an excellent choice. They have the same vitamin C and can be found packed in juice instead of syrup (Kroger brand actually).

A word on cost: sometimes, the price of a 5-pound box of clementines looks prohibitive. They go on sale around here frequently for $6/box. If you think about it, that's only $1.20/pound--what you pay for most in season fruit. Berries are always more than that; apples are often, too, unless they're on sale. Even when on sale in most stores, apples rarely drop below $1/pound. So, indulge in that box of easy-to-peel and kid-friendly citrus. Your kids will love them, and you'll have a nice change from the usual apples.

10 Tips to Tempt Those Tiny Palates (the ethnic version)

I've written about this before, but it bears repeating: whatever you feed your kids when they're young is what they learn to like. We think that curry, hot chili pastes, weird Asian greens, and the like are too weird for young children. What do you think 3-year-olds eat in India, China, Mexico, etc.? They eat "weird" stuff because that's what their families eat.

We have tried a variety of ethnic foods on our children. This has worked to our advantage and our disadvantage. Advantages: they frequently eat fish in most any form, they like most curries, they like Asian stir-fries and have even eaten bok choy, etc. However, they do not appreciate spaghetti or other tomato-sauced dishes (sigh).

This is part of my strategy with the different theme weeks I'm doing: I want my children exposed to a variety of foods, particularly the ones my husband and I enjoy. I think the more frequently they see/taste something, the better. Their memories are still pretty short, so seeing something several times in a week is not a bad idea. And, it helps me to know where the shortcomings are. For instance, during our Indian week, I learned that the kids don't mind a mild curry dish! Who knew?! But, they're not as crazy about garam masala (really, another curry type). I would have expected the opposite.

So, how do you go about introducing your kids to different "weird" flavors?

1. Keep the main ingredients recognizable: chicken, potatoes, rice, whatever. They'll be more likely to try it if they recognize it.

2. Start small: plain rice with a side of chicken curry or stir-fried beef.

3. Start mild: include some minimal heat, but don't throw chipotles in your chili just yet.

4. Provide condiments that enhance flavor and also provide nutrition: marinara sauce, mild salsa, yogurt-based sauces, and so forth. If they end up eating all the sauce and leave the main course, they're still getting some vitamins in!

5. Expect them to eat it! Don't have a back-up plan. Don't allow them to only eat rice. Our kids have to try one bite of everything before they can get seconds or leave the table. (And, yes, this causes WWIII at the dinner table many times.)

6. If they really hate a category of food you love (like pasta), then continue to serve it, but don't overdo it.

7. Keep it varied: continually try new things, eat some old favorites, and try not to get in a rut.

8. Model good taste-testing and food-appreciation. If you don't like something, feel free to say so (after you have tasted it). If they don't like something, don't allow complaining, but don't force it down.

Toddler Dishes: Plates, Cups, Bowls, Silverware

And we're back to a favorite posting topic of mine: toddler fare and the tools they need!

I've written on this before, but can't find the old post--if I can't find it, odds are good that other readers can't find it either. So, I'm rewriting it with some new "stuff" thrown in.

Let me say up front that I use plastic because it's practically essential with a houseful of wee folk. However, I'm also a fan of moving them on to real dinnerware ASAP. With that in mind, my kids have been eating on "real" (china) plates since they were about a year old--sitting at the table with us. They most definitely have been using youth-sized METAL utensils. Have you ever successfully pierced a piece of anything except a soft potato with plastic forks? I rest my case.

Give you your ones every chance to succeed at the table with you:

1. Metal Utensils: you can find stainless steel utensils that are child-sized, even silver-plate! Department stores and places like TJMaxx, Ross, and Marshall's are good places to start. Put these items on your child's first birthday wish list. My grandmother has taken care of helping my kids start out on a civilized note. Pay attention to how deep the bowl is on the spoons you choose--the deeper, the better. These will be much easier to use in the long run than any plastic counterpart.

2. Real China Mugs: Kids love cups with handles. There are lots of small china mugs available; these are also good soup containers--little ones can pick up the mug and drink their soup when it's too thin for them to manage on a spoon. You can also find enameled mugs like those used for camping.

3. Real China Bowls/Plates: You probably already own a selection of small bread-and-butter plates with your regular dishes. If you have fruit bowls, even better. Both are these are perfect sizes for little children. Salad plates are another good idea.

If you don't have any of the above, check out your local import store; Asian stores, in particular, seem to have a large selection of dishes and cups in small sizes. It doesn't matter if the 3-sectioned little plate is supposed to hold dips and sauces. It will work perfectly for a snack tray for your child. Small rice bowls are perfect soup/cereal bowls.

Toddler Meals: the Guarantees

I don't know about the rest of you out there who are feeding toddlers, but mine seem to eat like it's their last meal one night and then pick at their food for the next three nights. I've been told this is typical, but it certainly makes meal planning a frustration at times. So, I don't plan for them much--just expect them to eat what the adults are eating for dinner.

That being said, there are a few meals that I know they won't eat (spicy/weird ethnic comes to mind) or times when we just want to order pizza (the younger two toddlers aren't up to pizza eating skill yet). So, what do I feed my toddlers when they've not eaten much lately, won't eat what I'm serving tonight, or just need a good dose/boost of veggies or protein (the two categories that seem to fall by the wayside during eating strikes)? Here's my list of guarantees--the foods I know they'll eat if at all hungry. If you have any guarantees, please share them!

Protein Options:
Beans (black, pintos, etc.)
Eggs in any form
Hot dogs
Chicken nuggets (yes, we have a big bag in the freezer)
Cottage Cheese
Yogurt
Peanut Butter

Veggie Options:
Fancy Spinach (this is practically a complete meal with all the eggs and cheese in it; my kids LOVE this)
Cottage Cheese and Spinach Gratin--the easy version (again, practically a complete meal with the addition of a carb; my kids INHALE this....go figure)
Baked or Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Butternut Squash Souffle (only if I'm feeling extra generous with my time :) )
Steamed Broccoli
Steamed Peas or straight from the bag frozen (must feel good on those little teething gums)
Pumpkin puree stirred into yogurt

Combos/Meals:
Quesadillas (anything works here: whole wheat tortillas, cheese, and anything else they might eat--including chopped cooked broccoli, chicken, beans, etc.)
Hot dog, cottage cheese, peas in a little divided plate--a staple for my older daughter when I was in the midst of a twin pregnancy
Creamy Peanut Chicken (with extra veggies mixed in)
Pumpkin Yogurt or smoothie

Apple Oatmeal

You would think that it wouldn't take me a cookbook to figure this gem out. (It clearly didn't take Gayle over at The Grocery Cart Challenge a cookbook--yea for Gayle for thinking creatively!) Here is another great way to include apples in your diet--especially if you have an older infant/young toddler who doesn't have enough teeth to chew raw apples yet! It's a wonderful cool morning breakfast--sort of "stick-to-your-ribs-and-warm-you-up" stuff.

Recipe inspired by More-with-Less (I made it from memory this week and it still turned out great--my cookbook has been loaned out)

2 1/2 cups oats (we used steel cut this week)
2 apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
cinnamon
brown sugar
butter
milk

Cook oats as you would normally (I used water, but I think you could cook them with milk and still put the apples in). If you've never cooked oatmeal before, just follow the directions on the box and enjoy learning how to cook the perfect cold weather breakfast! If you're using regular old-fashioned oats, add apples in with oats and proceed. If you're using steel-cut oats, give the oats a 5 minute head start unless your apples are really firm. When oats and apples are done to your liking, top with your desired toppings (we always use a wee bit of brown sugar, sprinkle of cinnamon, pat of butter, and some milk)

Serves 4-5

Toddler Smoothies

My boys (17 months) are very interested in learning to eat with utensils. This is theoretically great because it means one step down the independence-from-mommy road. However, after a recent attempt to eat yogurt, I not only took lots of funny pictures, but I stripped them down and sponged them off pretty thoroughly. Hmmm... Cottage cheese, oatmeal, mashed potatoes--these sorts of foods provide great learning experiences. Something "thinner" like soup or yogurt presents a problem. Then, the lightbulb went off: my boys love drinking through straws! (So does my daughter). So I'm now giving them yogurt via smoothies! They love them, it's an easy way to get a little fruit and plain yogurt into their little tummies, and the cleanup is minimal. If you have a toddler (or a grown up--we all like these) in the house, you might consider the following easy smoothies (I've included some from Wholesome Baby Food.com that use pumpkin--one of our favorite yogurt mix'in's!):

Berry Smoothie

2 c. plain yogurt
1 very ripe banana (I stick bananas in the freezer when they start getting ripe and use them for smoothies)
1/2 c. frozen berries (blueberries are a must; others can be added in as well)
squirt of lemon juice or spoonful of orange juice concentrate

Blend it all up and serve! This makes enough for each of my kids to have about 1/2 cup and me to have a bit more. If I'm serving all five of us and it's a significant part of breakfast, I'll double the recipe.

Autumn Smoothie

1/2 cup plain, vanilla or banana yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 frozen banana

Combine in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Serves one grown-up and one baby.

The Autum Spoon A new twist on the Autumn Smoothie

1/2 cup plain, yogurt
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 banana

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until a thick consistency is created. Add some wheat germ for even more cling!

Banana Pumpkin Smoothie

Ingredients:
1-cup milk or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
(or homemade puree pumpkin)
1 banana
dash of cinnamon

Directions:
Blend in blender until smooth and foamy.
Serve immediately.

Dried Beans (Field Beans)

Field beans, as they're sometimes called, are incredibly nutritious, economical, and work for a variety of recipes/meals. They're also one of the best early finger foods. All three of my kids love 'em--plain. They enjoy them in dishes, but really seem to enjoy them best just scooped onto their little plates with no adornment. Field beans are harvested when nearly dry, then dried fully, and then sold as the familiar dry beans: pinto, black, navy, cranberry, cannellini, kidney, etc. You can buy these beans fairly cheaply in canned form (i.e. already cooked), but they pack a lot of sodium per serving. You can boil them at home, cook them in a pressure cooker, or, my new favorite method, cook them in the crock pot. I based my recipe largely on a recipe from allrecips.com called "Refried Beans without the Refry" that is good as written (for pinto beans--a bit spicy), but works equally well with a variety of other dried beans as follows. You don't even need to soak them! Here is my now standard bean recipe:

1 pound dry beans, picked over and rinsed
1 onion, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons minced or crushed garlic
2 1/2 teaspoons salt (half of the original recipe)
1 3/4 teaspoons pepper (optional--depends on age of your child)
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin, optional
2 cups (1 can) chicken broth (preferably low sodium)
7 cups water

Savory, bay leaves, and other similar spices all work well with beans. Feel free to experiment with these. The original recipe calls for 1/2 jalapeno, chopped, which adds a nice kick if your family likes spicy things.

Put all in crock pot and cook for 8 hours on high. If more than a cup of water evaporates out, add some back in. (Pintos take 8 hours; black beans take less--just check 'em every now and then).

1 pound of dry beans yields roughly 6-8 cups. Each regular can usually contains 1 3/4 cups. Cooked beans also freeze well in their cooking liquid.

Homemade Jello

Homemade jello is easy!!! You can customize the sugar content and flavors endlessly, and it has nothing artificial in it (unless you add it). You also aren't stuck with a million little boxes in your pantry. If you want to make it with juice saved from canned fruit (aren't we thrifty?!), you should know that most canned fruit (even mandarin oranges) can be found canned in juice as opposed to syrup (often, it's pear juice), and, save for mandarin orange juice, is pretty mild. Pair it with a stronger juice (such as grape or cranberry) or add the optional lemon juice and/or orange juice concentrate. Mandarin orange juice adds a distinctive flavor on its own and is also good with cranberry juice and apple juice (and all three together). 1 medium can of fruit yields approximately 2/3 cup juice; 1 regular-sized can mandarin oranges yields approximately 1/2 cup.

Recipe from More-with-Less (including variations at the end; notes in parentheses are mine)

Combine in saucepan:

• 1 c. fruit juice, drained from canned fruit (or 1 c. regular juice)
• 1 enveloped unflavored gelatin

Stir to begin dissolving gelatin. Then heat almost to boiling point until liquid is clear. Remove from heat and add:

• 1 c. cold fruit juice or water
• 1 T. lemon juice (optional; can omit if using strong juices such as grape or cranberry)
• 1 T. frozen orange juice concentrate (optional; can omit if using strong juices such as grape or cranberry)

Chill until set.

Serves 4-6

Variations

1. When partially set, fold in fresh or drained canned fruits as desired. If using fresh unsweetened fruits and tart juice, add 2-4 T. sugar to hot gelatin mixture.
2. When partially set, fold in 1 c. whipped cream or cottage cheese.
3. Replace second cup fruit juice with 1 c. chilled yogurt (this is good, but different).

Cream Cheese Balls

Cream Cheese Balls are a favorite with my three kids. My toddler loves to help me make them, so they work as an activity as well!

Divide one block of cream cheese into small squares (I cut the block in a grid with a knife, getting approximately 40 squares or so). Then, roll the squares into balls. Roll the balls into some sort of crumb mixture (wheat germ, Cheerio crumbs, etc.).

You can serve them immediately or freeze them for later use. I've found it helpful to freeze them even before first serving them since the warmth of your hands makes them very soft at first. Simply pull from the freezer 10 minutes or so before serving.

Favorite Finger Foods

Below is a list of some of our favorite finger foods. These are favorites because they are loved by my children, are healthy, and are relatively easy to assemble (they are also much cheaper and more nutritious than many of the store bought foods marketed as early finger foods!).

• cooked beans (if using canned, rinse to remove some of the sodium; black, pinto, and lima beans are our family favorites)
• cooked chopped veggies (sweet potatoes, broccoli and cauliflower in particular)
• cheese cubes
• scrambled eggs
• Breakfast Croutons
• soft diced fruit (bananas and avocados are softest; cantaloupe, peaches, pears all work when fully ripe; canned fruit in juice works, too!)
• hot dogs cut up
  
• lunch meat cut up
  
• grilled cheese sandwiches cut up in small pieces
• cottage cheese (yes, it can be eaten with your hands...)
• frozen veggies (peas especially--my toddler loves 'em frozen!)
• cooked pasta in various shapes
• peanut butter balls (I'll post a recipe someday for these)
  
• cream cheese balls (roll small balls of cream cheese in wheat germ or graham cracker crumbs)
  
• crackers (saltines, Triscuit thin crisps, animal crackers, and graham crackers, esp.)
• dry cereal (cheerios, wheat puffs, etc.)
• pancakes or waffles
• small pieces of soft, cooked meat (including chicken nuggets)
  

Pumpkin Yogurt

This remains one of my toddler's all-time favorite things to eat; so far my boys (1 year old twins) love it, too! This is an early meal I start feeding my babies--as soon as they can have yogurt, they can eat this concoction. A great way to pack some beta carotene into lunch time: pumpkin is a super food. It's very free form, but I do follow a certain ratio:

1 spoonful canned pumpkin
1-2 spoonfuls plain yogurt

Mix together and serve! Now, here are the frequent additions: dashes of cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and/or nutmeg (cinnamon and ginger are regular companions); spoonful of applesauce; mashed banana...

Super Baby Food

If you're interested in introducing your baby and/or toddler to super foods, then the following list of ideas is for you. Introducing super foods early increases the chance that your child will like them; it is also reassuring to know that those little tummies are full of the best nutrition! Toddlers, in particular, often do not eat much. I like to know that mine is taking in the best nutritional bang for the bite!

Pumpkin: One of the easiest foods to feed your baby/toddler! We mix it up with plain yogurt and mashed banana or applesauce, and sprinkle some pumpkin pie spices (cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, etc.) over it. Voila! "Pumpkin yogurt" (or pumpkin cottage cheese) is a big hit around here. My kids need no encouragement to consume their weight in sweet potatoes or butternut squash, either; these are good "sidekicks" for pumpkin.

Broccoli: Provided your children like it (mine love it!), broccoli is easy to serve frequently. We keep bags of frozen, chopped broccoli on hand. Simply steam and use as finger food, mix into macaroni and cheese, add to creamy soups, puree and put in a cheese quesadilla, etc.

Oats/Whole Grains: Feed those kids oatmeal! Inexpensive, healthy, easy--great choice. There are also many muffins and cookies that are packed with oats. We also add wheat germ (a sidekick) to cream of wheat, breads, and muffins. Get those kiddos used to whole wheat bread and brown rice. They'll never know the difference.

Omega 3's: Found in salmon, you might think this is hard to give your children. Well, eggs from hens fed vegetarian diets are also high in essential fatty acids--so give those kids some scrambled eggs!

Spinach: Try a creamed spinach dish, spinach quiche, Cottage Cheese and Spinach Gratin, Fancy Spinach, or other egg/cheese/spinach concoction. You'd be surprised how palatable this cooked green can be. My kids love it!

Oranges: These are a super food because of their Vitamin C content, yet young toddlers often can't chew the sections very well. The good news: mandarin oranges "count" in the orange category! Some grocery stores, like Kroger, sell them packed in mandarin orange juice instead of syrup. These are much easier for young toddlers to eat, and they pack a hefty 50% of the USRDA for Vitamin C.

Yogurt: Babies and toddlers love plain yogurt! They aren't used to the super sweet taste we've packed into the flavored varieties. This is a true staple in our house--my babies/toddlers eat it daily and seem to love it plain or mixed with fruit/pumpkin.

Beans: Beans make great finger food. We keep cans of limas, black beans, and pintos on hand. Rinse them to remove some of the sodium, and you're ready to go. Vegetarian dishes that include beans are also easy ways to work this category into the diet. Young children sometimes prefer the softer texture of these meals to big hunks of meat.

Berries: Blueberries are some of the most easily digested berries and are often found in early stages of baby food. You can add frozen berries to pancake mix or muffins as well.

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Porridge

If you like peanut butter, banana, and honey sandwiches and also like cream of wheat, give this porridge a try. It's hearty, healthy, inexpensive, contains no refined sugar, and has great "staying power." If your infant/toddler can have peanut butter, this makes a great baby breakfast! I based this concoction largely on a similar African recipe for "Groundnut Porridge" from my international Mennonite cookbook Extending the Table. I'll first list the ingredients as I use them; substitutions will follow the recipe. (Recipe makes 1 serving)

3/4 c. water
2 1/2 T. stone ground, whole grain cornmeal
2 T. natural creamy peanut butter
1/2 banana, mashed
1/2 t. honey, more or less

In microwave-safe container (I use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup), stir water and cornmeal together. Microwave on high one minute. Stir. Microwave on high for additional 30 second intervals, stirring after each one. It will not cook up quite as thick as cream of wheat; 2-2 1/2 minutes total cooking time should be plenty.

Stir in peanut butter. Mash the banana in a cereal bowl and pour porridge over it. Mix well. Add honey and mix well. Serve!

Substitutions/Options
(I haven't tried these, but since I make cream-of-wheat weekly, I'm assuming these will work for this porridge, too)

• use cream of wheat instead of cornmeal (higher in calories, more expensive than cornmeal; not whole grain, but will be sweeter)
• use milk instead of water (the porridge is pretty thick and hearty once you add the peanut butter, so this might make it super thick)
• pour a little milk over it once cooked and stir in
  
• use sweetened peanut butter and/or crunchy
• use brown sugar instead of honey
  

Foods Rich in Iron

Iron-deficiency anemia is one of the biggest reasons parents are encouraged to keep their babies breastfed or on formula until 1 year of age. Iron-deficiency anemia can also be a risk for others, such as pregnant women. So, where can you get iron from food? Below is a list (taken largely from the appendices to Dietary Guidelines for Americans) of iron-rich foods. An important thing to remember is that Vitamin C helps your body absorb more iron. Pair the foods below with some foods rich in vitamin C and your body will retain the maximum amount of iron from that food. For example, spaghetti and meatballs pairs tomato products (Vitamin C) with red meat (iron). Or, pair a fortified breakfast cereal with an orange.

• fortified ready-to-eat cereals (amount varies)
• fortified hot cereals (such as Cream of Wheat)
• red meat
• beans/lentils
• spinach
• Blackstrap molasses

Foods Rich in Vitamin C

So important during those cold/flu season winter months! Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron more efficiently, so pair these foods with your iron sources to maximize their impact. Information is taken largely from the appendices to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Below are some of the more kid-friendly sources (or sources you can sneak into things like spaghetti sauce!):

• Bell peppers
• Citrus (oranges and grapefruits are the easiest)
• Strawberries
• Cantaloupe
• Broccoli
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cauliflower (who knew that white veggie was hiding Vitamin C!)
• Mangoes
• Papaya
• Tomato products, including juices such as V8
  

Croutons for Breakfast!

I discovered these accidentally out of desperation a few weeks ago. Breakfast in our house is rather a chaotic affair; it reminds me of a mother bird trying to feed her clamoring baby birds all at the same time. I'm always looking for food that my 10-month old twins can feed themselves while I feed my toddler, husband, and myself. So, I tried out toast. Only, the toast was still a little soft, too soft for me to feel comfortable throwing it to the twin baby birds. What if it gums up in their mouths and chokes them? What if they tear off too big a piece, and it chokes them? What if,.... So, I grabbed my handy, dandy pizza cutter (a must in a house with young children!!), cut the already-buttered-toast up in small bite-sized pieces, threw it back in the toaster oven for another go 'round, and voila! Breakfast Croutons! The boys LOVE them. I can toast the initial bread early, butter it while it's hot (I now butter both sides), make the rest of breakfast, and then throw the croutons in for their second toast while I'm dishing up everyone else's breakfast. Then we all eat at reasonably the same time (and I can eat my eggs before they're stone cold). AAaahhh, the mother bird eats, too. (And baby birds have stopped peeping and chirping because they're shoveling in their own food--such independence.)