9 Ways to Speed Up Your Family’s Morning Routine

Prepare Breakfast Ahead of Time

One quick way to streamline your routine? Make breakfast a painless process. Of course, this first meal of the day is crucial for providing kids—and you—with the nutritious fuel for the day, and eating breakfast is associated with maintaining a healthy weight. Here are some ways to make that perfect, healthy breakfast a reality:

—Stick with quick, nutritious meals, like oatmeal with fresh fruit; bagels and cream cheese with cucumbers and tomatoes; and parfaits with yogurt, fruit and granola.

—If you bake, make extra bread or scones and freeze them for the mornings. Pop them in the oven or microwave to defrost while you get dressed and start waking up the kids.

—Frozen fruit can be expensive, but it’s easy to buy fresh fruit, chop it up and freeze to make quick smoothies.

—Homemade pancake batter will keep for a few days in the fridge, so you can make it ahead of time and use it throughout the week.