I didn’t know if we would make it and be able to share a post for each day of the 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge: but here we are on Day 1. I wanted to make this morning’s breakfast unique and different so I decided to share First Day of School Pancakes with you.
There are some breakfasts that are more than just breakfast. The first-day-of-school breakfast is one of those memories that can stay with you long after the pancakes are gone.
When Charlie was getting ready for school back when he was not only in public school but #homeschooling each year for the first day, I wanted to give him something that would remind him that, no matter what happened that day, he was loved and I believed in him. So instead of making ordinary round pancakes, I pulled out the cookie cutters.
I made pancakes that said: I LOVE YOU and YOU GOT THIS I also made school books and a Bulldog because that was his school mascot. It was such a simple thing, but it turned an ordinary breakfast into something special and it was something he asked for every year until he graduated.
Sometimes we don’t need a big first-day-of-school speech. Sometimes a child just needs to sit down at the breakfast table and see a little reminder sitting on their plate. The funny think is when Charlie began his job he asked me why I didn’t make him Pancakes saying have a good day or congrats. Isn’t it funny how Pancakes can become something our child ask for in shapes they come to love?
That breakfast also made me think about when Suzzane was little. I had one of those machines that reminded me of a George Foreman grill, but it was made for making cookies. Suzane and I had so much fun with it.
One of the things we made were gingerbread families. We would make the little gingerbread people and turn them into our family. It wasn’t just about making cookies. It was about sitting together, creating something, laughing, and making memories.
Those are the kinds of things I think about when I look back at our family. The kitchen was often where the memories happened. And years later, I was still finding ways to turn food into little messages for my children.
The gingerbread people became pancakes. The family cookies became school books and Bulldogs. And the kitchen table was still a place where I could say something without always having to say it out loud.
Did you know you can make your own Pancake messages and they don’t you don’t have to make perfect pancakes. You don’t even need special pancake-making equipment. Cookie cutters can turn ordinary pancakes into hearts, stars, animals, letters, or other shapes. You can even make simple messages with pancake batter.
Maybe your child needs to hear YOU GOT THIS. Maybe it’s I LOVE YOU. Maybe it’s GOOD LUCK or HAVE A GREAT DAY. Or maybe you simply make their favorite shape or a animal they like.
The important part isn’t whether the pancake looks perfect. It’s that you took the time to make it. For Charlie, I wanted that breakfast to say something he could carry with him when he walked out the door. You are loved. You are capable. You can do this.
That is how I want to end our 13 Days of Breakfast Challenge. Not with an elaborate breakfast. Not with something expensive. But with pancakes, cookie cutters, a school mascot, and a memory.
Because breakfast can be more than the first meal of the day. It can be encouragement. It can be tradition. It can be a way of bringing a family together. And sometimes, years later, it becomes one of those little memories that makes you smile.
So whether you’re sending a child off to their first day of school, starting another year of homeschooling, or simply looking for a fun way to make an ordinary morning special, try making breakfast say something. You might be surprised by how much that little pancake means.
First-Day-of-School Shaped Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup pancake mix
- Ingredients called for on your pancake mix package
- Cooking spray or butter for the griddle
- Cookie cutters suitable for making pancake shapes
- Syrup, powdered sugar, fruit, or other favorite toppings
Directions
Prepare the pancake batter according to the package directions or use your favorite homemade pancake recipe. If your on a time crunch you can buy already prepared Pancake batter to make the Pancakes with.
Heat a lightly greased griddle or skillet over medium heat.
Place a cookie cutter on the cooking surface and carefully pour a small amount of pancake batter inside. Don’t fill it too full because the batter will expand as it cooks.
Cook until bubbles begin to form and the edges look set. Carefully remove the cutter if it is safe to do so, then flip the pancake and continue cooking until done.
You can also use a squeeze bottle filled with pancake batter to draw simple letters, numbers, or shapes directly onto the griddle.
Arrange the finished pancakes on a plate and decorate them with fruit, powdered sugar, syrup, or whatever your family enjoys.
For a first-day-of-school breakfast, make a special message such as I LOVE YOU or YOU GOT THIS. You can also make your child’s school mascot, favorite animal, favorite sport, or other shape that means something to them.
A Little Breakfast Encouragement: Remember, the pancakes don’t have to be perfect. They just need to be made with love. Make extra Pancakes to share with your friends and family and include a special message for them.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates