3 surprising foods Kenyan mothers give their children for breakfast

First and foremost, you’ll remember that there was a very big difference between what mom served for breakfast when there were visitors around and what she normally gave you.

Her famous matching tea cups at the top of the shelf “zile za wageni (for guests only)” that were so sacred sometimes even the visitors never got to use them but somehow by the time you grew up you had broken half the set.

I remember my mom telling me that bread with Blue Band was only served at weddings when she was growing up and I just wondered then what did they have for breakfast?

3 surprising foods Kenyan moms give children - an evolution of breakfast with Blue Band Pulse Live Kenya

According to mom, cucu (grandmother) would normally serve a cup of milkless tea and whatever had been left from supper, if at all there was anything left.

She says they used to detest porridge back then because it was often sugarless, sometimes too sour, other times full of lumps so all in all porridge was a dull breakfast for them. She would fall in love with it when she went to high school and discovered some Blue Band made it taste better.

How Blue Band made life Better

She was lucky to have gone to one of those schools where Blue Band and jam were provided at breakfast and quickly they invented “mkorogo (the mix)” which had some Blue Band, Sugar and cocoa powder.

Mkorogo was prepared at the dorms at night particularly because the sugar crystals had to be completely dissolved in the Blue Band before cocoa was added. A tiresome task but she says it was worth it when breakfast time came.

3 surprising foods Kenyan moms give children - an evolution of breakfast with Blue Band Pulse Live Kenya

When mum was bringing us up, she made a lot of mandazis, doughnuts, pancakes and chapatis for breakfast. She told us she had vowed to provide all these things so that “boys don’t cheat us with mandazis and make us pregnant”. My brothers were told that’s what builds muscles.

During this time, Blue Band adverts were all over and mom was very keen on the nutritional value of everything she served us so when she discovered that it had some of the important micronutrients it went in everything, even ugali!

But when mom hadn’t gotten a chance to prepare our breakfast treats, she would buy bread and we’d spread it with Blue Band. Other times we’d have last night’s ugali.

3 surprising foods Kenyan moms give children - an evolution of breakfast with Blue Band Pulse Live Kenya

A friend of mine from the Coast region recently told me that she grew up having mahamri and fried mbaazi (pigeon peas) for breakfast.

She told me that it’s quite common in the region and one can actually find local hotels serving them as part of their breakfast menu.

I just remember mbaazi as part of our version of githeri in the Eastern region. Once they are boiled together with maize, fresh out of the pot and piping hot you just add some Blue Band and eat, you don’t have to waste time frying it, still my favourite as a mom today.

Surprising breakfast treats I discovered

Come to present day, I don’t remember ever giving my mom grief during breakfast, I ate without fuss. But my kids are terrorists at breakfast time. My daughter actually goes to school without having breakfast so I have to pack her a substantial break time snack.

3 surprising foods Kenyan moms give children - an evolution of breakfast with Blue Band Pulse Live Kenya

I’ve had to be creative and as always, Blue Band makes that easy for me, I just point at the advert and tell them if they want to be like the boy in the ad then they have to have their breakfast.

I recently introduced them to oatmeal with a little Blue Band as a healthy and filling option and they like it.

I’ve also put a twist to the classic bread and BB combo by adding chocolate sprinkles and other times just the normal coloured sprinkles and they love it. They tell me it’s like a birthday cake.

3 surprising foods Kenyan moms give children - an evolution of breakfast with Blue Band Pulse Live Kenya

Brawn sandwiches with veggies also work well for my daughter with BB I never have to add salt because it has just the right amount.

Blue Band has stood the test of time and it just keeps getting better. They’ve added canola oil to the mix and I’m too excited about it. Canola is great for healthy skin and hair.

Genius, healthy, strong and energetic babies is great news for a mum like me!

BB is now giving back through the new all blue tin. When you buy one of these limited edition blue tins, you will be providing breakfast for a needy child.

Go ahead and make a needy child’s day by giving them a good start, with Blue Band.