The Usual Suspects

• Pancakes are not the only breakfast favorite -- many other breakfast dishes and sides fit right along, such as eggs, hash brown potatoes, sausage, bacon and ham. If you're serving the pancakes with syrup, try to balance their sweetness with more savory fare, like a meaty side or some form of eggs. Stay away from other bread products, such as biscuits or toast, as they will add too many carbohydrates to the meal. Add some freshness to the meal by including a side of fruit or topping the pancakes with sliced strawberries or bananas.

Full Beverage Service

• Even though pats of butter and swaths of syrup will moisten the driest pancakes, you will still need something to drink with them. The classic beverage options include different kinds of milk, including a rich chocolate milk. Some juices also work well, but stick with freshly squeezed juices instead of concentrated ones or they may be too sour when combined with the pancakes and syrup. Not all drinks have to be so kid-friendly -- whip up a round of mimosas, which are sparkling wine drinks with orange juice or fruity cocktails like cosmos and lemon drops -- even a thick bloody Mary will do.

Desserted Island

• As sweet as pancakes can be, you can make them sweeter by transforming them from a morning treat to an evening dessert. Heat up some chocolate or caramel syrup, whip some cream and chop some nuts for a sweet ending. Use homemade ice cream or just spoon a scoop of store-bought for a deliciously different kind of sundae. Break off pieces of chocolate candy bars, melt salted caramels and crush up some pretzels, then add them all atop a cake for a sweet and savory treat.

Mix It Up

• Prepare some special ingredients to mix into the pancakes to add both flavor and texture. Chop some nuts, such walnuts, almonds or pecans, for a little crunch and added protein. Fruits also make good mix-ins, like sliced strawberries, bananas and pears or whole raspberries or blueberries. Also mix in breakfast meats, like crumbled cooked bacon, sliced sausages and diced ham. Some mix-ins can further sweeten the cakes, like chocolate chips or chocolate shavings as well as butterscotch chips and caramels. For a smoother process, prepare the mix-ins before you begin grilling the pancakes.