Childhood Breakfasts You Forgot Existed

For some reason or another, our affection for some foods never makes it past childhood. Dinners like Tater Tot casserole and corn dogs just aren't as acceptable to eat in adulthood, and desserts like Cosmic Brownies probably don't make it on your much more mature grocery lists. What breakfasts have become bygones now that you've left home?

Those were the good old days — when you didn't have to make yourself a balanced breakfast because your parents had something ready and waiting for you before you left for school. It is the most important meal of the day, after all! And the best breakfasts from your childhood were sugary and colorful and tasted fantastic. Here are some of the greatest childhood breakfasts you probably forgot existed.

Banana bread is 100 percent dessert, but it was once perfectly acceptable to eat for breakfast. Spread a slice of banana bread with Nutella or peanut butter and bam! You had a meal.

This diet tip (thankfully) died decades ago, but there was a time when the breakfast everyone and their mother ate each day was a broiled grapefruit. Sometimes there was cottage cheese on the side. Yes, this breakfast is low-fat and low-calorie, but at what cost?! Plus, fat is good for you. Haven't you heard?

Cinnamon toast was the best thing to happen to sliced bread since sliced bread. Simply toast a slice of white bread, butter generously (or, if you're making it in true '90s fashion, spread it with margarine), and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Yum!

Is it grits? Is it oatmeal? In all honesty, the consistency of Cream of Wheat resides somewhere unappetizingly in the middle. This porridge product debuted over a century ago and is best served warm.

These sugar-dusted dishes always make for brunches worthy of royalty. A fluffy, egg-based souffle creates a base that was then covered in fresh fruit and baked to perfection — but you probably haven't had one of these since you were in your pajamas in Grandma's kitchen.

These chocolate chip-studded waffles were the epitome of childhood bliss. You popped one or two of these sugary little discs in the toaster every morning or microwaved them if you were short on time. There's nothing like the smell of melty chocolate chips in the morning. Even better were the Eggo waffles with Disney characters printed on the inside. Leggo my Eggo!

These crunchy, crispy, creamy bars come in all your favorite cereal varieties. They're essentially made from your favorite sugary cereal stuck together with frosting and (you guessed it) more sugar. Heck, if you're going to eat something with as much sugar as a candy bar before 10 a.m., this isn't a bad way to do it. Cocoa Puffs, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch... On the go! Since they reached peak popularity in the early 2000s, these bars have since been appropriately branded as "Treats Bars." Not breakfast.

Back in the day when parents thought drinking milk with every meal was a nutritional necessity for children, Ovaltine was a life saver. Why would you drink normal milk when chocolate milk is an option? Plus, Ovaltine powder had vitamins and minerals. Health!

This breakfast, popularized by IHOP, brings a smile to everyone's face. What's better than a pancake? A pancake painted with a smiley face made from whipped cream. This was a kid's menu item at the popular breakfast chain, but there's no shame in ordering it as an adult — or making it yourself at home.