The Pancake Hack EVERY Parent Should Know #MilkSplash

*I've partnered with MilkSplash to share an amazing recipe for fun healthy pancakes. All opinions are my own. 

I LOVE pancakes. Love them. And thankfully, so does my toddler.  Over the last two years, I have learned how to sneak fruits, veggies, and whole grains into pancakes, without sacrificing the yummy simplicity that is, pancakes! Every Saturday, I will make a bunch, and then freeze them for the week. Not only is that a HUGE time and money saver, it's peace of mind knowing if the little has a pancake and a glass of milk, he's starting his day off right!

So, when FTD sent me a photo and video of someone making a Darth Vader Pancake, I said, Challenge Accepted!  I LOVE the idea of making fun shaped pancakes. Who says they have to be boring little circles?

I immediately got to work on learning how to be a true pancake BOSS!



It turns out, it's not that hard! Below I have a complete step-by-step walk-through so you too can be a Pancake BOSS! (Each image can be easily 'Pinned' by scrolling (or tapping) the image.)

Here is what you will need:

Pancake mix and the necessary ingredients for the mix: I chose Multi-grain, but anything will do!

Dispenser Bottle(s): You will need as many bottles as you have flavors.

TIP: Ziplock bags with the corner cut off will work in a pinch.

Favorite MilkSplash Flavors: We used Sir Strawberry; Coco Loco; Jammin' Banana

Instructions: 

Step 1: Mix pancake batter according to directions. 

TIP: Make sure batter is thin enough to squeeze easily out of the bottle.

Step 2: Pour equal parts of batter into each dispenser bottle (Or Ziplock bag)

Step 3: Mix in favorite MilkSplash flavors by either stiring with a knife or shaking vigorously until well blended.

Step 4: Preheat pan to medium heat and spray with cooking spray or good ol' fashion butter.

Step 5: Get Creative! 

This was so much fun to do as a family! FTD made a crazy Batman, I wrote Ollie's name and made a Strawberry heart, banana flavored banana and flowers. FTD even held Ollie up to squeeze his own pancake! By the time we finished, we had a week's worth of fun, yummy, multigrain pancakes. 

(I popped the left-overs in a Ziplock bag and tossed them in the freezer. The best part is breakfast for the entire week is taken care of! Each morning I'll pop a couple of fancy-cakes in the microwave for a FAST wholesome breakfast. #MomScore)

If you've never heard of MilkSplash before, here is a little background: IT'S AWESOME! 

Have a child that won't drink milk? Squeeze in MilkSplash Sir Strawberry and MilkSplash Jammin Banana and watch the milk disappear! 

Sick of having to use half a bottle of syrup to flavor milk? Squeeze in a tiny bit of MilkSplash Coco Loco or MilkSplash Cookie 'N Cream and get the same flavor at a FRACTION of the sugar and calories. 

Want to make low-fat smoothies or popsicles filled with veggies and having trouble masking the veggie flavor? Squeeze in a little MilkSplash Orange Cream Dream!

MilkSplash is also great for on-the-go since it's small enough to fit in my handbag and doesn't require refrigeration. And the non-mess factor is epic business. I can safely hand it to Ollie, let him squeeze a little in his milk, and then have him stir a couple of times with his straw. It's nothing like mixing a thick syrup that gets stuck on the bottom. 

I have a nephew who is not a fan of milk, but LOVES sugary syrups. I handed him the MilkSplash flavors and a glass of milk to test out the true power of the " 2014 World Dairy Innovation Award Winner." Sure enough, he drank TWO glasses of milk, just so he could try the flavors! I made chocolate frozen yogurt ice-cream, and Ollie gobbled it right up!

If any of this resonates with you, I definitely recommend giving MilkSplash a try. It's available at retailers nationwide. I get ours at Target. To find a MilkSplash retailer near you, click here.