Breaking news, I just had an email from Simpson’s In The Strand about their breakfast menu, which included this: “The beginning, the first thing. It is the mouthful that is the commitment to a new day, a continuing life” – A. A. Gill
It warms my heart how you challenge yourself despite the heatwave, lack of sleep, and just wanting to connect with your family in loving, nourishing ways. In doing so, you’ve found what works and what doesn’t. Gradually, the kids, who were used to their ways began to explore new breakfast offerings Hs that their mom prepared, too! This is a beautiful playa about Mother’s love for her family. Love it! Thank you for sharing-
I LOVE this, Shell! You are not alone in the breakfast gap. I’m not a morning person and for years just drank black coffee for brekkie (I know, bad for cortisol 🙈) while my kids fended for themselves. My husband is the breakfast person and would even cook for the kids and their friends if they had a weekend sleepover at our house (they called him “Mr. Breakfast” lol). Something shifted after menopause and now I absolutely must eat something in the morning and before coffee! I so admire your determination and follow through in the breakfast week experiment. And love that your kids seemed to truly appreciate your efforts! Bravo, Shell 🙌🎉
Haha, your morning sounds very similar to how mine was. As a mum, it's so easy to fall into that gap isn't it. I love that your husband was Mr Breakfast. That is so cute!!
I find that so interesting about your shift with menopause. I have been reading up on all things peri menopause and I am blown away by the impact our hormones have.
In the first article you linked, Tim Spector says some people want their first meal later than others, and that’s fine. He also says it’s beneficial to ensure a gap of at least 12-14 hours between your last meal of one day and your first of the next. I don’t interpret that as saying everyone should eat breakfast early in the morning regardless of whether they want it! So if you’re not hungry first thing, don’t eat first thing, wait until your body is actually saying it wants food. I have always found it very difficult to be hungry until I have been awake for several hours. My first meal of the day is almost always a combined breakfast/lunch at noon and that works for me.
Absolutely, and if a lovely brunch works for you then that's marvellous! Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me, because I start recipe testing and get so hungry and whoozy I eat loads of cake or other unhealthy foods. Which I imagine Tim Spector wouldn't approve of! Haha. Also, if you note the second article, for peri menopausal women (which I am), skipping breakfast can have an impact on our hormone and blood sugar levels. I've realised I edited that out and it isn't as clear. I'll put it back in.
The key thing is to eat something nutritious when you get hungry, surely? I entirely take your point about finding yourself eating cake if you don’t time it right. I find cake impossible to resist when I am baking.
Oh I agree there. For me, it was also about creating a happy, enjoyable morning. Rather than running about like a headless chicken in a complete stress! 😂
Also, it really is impossible to resist cake while baking isn't it!
Your breakfast menus are the kind of things I'd expect at a 5 star resort hotel. Do your kids know how lucky they are? Also...what's wrong with something simpler like a boiled egg?! I sometimes boil a few eggs to keep in the fridge in case I need a protein boost. Or I'll batch cook my own version of baked beans to make into a kind of shakshuka. And there are days when I'm not hungry till 11ish, and the 1st meal of the day merges into lunch.
Haha, aw thank you Cheryl. My son knows how fancy he has it, although I'm not sure my daughter realizes. Oh these are great ideas! I shall definitely be putting these into rotation. My husband loves a shakshuka. And I love a dippy egg!
I would be intrigued to hear more about that Lisa. I have quite an early dinner with my children (5-6pm) so if I have breakfast at around 7am I am technically fasting for 12-14 hrs. I usually avoid an evening snack, but perhaps it would be beneficial?
Until recently my husband and I were captured in the corporate grind. My go to breakfast was a fruit scone with butter on the commute into the office - how dreadful!!
We now sit down every day together for breakfast. It is my absolute favourite meal and time of the day. I didn't know what I was missing.
Did you know, it was an American sausage manufacturer who, when advertising his sausages, came up with the phrase, ‘Breakfast, the most important meal of the day’.
Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. Honestly, one of the things that excites me most about going to bed early is knowing I’ll wake up for breakfast 😂
The Layered French Toast was so good! I am working on a bonus post (my first just for paid subscribers) with more recipes and photography. Hopefully for next week.
It does take bloomin’ ages! So, I really appreciate your lovely comments here X
Shell - am completely in awe of your breakfast week - creative cooking and getting children to school before lunchtime. Deserves a Nobel prize. And thank you so much for the shout out!
I used to go to a gym that had a poster up saying “If You Don’t Eat Breakfast Then We Can’t Help You”. Taught me to take morning fuel more seriously.
That’s a great sign.
That is an amazing poster!
Breaking news, I just had an email from Simpson’s In The Strand about their breakfast menu, which included this: “The beginning, the first thing. It is the mouthful that is the commitment to a new day, a continuing life” – A. A. Gill
What a coincidence! And what a fantastic quote.
It warms my heart how you challenge yourself despite the heatwave, lack of sleep, and just wanting to connect with your family in loving, nourishing ways. In doing so, you’ve found what works and what doesn’t. Gradually, the kids, who were used to their ways began to explore new breakfast offerings Hs that their mom prepared, too! This is a beautiful playa about Mother’s love for her family. Love it! Thank you for sharing-
Thank you so much Aki, I really appreciate this lovely comment.
This is such a true and beautiful reflection Aki. Isn’t Shell just a gorgeous mum.?
Thank you! 🥰
She certainly is!
Layered french toast is totally not failing at breakfast!
It's great stuff isn't it! Going to work up a full post on it soon.
I LOVE this, Shell! You are not alone in the breakfast gap. I’m not a morning person and for years just drank black coffee for brekkie (I know, bad for cortisol 🙈) while my kids fended for themselves. My husband is the breakfast person and would even cook for the kids and their friends if they had a weekend sleepover at our house (they called him “Mr. Breakfast” lol). Something shifted after menopause and now I absolutely must eat something in the morning and before coffee! I so admire your determination and follow through in the breakfast week experiment. And love that your kids seemed to truly appreciate your efforts! Bravo, Shell 🙌🎉
Thank you Betty! That is so lovely of you! 💓
Haha, your morning sounds very similar to how mine was. As a mum, it's so easy to fall into that gap isn't it. I love that your husband was Mr Breakfast. That is so cute!!
I find that so interesting about your shift with menopause. I have been reading up on all things peri menopause and I am blown away by the impact our hormones have.
Yes, so many things change! But it’s not all bad!
That is reassuring to hear!
In the first article you linked, Tim Spector says some people want their first meal later than others, and that’s fine. He also says it’s beneficial to ensure a gap of at least 12-14 hours between your last meal of one day and your first of the next. I don’t interpret that as saying everyone should eat breakfast early in the morning regardless of whether they want it! So if you’re not hungry first thing, don’t eat first thing, wait until your body is actually saying it wants food. I have always found it very difficult to be hungry until I have been awake for several hours. My first meal of the day is almost always a combined breakfast/lunch at noon and that works for me.
Absolutely, and if a lovely brunch works for you then that's marvellous! Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me, because I start recipe testing and get so hungry and whoozy I eat loads of cake or other unhealthy foods. Which I imagine Tim Spector wouldn't approve of! Haha. Also, if you note the second article, for peri menopausal women (which I am), skipping breakfast can have an impact on our hormone and blood sugar levels. I've realised I edited that out and it isn't as clear. I'll put it back in.
The key thing is to eat something nutritious when you get hungry, surely? I entirely take your point about finding yourself eating cake if you don’t time it right. I find cake impossible to resist when I am baking.
Oh I agree there. For me, it was also about creating a happy, enjoyable morning. Rather than running about like a headless chicken in a complete stress! 😂
Also, it really is impossible to resist cake while baking isn't it!
Your breakfast menus are the kind of things I'd expect at a 5 star resort hotel. Do your kids know how lucky they are? Also...what's wrong with something simpler like a boiled egg?! I sometimes boil a few eggs to keep in the fridge in case I need a protein boost. Or I'll batch cook my own version of baked beans to make into a kind of shakshuka. And there are days when I'm not hungry till 11ish, and the 1st meal of the day merges into lunch.
Haha, aw thank you Cheryl. My son knows how fancy he has it, although I'm not sure my daughter realizes. Oh these are great ideas! I shall definitely be putting these into rotation. My husband loves a shakshuka. And I love a dippy egg!
I add whatever veg I have that needs using up, or a few blocks of frozen spinach…
Unfortunately the evidence emerging on 12-14 hr fasting is not as glowing as previously hyped.
I would be intrigued to hear more about that Lisa. I have quite an early dinner with my children (5-6pm) so if I have breakfast at around 7am I am technically fasting for 12-14 hrs. I usually avoid an evening snack, but perhaps it would be beneficial?
Until recently my husband and I were captured in the corporate grind. My go to breakfast was a fruit scone with butter on the commute into the office - how dreadful!!
We now sit down every day together for breakfast. It is my absolute favourite meal and time of the day. I didn't know what I was missing.
That sounds idyllic - what a gorgeous way to start the day Bronya!
Did you know, it was an American sausage manufacturer who, when advertising his sausages, came up with the phrase, ‘Breakfast, the most important meal of the day’.
I did not know that! Great fact. I vaguely remember that the ‘eight glasses of water a day’ was coined by a squash company like Robinsons.
Wouldn’t surprise me.
This looks like a delightful breakfast. Especially the raspberry muffins!
Thank you Lala! The raspberry muffins went down a treat!
Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day. Honestly, one of the things that excites me most about going to bed early is knowing I’ll wake up for breakfast 😂
I love that! And I bet you make some spectacular breakfasts Majed!
With this heat, not really? 🤣 A bowl of Greek yogurt with stone fruits.
Haha! Well, that still sounds delicious to me 😊
A BRILLIANT post, Shell!! One I pretty much drooled all the way through, too 😂
They all look delicious, but that French toast… 🤤
And gosh - your photography just blows me away every time.
It actually makes me a little emosh seeing the care and attention you put in to it 👏👏
I know the time and effort that goes into the whole process and, from creating the dish to setting up and styling the shot. The lighting. The editing…
It is not lost on me. Thank you for the passion X
Awww, thank you so much Mark! You are so lovely!!
The Layered French Toast was so good! I am working on a bonus post (my first just for paid subscribers) with more recipes and photography. Hopefully for next week.
It does take bloomin’ ages! So, I really appreciate your lovely comments here X
Shell - am completely in awe of your breakfast week - creative cooking and getting children to school before lunchtime. Deserves a Nobel prize. And thank you so much for the shout out!
Thank you so much Lizzie! And for the inspiration!
I’m crap at breakfast too, I only feel hungry after 10-10:30 am. But I’ll take inspiration from your efforts, Shell!
Haha, oh bless you, thank you Annada! I am finding it so interesting that so many struggle with breakfast. I’m intrigued to look into this further!
It does look delicious… but I am tempted to prepare it for weekend brunch and stay with coffee from Monday to Friday…