13 Days of Breakfast Challenge: Day 10 — Berry & Yogurt Parfait

Just two more days until my nieces and nephews go back to school so I wanted to make sure you had another recipe that will help you prepare for a new school year. Here is our post for 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge: Day 10 .

This morning’s recipe is for a Berry & Yogurt Parfait. For my family there are some recipes that you look at and immediately think, “Yep, my family would eat that.” And then there are recipes where you look at them and think, “Well…this could be interesting!” Today’s 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge recipe definitely falls into the second category for my family.

I’m going to be honest right from the beginning: this isn’t normally the kind of breakfast you would find sitting on our table. David is really the only one in our home who would happily eat berries. I’m not much of a yogurt person myself, although both David and Charlie do eat yogurt. They each have their favorites, too. Peach, strawberry & banana are some of the flavors they will eat without hesitation.

Charlie used to eat mixed berries, but he doesn’t anymore. Even though he had that in common with his grandpa David’s dad. When I looked at this recipe, I thought it might be a fun opportunity to step outside of what we normally eat and see what happens. And isn’t that part of what a breakfast challenge is supposed to be?

Sometimes we aren’t just trying new recipes. We’re trying new things. One of the things I’ve enjoyed about doing this breakfast challenge is that it has made me think about how easy it is to get stuck in our breakfast routines. We find the things everyone likes. We buy those things at the grocery store.

In my family we make the same breakfasts over and over because we already know nobody is going to complain. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having family favorites. Some of my favorite memories involve the foods my family has eaten over and over again. But there is something fun about saying, “Let’s try something different.”

And this parfait is different for us. It has creamy yogurt, fresh berries, and crunchy granola layered together in a glass or bowl. You can add a drizzle of honey, some chia seeds, or even a few nuts if you want to change it up. The best part is that there really isn’t a wrong way to make one.

You can use the yogurt your family already likes. You can use fruit they already enjoy. And you can slowly introduce something new. Maybe that’s the trick. or I hope it is for my family.

Instead of telling someone, “You need to eat berries now,” you put a few strawberries or blueberries alongside something they already love. Instead of deciding that you don’t like yogurt, you try a flavor you haven’t had before. And instead of assuming the whole family won’t eat something, you give everybody a chance to decide for themselves.

Today’s Breakfast: Berry & Yogurt Parfait

For Day 10, we’re keeping breakfast simple.

You’ll need:

1 cup of yogurt, vanilla or your favorite flavor
½ cup mixed berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries
¼ cup granola
1 teaspoon honey, optional
1 teaspoon chia seeds, optional

To make it, simply put half of your yogurt into a clear glass or bowl. Add some berries, then sprinkle on half of your granola.

Add the rest of the yogurt and finish it with the remaining berries and granola.

If you like a little extra sweetness, drizzle some honey over the top. You can also add chia seeds if you enjoy them.

That’s it. No stove. No oven. No complicated preparation. Just breakfast. That can be taken on the go and prepared ahead of time. And that makes this a particularly good recipe to have in your back pocket when mornings start getting hectic. You could even make extra for your son’s teachers or to have for busy mornings.

I’m also looking at this recipe from my own perspective. I’m trying to make healthier choices and try new things, and yogurt is one of those foods that I haven’t naturally gravitated toward. So maybe it’s time for me to give it another chance.

Sometimes when we’re trying to make changes, we think everything has to be difficult. We think eating healthier means giving up everything we enjoy. But maybe it can also mean discovering foods that we didn’t think we would like but after trying them we find out we do like the.

Maybe it means finding a yogurt flavor that actually tastes good to me. Maybe it’s trying berries in a different combination. Maybe it’s discovering that a little granola and fruit can turn something I normally wouldn’t choose into a breakfast I actually look forward to. I’m willing to find out. And that’s what makes this challenge fun.

Now comes the real test. Would David eat this? Defiantly! He’s the berry and yogurt eater in the family, so I already have at least one person who might be completely happy with this breakfast.

Would Charlie? That’s going to be more interesting. He has eaten yogurt for years, but his tastes have changed. He used to eat mixed berry yogurt, but that’s no longer something he reaches for.

And then there’s me. The person who isn’t really a yogurt person. So this may be less of a recipe review and more of a family taste test. And honestly, I think that’s going to be fun. I just don’t think Gerald would even try it but my sister would in a heartbeat I just need to make sure it’s Gluten-free for her.

With this recipe my family may discover a new favorite. Charlie and David may decide they still prefer peach, or strawberry, & banana yogurt better in something else. Or we may surprise ourselves. That’s the whole point of trying something new.

I can’t believe how quickly this summer has gone. We’re getting very close to the first day of school, and that means those slow summer mornings are about to turn into “Everybody get up! We’re going to be late!” mornings. Which happened more times than I can count in my home. What about your home?

If you’ve been following along with our 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge, now is the perfect time to start thinking about which breakfasts your family will actually eat on school mornings.

This is where recipes like today’s parfait can come in handy. You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time. You can wash and cut your fruit. You can have the yogurt in the refrigerator. You can portion out your granola. Then, when morning comes, breakfast can be put together in just a few minutes and everyone can help which makes this a good #homeschool recipe.

And if your children don’t like berries, don’t give up on the idea. Use the yogurt they already like. Try bananas. Try peaches. Try strawberries. Let them choose their own toppings.

The goal isn’t to create a picture-perfect breakfast every morning. The goal is to get everyone fed and out the door with something in their stomach before the school day begins.

Make Your Parfait Your Own

One thing I really like about this recipe is that you don’t have to follow it exactly. If you love strawberries, use strawberries. If blueberries are your favorite, use blueberries. If raspberries aren’t popular at your house, leave them out.

If your family loves peach yogurt, use peach yogurt. If strawberry is the favorite, use strawberry. If someone wants banana, add banana. You can even put the ingredients out and let each person build their own parfait. That might be the easiest way to get a picky eater to try something new.

And perhaps that’s exactly what I need to do. Instead of saying, “I’m not a yogurt person,” maybe I should say: “I haven’t found my yogurt yet.” There’s a difference in what we will or will not eat when we change our mindset.

Day 10 of Our Breakfast Challenge

So here we are at Day 10 of our 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge, and today we’re stepping outside our normal breakfast routine. We’re trying a Berry & Yogurt Parfait. For my family, this isn’t necessarily an old favorite. It’s an experiment. It’s a chance to expand our palates.

It’s a chance to see whether something that looks beautiful and healthy actually becomes something we want to make again. And for me personally, it’s another opportunity to try something new while I’m working toward healthier choices.

Maybe I’ll love it. Maybe I won’t. But I’m going to try it. And sometimes that’s the best part of any challenge—not knowing exactly what the answer will be. But giving something new a chance when were working on losing weight and trying to become healthier.

With school just around the corner, now is the time to start getting those breakfast routines figured out. Think about what your children will actually eat. Check the pantry and refrigerator. Pick up a few easy breakfast staples. Wash some fruit. Stock up on yogurt if it’s something your family enjoys.

Have granola, cereal, oatmeal, bread, eggs, or whatever your family depends on for those busy mornings. And don’t forget to get yourself prepared, too. Because parents need breakfast just as much as the kids do and I like this recipe because its easy to make and can be eaten on the go for the morning’s David and Charlie have to get to work.

The first few mornings of school are always a little chaotic. Having a few easy breakfast choices ready can make those mornings just a little easier. So pull up a chair, grab a spoon, and let’s see what happens with this one.

And tell me: Would your family eat a Berry & Yogurt Parfait, or would you have to make a few changes first? Because sometimes the foods we almost didn’t try become the ones we remember.

Berry & Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients

• 1 cup vanilla yogurt or your favorite yogurt flavor
• ½ cup mixed berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries
• ¼ cup granola
• 1 teaspoon honey, optional
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds, optional

Directions

1. Add half of the yogurt to a clear glass, parfait cup, or bowl.
2. Add a layer of berries.
3. Sprinkle half of the granola over the berries.
4. Add the remaining yogurt.
5. Top with the remaining berries and granola.
6. Drizzle with honey if desired.
7. Sprinkle with chia seeds if desired.
8. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Tips for Making This Breakfast Easier

Make Berry & Yogurt Parfait ahead: You can assemble the yogurt and berries ahead of time and refrigerate them. For the best texture, keep the granola separate and add it just before eating.

Let everyone choose: Put out several yogurt flavors and toppings and let each family member create their own parfait.

Use what you have: You don’t need all three kinds of berries. Use strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, peaches, or whatever fruit your family enjoys.

Use your family’s favorite yogurt: If nobody likes vanilla, don’t buy vanilla just for this recipe. Peach, strawberry, or banana yogurt can all work beautifully.

For busy school mornings: Prepare individual portions the night before so breakfast is ready to grab from the refrigerator.

Don’t be afraid to experiment: Add chopped nuts, flaxseed, coconut, or another favorite topping if your family enjoys it.

Prep & Recipe Information

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Category: Breakfast
Method: No-Cook

A New Breakfast, A New Adventure is what I love about this challenge. We don’t have to love every recipe. We don’t have to make every breakfast exactly the same. We simply have to be willing to try.

And with school almost here, finding a few new breakfasts that are quick, simple, and family-friendly might be one of the best things we can do to prepare. So tomorrow we’ll keep going. Day 10 is in the books. Only a few more breakfasts to go in our 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge!

Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.

Thank you,

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates