Breakfast for Dinner 
 
May 26, 2009 2:57 pm 
Updated: Sep. 29, 2009 10:47 am
I’ve made a big deal in the past about not eating cereal for dinner—which I don’t—but, by saying that, I don’t mean that you shouldn’t have cereal for dinner if that’s what sounds good to you. (I mean, you probably shouldn’t every night, but…I suppose this is the part where I say, Consult your physician before switching up your diet—or whatever. Has the disclaimer been clearly communicated? Okay, good.) I just mean that I don’t believe you should have to resort to cereal if you’d really rather have a great home-cooked meal.

Now that I think about it, the main reason I don’t eat cereal for dinner isn’t because of any strong “cereal for dinner” beliefs I hold dear, but more because I just plain old can’t have cereal in the house to begin with. Or cookies or licorice. Or any gummy candy, for that matter. Because regardless of the quantity, those items will not live to see another day. Possibly not even the next two hours—I have a very stubborn sweet tooth that doesn't respond to reason. It’s better if snacks like those aren’t anywhere to be found.

So, while cereal isn’t ever on my dinner menu, I have no problem admitting that I love having breakfast for dinner. And not just on those nights where I don’t have anything else to eat. That’s right, sometimes I choose breakfast for dinner over all other well-prepared, single servings-tastic options I may have on deck and no more than 15 minutes away from being ready to eat.

Yes, the ease of breakfast for dinner is certainly appealing, but mostly I think I go for it because I’ll take any opportunity to make myself a latte—a luxury I’ve enjoyed since making use of my employee discount back in my barista days to buy a home espresso machine. I’ve had it for almost ten years and the day that thing conks out on me will be the first time I’ll shed tears over the death of an appliance. (And the first time I’ll consider an appliance conking out as a “death.”)

My breakfast for dinner cravings might also be because I don’t really have time to sit and eat breakfast in the morning (more accurately, I don’t make time), so every once in awhile I probably feel an unconscious need to fill that void. Whatever the reason, I just find that some nights, nothing sounds better than two eggs over medium, toast, and big ol’ latte (decaf, of course) in a pretty mug. Not a remotely fancy meal, but so, so perfect.

I can’t be the only one who does this…right?
 
 
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Comments
aeval Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 26, 2009 3:15 pm
there is nothing better than breakfast for dinner. (alas, my sweet tooth also has a tendency to run my life.) i think it's just one of those meals that can be so comforting & still often be light & filling. mmmm...oatmeal...with brown sugar!
 
Avon 
May 26, 2009 9:39 pm
I'm with you on that one. Eggs, toast, bacon, sausage, pancakes, waffles, french toast, fruit, etc. etc....any combo of the above will do very nicely. Sometimes it just feels good to buck the norm. Mix it up a little. Who among us hasn't had cold pizza for breakfast?
 
Christine M Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 5:20 am
I love breakfast for dinner! In fact, we haven't done that in a while, so maybe this week....we either do scrambled eggs with sausage and home fries or pancakes. When we do pancakes, I make plain old buttermilk for hubby, and my daughter and I will try something with fruit or even a multi-grain pancake mix. I've been craving this upside-down banana pancake I made a while back...maybe that'll be on the menu this week!
 
Christine M Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 5:20 am
Mmmm..cold pizza! ;) My sister used to love having leftover spaghetti for breakfast, too!
 
Jenny Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 8:58 am
When I was growing up, my Mom used to resort to breakfast for dinner whenever my Dad had to work late. I remember waffles were my favorite! Now I do quiche for dinner pretty often, which I kind of think of as a breakfast food.
 
blancdeblanc Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 9:21 am
I have a serious addiction to cereal too....I can't have it in the house either. I've always told my kids that they can't have sugar cereal because it's bad for them....little do they know the real reason:)
 
Mackenzie Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 11:09 am
Mmm, oatmeal, bacon, upside-down banana pancakes(those sound--uh--AWESOME! Let me know how they turn out!)...yes, "mixing it up" is quite delicious! Jenny, my mom used to do something similar when my dad was off at a poker night or something...we'd have "Hansel & Gretel" night which meant that our plates were filled with a random assortment of whatever: dried fruit, cheese, crackers, pretzels, yogurt--anything that was on-hand that didn't need cooking. It's so funny to think about now because, in reality, it's a pretty boring dinner, but my sister and I loved it. I mean, *loved* it just because it was different. And obviously my mom loved it because she didn't have to cook. :)
 
SouthernGma Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 11:32 am
Breakfast for dinner. Now you're talking! Most of the time we go to mass at 7 pm on Saturday night and afterward there is nothing better than heading to our favorite restaurant that serves breakfast all day and settling down to ham, sausage, bacon, eggs (over medium) toast/biscuits, pancakes, waffles topped with an in-season fruit, big tall glass of OJ and a fresh hot cup of coffee. OMG. We're almost asleep before we get home! I also do this as a dinner when kids are visiting. They like to help with the pancakes and getting pretty darned good at flipping eggs.
 
Jenny Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
May 27, 2009 1:28 pm
Isn't it funny what makes us so happy as kids? I remember my Mom having "parties" for my brother and I when Dad was working, usually they involved banana splits or root beer floats! Sometimes simplicity IS best!
 
cook4one 
May 30, 2009 7:06 am
In our family, sometimes supper was (gasp) DESSERT! When the best local strawberries were in season, Mom would surprise us with a gigantic strawberry shortcake as the main course. She would bake cake that was really a huge baking-power biscuit, split, buttered, and filled while still hot with the stawberries in juice. Only real whipped cream on top, too. If I was lucky, I got to eat any leftovers for my breakfast the next morning. I live by myself and even now will declare a "shortcake" dinner one night and pig out! If the timing is right, I have my veggies first--fresh local peas with butter--before dessert. Yum. No guilt allowed, either. Hey--I'm getting my veggies and fruit for the day, right?!
 
Doughgirl8 Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
Jun. 1, 2009 1:48 pm
Great post--and such fun comments. I just need to give a shout-out to all of those other cereal-lovers, who occasionally sit down to a nice big bowl at the end of a long day. Ahhhhhh! Cereal. :)
 
BZeeMom 
Sep. 29, 2009 10:47 am
Warm oatmeal is the best right before bed!!!! When my son was a newborn, and I was recuperating from the 4 hours of active labor plus the C-Section, not to mention breastfeeding a HUNGRY newborn every two hours, I had a bowl of warm oatmeal with a large cup of herbal tea before going to sleep. It made me warm and fussy and helped me fall asleep the thirty or so times my son woke me up...I don't know if it counts as dinner because I also had dinner around dinner time, but it certainly wasn't breakfast time!!!
 
 
 

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Mackenzie
 Supporting Member (Click to learn more about Supporting Membership)
Home Town: Bellingham, Washington, USA
Living In: Seattle, Washington, USA
Member Since: Sep. 2006
Cooking Level: Intermediate
Cooking Interests: Baking, Asian, Mexican, Italian
Hobbies: Hiking/Camping, Biking, Walking, Photography, Music
 
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About Me 
I am a 32-year old woman (I still stumble over the word "woman," but I don't think I can get away with "girl" anymore) living in Seattle, WA, writing for the very website you are browsing right now! I am originally from Bellingham (about 80 miles north of Seattle), where I went to Western Washington University, and then just kinda hung out for several more years until I moved south in September of 2006. I've always loved cooking and even had my own little spiral recipe notebook when I was in middle school to collect my star dishes in. (Apple pizza and scones were always a hit with the family—thanks Home Ec.!) I seriously considered going to culinary school when I was twenty, but then decided I didn't want to cook for a living. I’m definitely more of an entertaining cook, as opposed to a professional cook.
My favorite things to cook
I prefer cooking over baking, but I've been branching out more in the past couple years--I made a pie from scratch for the very first time for Thanksgiving 2006 and it was delicious. But, I made a cake from scratch for the first time recently, and it did not go as well. It looked great, but I would not use the word "great" to describe how it tasted. I've resolved to go back to boxed cake mix, and put my efforts into the decoration where I can actually do some good.
My favorite family cooking traditions
People are always surprised when I say that my dad does most of the cooking for holiday meals. "Does your mom get stressed out for Thanksgiving?" people will ask. Are you kidding me? No way! She, my sister, and I are all watching movies while my dad is basting the turkey and making mashed potatoes and gravy. Thanksgiving is probably the most relaxing day of the year for my mom!
My cooking triumphs
Ah, I remember it well ... I was twelve years old; I believe it was a Thursday and there was a chill in the air that night ... I pulled that seafood pasta bake out of the oven oh-so-carefully, and when we sat down to enjoy it ... so cheesy, creamy and seafoody (and I mean that in the very best way)... so very, very, delicious ... though I lost track of the recipe, each bite will live on in my memory forever ... ;)
My cooking tragedies
On my 30th birthday, I set fire to a cookie sheet full of French bread that I had only intended to toast. I had just finished cooking something else when I turned the oven to broil and underestimated how hot the top element already was. Chatting away with a friend, I was completely confused when I saw smoke coming through the burners and it wasn't until my friend yelled, "It's on fire!" pointing to the partially open oven door, that I realized what was happening. I swiftly yanked the baking sheet from the oven, dropped it into the sink, and cranked the faucet. Disaster averted. Moral of the story? Let other people cook for you on your birthday.
 
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