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Getting ready for the day can get busy, especially with kids. That’s why it’s important for me to put simple systems in place for my family. Not only to save time but to teach independence. This year to prep for back to school, I added various self-serve stations around the house to help the kids adjust to doing things on their own. 

So I set up an accessible self-serve cereal station. Like the snack station, I used our 8-seater dining table because it’s reachable for the kids, and it’s an area of the house that’s religiously wiped down every day. But depending on the size of your family, you may want to use a serving cart like this. I found this black Tommy Bahamas tray on sale at Homegoods, but you can find something on Amazon.

Next, you want to select your cereal dispenser. Consider the capacity of the canister that stores the cereal. Some cereal dispensers have relatively compact canisters that fit one small box of cereal, while others have extra-large canisters that can fit multiple boxes.

Then you want to choose your bowls and spoons. I opted to buy a limited set of bowls, so it’s easily identifiable when the kids unload the dishwasher. 

Finally, the milk. I started by adding a dispenser to the gallon milk jug. While the kids thought it was cool, the milk dispensed super slow. So I opted to use these reusable plastic jugs. I fill them up on Sunday evening and place them on the bottom shelf in the refrigerator for easy reach. So far, no complaints from the kids.

Once you have your system in place, you’re ready to load your favorite cereals and other side items like fruit or maybe granola bars.

What do you think of this cereal station idea? Would this be something you would implement in your home? What would you add/take away? Let me know in the comments below.