Shabbos Day Kiddush
24. Just like by Kiddush on Friday night, one may not eat anything before Kiddush on Shabbos day (מ''ב סק "ו). However, this issur only takes effect after the chiyuv of Kiddush takes effect (שו''ע שם), i.e., after Shacharis according to most poskim (מ''ב סי' רפ''ו סק''ז).
25. Thus, one may drink before Shacharis even without saying Kiddush. [If one will only finish davening after chatzos, it is preferable to drink something such as coffee before Shacharis so that he isn’t fasting on Shabbos Kodesh (שו''ע סי' רפ''ח ס''א, ערוך השלחן ס''א).]
Women
26. The poskim discuss the halachah regarding a woman who wants to eat something Shabbos morning before her husband or father returns from shul. Several combinations of factors and opinions, including unique ones, are given to allow one to be meikel. Among them are: tasting something before Kiddush is muttar on Shabbos day (ראב''ד פכ''ט שבת ה''י); women are totally exempt from Kiddush on Shabbos day (מהר''ם חלאווה פסחים ק''ו.); and the discussion in the poskim about a woman’s chiyuv of tefillah (שו''ע ק''ו ס''ב, ומ''ב סק''ד בשם המג''א סק''ב).
27. The upshot lechatchilah based on many poskim is that if a woman usually davens every morning by saying Birchos Hashachar and Birchos HaTorah, she does not need to make Kiddush if she needs to eat before saying these brachos; but if she already said these brachos, she must make Kiddush for herself and eat some mezonos to fulfill Kiddush in the place of the seudah (תשוה''נ ח''א סי' רס''ב בשם מוהר''א מבעלזא). If it is difficult for her to drink grape juice in the morning, she can make Kiddush on a warm cup of coffee that she can drink a cheekful of at one time (see Issue 26; כ''ק מרן גאב''ד בעל שערי טוביה).
28. If a woman davens Shacharis every day, she should say Birchos Hashachar and Birchos HaTorah. Then she can eat a bit before Shacharis if she needs to (שו''ת מנח''י ח''ד סי' כ''ח). After Shacharis, the chiyuv of Kiddush takes effect for her.
29. Some women only daven Shacharis on Shabbos and Yom Tov, when they have time, but during the week they suffice with saying Birchos Hashachar and Birchos HaTorah. These women should have in mind when saying Birchos Hashachar on Shabbos not to be yotzei their chiyuv tefillah until they say Shacharis afterward. Then they may eat after Birchos Hashachar without making Kiddush (הגרשז''א, שש''כ פנ''ב הע ' מד).
Children
30. The minhag is that children may eat before davening until their bar mitzvah (מ"ב סי' ק''ו סק''ה). Also, one may not cause them to suffer before Shabbos Kiddush (מ''ב סי' רס''ט סק''א).
