Ideas for Breakfast in Bed with Core Bamboo

If any of you are Downton Abbey fans, surely you must wonder, as do I, how we lost that lovely-looking tradition of being served our waking meal while still in bed! I would have enjoyed that part of that era immensely!

Do you know, I’ve never had breakfast IN bed? Now, before you feel bad for me… don’t. Because my husband is GREAT at getting up early on weekends, taking the kids downstairs to play so I can “sleep in,” and while he’s at it, he usually makes a nice egg/toast breakfast for me.

How does one stage the perfect breakfast in bed?

Get up earlier! See. Now my husband is certain to never get his own breakfast-in-bed moment! But you have to get up early to make the food while they’re still sleeping… otherwise you lose the effect!

Add details. Use cookie cutters to shape toast, pancakes, fruit, etc. Use the “special napkins.” Definitely use REAL plates and silverware!

Provide entertainment. Unless you’re all going to sit around and watch the recipient eat (creepy), make sure there’s something for them to do while eating. Put a new (or old!) book on the tray. The crossword puzzle from the paper. Or, okay, just say it – probably most people would prefer their smartphone!

Be elegant. Balancing plates and mugs on your knees in bed is not fun, nor does it make one feel elegant! In fact, it smacks of “I’m sick and can’t even get out of bed to eat.” Use a bedside table or TV tray table, and invest in a lovely tray, like this red woven bamboo tray from Core Bamboo to hold everything securely (It’ll also save you from making five trips, which would also detract from the moment).

Clean the kitchen. If the breakfast is meant to be special, let the feeling linger by having the kitchen all cleaned up when your special diner finishes their meal. After all, they shouldn’t feel pressure to “get up and clean” after such a lovely morning.

Here’s some variations of breakfast in bed:

Library in bed: Bring a pile of fresh books and a mug of coffee or cocoa to your favorite reader. This is a great one for kids who love to read. Works well for bedtimes (just, be sure to brush afterwards!).

Breakfast outside: Put breakfast on a pretty tray and walk it outside for a change of scenery!

Breakfast in a bowl: Maybe there’s too many in the family right now to coordinate a breakfast in bed. How about prepping some fruit or muffins the night before and serving it in a large bucket bowl for everyone to grab their favorite fruits or baked goods!?

Accessorize your breakfast!

The tray I used for my photos came from a brand I have grown to love over the past year: Core Bamboo. You might think of them as just cutting boards, but they have an extensive line of serving ware, bowls, trays, and home decor – all made from sustainable organically grown bamboo.

The bucket bowl has been my go-to piece these days for our fruit, a dinnertime salad, or chip bowl! Many pieces, like the trays and bucket bowls, have exciting colors to choose from – of course, I love red, and not just for Valentine’s Day, so that was my pick.

Have you ever served (or been served) breakfast in bed? What would be your menu? Ideas for variations?

Thanks to Core Bamboo for providing products for this post. All opinions are 100% my own.