Have you planned your holiday breakfast meals?

‘Tis the season to celebrate with food at all times of the day, including breakfast, lunch and dinner.

How do you know if you are planning a balanced breakfast for you and your guests?  There is one food group to make sure you include — the dairy group.  In fact, 85 percent of Americans are falling short of the recommended daily goal for dairy foods like milk, yogurt and cheese —the goal being three servings/day.

You can build a better holiday breakfast that will fill guests with joy and health this holiday season by including fat-free milk.  Fat-free milk contains only 80 calories while providing the same nine essential nutrients that all milk has, including eight grams of protein, which is more protein than one egg has.  Those nine essential nutrients build and maintain strong bones and teeth while supporting healthy blood pressure.

To plan your holiday breakfast, use MyPlate as your guide.  This visual tool can help you build a delicious and nutritious breakfast that the whole family will find appealing.  It’s not a festive breakfast without milk; here’s how you can include milk in your meal this holiday season:

 

Made-to-order smoothie bar: Easily have fun in the kitchen by setting out an array of frozen fruits, yogurt, bananas, chia seeds and milk to allow guests to whirl fun combinations together in a blender.

Elegant cheesy bacon quiche: Make personal quiches by using small pie plates, wide-mouth, half-pint glass jars or ramekins. Holiday breakfasts can be much more festive and special when things are made just for you.

New research is also showing the benefits of eating breakfast together as a family. The more frequently families are eating breakfast together, the better the diet of adolescents tends to be. The study noted these families consumed more whole grains, milk products, fruits and vegetables.

There was also a lower prevalence of obesity seen with kids whose families dined together frequently at breakfast.

So don’t just make a festive family breakfast something that only happens at the holidays, be sure to do it as frequently as you are able all year round because sharing meals together is always worthwhile.

Easy Peach Smoothies

Serves 2

All you need

•11/2 cups fat-free milk

•2 1/2 cups frozen peaches

•2 tablespoons honey

•½ teaspoon vanilla

•1 cup ice

 All you do

1. Pulse milk, peaches, honey and vanilla in a blender until combined.  Add ice and blend until smooth.

Elegant Cheesy bacon broccoli quiche

Makes 6 servings

All you need

•1 (10 ounces) package frozen broccoli with cheese sauce

•3 slices turkey bacon, chopped

•½ cup sliced mushrooms

•½ cup chopped green onions

•1 (9-inch) pie shell

•4 eggs

•1 cup fat-free milk

•½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

All you do

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare the broccoli and cheese sauce in the microwave according to package directions; set aside to cool slightly. Cook bacon, mushrooms and green onions in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until bacon is cooked through and mushrooms are tender.

2. Cut 6 circles (the width of a drinking glass) out of pastry dough. Place in the bottom of an individual pie dish, ramekin or other oven-safe individual dish. Place all dishes on a baking sheet. Scatter bacon mixture in the bottom of each pie shell.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk, then stir in the broccoli and cheese sauce along with the cheddar cheese.

4. Evenly pour mixture into pie shells and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until center is just set and a knife blade comes out clean when inserted into the center of the quiche. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.