Hi there, I’m Sara from The Organic Dietitian. The kids in my neighborhood are already back to school. If school has not started back yet for you it will be here before you know it.

I remember the back to school process as a kid. The older you got, the more you were dreading the summer ending. I hated those back to school commercials because I was not ready to go back to homework. But as a young student you loved the back to school shopping and how proud you were to be moving up to the next grade. I think everyone remembers standing in the same spot every year (usually the front door) so a picture can be taken to track your growth as you entered yet another school year. Ahh the memories.

With all of the back to school shopping that parents do; pencils, binders, markers, highlighters, paper, backpacks, and clothes, one thing that should not get overlooked are the meals. What we nourish our students with is really important! Studies show that kids perform better on tests, pay attention better, and behave better when they are nourished properly. I recommend trying to limit (if you can’t cut out completely) processed foods. Most cereal on the grocery store shelves are full of sugar, processed flour, and artificial colors that do not promote a learning brain for anyone. Not to mention these foods can be very pricy.

The meals served at schools are crazy too. French fries, pizza, tater tots, chocolate milk, and burgers. Did you know that on the school lunch menu they can count ketchup as a vegetable? If vegetables are filled with sugar and salt then I guess it is a vegetable. Not!

I have come up with the ultimate breakfast on the go that will provide long lasting energy for our students and contains no refined sugar, whole grains, and healthy fats. No utensils are needed to eat these (other than your hands). I picture a bus stop full of kids with these in their hands.

The best part is that you can make a large batch and freeze some so that you do not have to spend hours in the kitchen to nourish your kids. Plus these cost a fraction of what most ready prepared breakfast foods will cost form the grocery store with very little effort. You can really add whatever ingredients your kids like and switch it up often so that they don’t get board.

They are perfect for breakfast or a snack. When we provide our kids with healthy choices they are more likely to grow up picking healthy foods. What a great lesson to teach our children.

Blueberry Walnut Breakfast Cookies

www.theorganicdietitian.com

Servings 8

Author Sara (The Organic Dietitian)

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
2 large ripe bananas peeled
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or honey
1/2 cup walnuts chopped (pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds for allergy)
1/4 cup- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl mash the banana with a fork.
Add the oats, vanilla, cinnamon, maple syrup, and nuts.
Mix until combined.
Fold in the blueberries or just push them onto formed cookies.
On a lined baking sheet scoop out 2-4 oz of the mixture (you can make them bigger or bite size).
With damp fingers press down the dough into cookies.
Bake the smaller ones for 12-15 min and larger ones for 15-18 min.
Makes 2 dozen small cookies or 8 large cookies.
Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 5 days. Freeze for up to 1 month.

Recipe Notes

Variations:
Diced strawberries
Diced dried apricots
Raisins
Diced dried apples
Shredded carrot
Shredded zucchini
Pumpkin purée
Applesauce
Pecans
Peanut butter
Chocolate chips