Healthy Breakfast for Kids – 25 Ideas to Start the Day Right
There’s no way around it: Weekday mornings with kids are jam-packed busy. From getting dressed and brushing teeth to packing lunches and backpacks, there’s never enough time to do it all. Despite the rush, with a little planning and creativity, you can still carve out time for a healthy breakfast snack for kids that will keep them energized, happy and full through their morning. Breakfast is important for adults, too: Recent research shows that eating breakfast may decrease the risk of heart disease.
Here are 25 healthy breakfast ideas for kids to put on the table or take on the go before everyone heads out for the day.
Make-Ahead Healthy Breakfast For Kids
Start your breakfast prep early with these make-ahead items. Prepare a batch and keep them in the fridge for five days or less for optimal tastiness. Prepare these foods once for multiple days of healthy breakfast for kids!
1. Overnight Oats
This no-cook method of oatmeal creates a rich, creamy and healthy breakfast for kids that allows for a variety of recipe variations. Add in anything from almond butter and bananas to tropical fruit and Greek yogurt. By preparing this dish and letting it sit overnight, you’ll save time while you sleep. In a pinch, you can also let the oats soak for a couple hours in the fridge. Overnight oats has a consistency akin to a porridge or pudding, so it’s sure to be a winner with picky eaters.
2. Slow-Cooked Oats
Place your ingredients on the stovetop and let this fiber-rich healthy breakfast for kids simmer on low for several hours. We love adding apples and cinnamon for a warm and comforting spin. Don’t have a few hours? Pressure cookers like the Instant Pot can give that slow-cooked feel in less than half an hour. Like our last option, this dish can also be cooked overnight for an easy morning breakfast.
3. Breakfast Tacos
For a quick and fun way to start the morning off right, breakfast tacos are easy to make in less than half an hour. Load up whole wheat tortillas with protein-packed scrambled eggs and diced peppers, onions and tomatoes. Reheat these in the oven or microwave until they’re perfectly warm and toasty. If you have any leftovers, breakfast tacos are also great at lunch, dinner, or for a snack at any time of day.
4. Hard Boiled Eggs
Not only is this portable meal good for breakfast on the go, but it also doubles as the perfect after-school snack. You can even have some fun with this kids’ healthy breakfast by creating bunny-shaped eggs, English muffin egg pizzas, deviled egg chicks, deviled egg dip, hard boiled grilled cheese sandwiches or open-face egg salad sandwiches. The only limit is your imagination!
5. Whole Grain Muffins
Not only are whole grain muffins a great healthy kid breakfast, but they’re delicious and your kids might think they’re getting a treat, not a healthy, nutritious meal. Top with low-fat cream cheese or your favorite nut butter spread, or add in bananas, blueberries or cinnamon to really go next-level.
6. Homemade Pancakes
Ditch the store-bought mix and try this blender pancake idea: mix together 2 cups of oats, 1 cup of cottage cheese, 2 eggs and a dash of vanilla. Kids love getting down and dirty with pancakes, and after all the fun and cleanup, there’s a yummy and delicious breakfast to eat. Top with butter, maple syrup or even peanut butter, but make sure you handle the hot griddle or frying pan for everyone.
7. French Toast
Use a high-fiber, whole-grain bread (look for one with at least three grams of fiber per serving), and consider a 2:1 ratio of whole eggs and egg whites. Prepare as usual on a griddle or in a frying pan. Top with fresh fruit and a light drizzle of real maple syrup. If you’re feeling adventurous, try making French toast sticks by cutting bread into one-inch strips — just the perfect size for little hands and mouths. As an added bonus, they’re easily dippable in jam or sauce. It’ll take a bit more time to prepare the sticks, but it’s all worth it when it comes time to eat.
8. Egg Cups
This is one of our favorite healthy breakfast ideas for kids! These breakfast egg muffins are perfect for making ahead of time and can be refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready. Egg cups are also a great vehicle for kid-friendly veggies that even picky eaters like! Our favorite add-ons are frozen peas and shredded carrots, or you can raid the leftovers from last night’s meal for a fun and educational lesson about waste.
9. Breakfast Grains
While it can be tempting to reach for the usual breakfast cereals, don’t. They’re often loaded up with sugar, dyes, processed grains and other undesirables that are hardly meeting the nutritional needs of your kids’ growing bodies and minds. Instead, think outside the box and go for a healthy breakfast for kids with some nutritious grains. Amaranth, quinoa, millet—breakfast grains go beyond traditional oats, but can be prepared nearly the same way for a twist on the expected. Add milk or a milk alternative instead of water for a calcium-filled, creamy treat. (For some recommendations on milk alternatives, check out our FAQs on milk and toddlers.)
10. Energy Bites
If your kid has a sweet tooth, no-bake energy bites could make the perfect healthy breakfast for kids. Balance the nuttiness of oats, flax seeds and chia seeds with honey, chocolate chips and unsweetened coconut flakes. Since they taste like dessert, your kids won’t know that they’re getting healthy ingredients that are actually nutritious. They’re also incredibly easy to make and they keep well throughout the week, which means you’ll always have a delicious, energy-giving treat at the ready.
Quick-Prep Healthy Breakfast for Kids
Only have a few minutes to whip up breakfast on the spot? No problem—these go-to solutions load up on the nutrition and make for easy healthy breakfast recipes for kids and toddlers.
11. Smoothies
One of the most classic healthy breakfast ideas for kids (and adults), fruit smoothies are quick to throw together and also represent a great opportunity to get extra fruits and vegetables into your child’s diet. While your kids are happily drinking away, they won’t know that they’re getting tons of beneficial nutrition in this yummy treat. Try a variety of kid-approved superfoods from spinach and blueberries to carrots and dates. That said, resist the temptation to pack in too many ingredients. Kids will be turned off by taste confusion, and it’s also a great way to give a smoothie a boring, bland flavor.
12. Easy Eggs With Fruit
Switch up breakfast in a flash to keep kids from getting bored. Serve sliced fruit alongside a rotating side item such as scrambled eggs, fried eggs or simple omelets. You can make the meal more fun for picky eaters by cooking the eggs in a fun mold! Your kids might even jump at the chance to create their own concoction, so bust out all your veggies and meats to really open up their options. Even if the dish doesn’t work, trying different ingredients is a great learning experience. Next time, they’ll know what to gravitate towards, but make sure you’re around to help them choose healthier options.
13. Avocado Toast
If you’re looking to move beyond the kids staples of pizza, pasta and grilled cheese, here’s a savory treat that you and your kids can enjoy. Mash up a quarter of an avocado on whole wheat toast. If your little one is up for it, top with additional veggies such as sliced cucumbers, sauteed spinach or sliced tomatoes! The healthy fat from the avocado will keep your kid full until lunch time while the creamy taste is reminiscent of cheese and lots of other foods that kids love.
14. Nut Butter Sandwiches
Who says a sandwich is only for lunch?
If you’ve got a few minutes and some whole-wheat bread, you can whip up a delicious snack in no time at all. Sure, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a common staple, but you can also match your kids’ favorite nut butter with apples, bananas, cinnamon, raisins, granola, dried fruit, nuts, strawberries and various other jams. If you don’t have any bread, grab a box of crackers and create little mini bite-sized treats that are great in the morning and throughout the day.
15. Egg in a Hole
This classic and easy egg recipe is great for toddlers and kids. If you’re growing tired of the same old omelets in the morning, egg in a hole is a great way to change things up, introducing some fun into the preparation process. Use a cookie cutter to cut out a circle from high-fiber wheat bread, and spread coconut butter or drizzle olive oil for cooking the bread and egg. For extra bonus points, let your kids choose the cookie cutter and watch as they fall in love with this inventive and out-of-the-box dish.
16. Whole Grain bagel
Spread on some cream cheese, add a few veggies (sliced cucumber and tomatoes are two of our favorites) and then add a pop of protein with smoked salmon or sliced turkey. You can also combine bagels with other foods that your kids love, such as pizza bagels, peanut butter and banana bagels, and guacamole and tomato bagels. Even old bagels can be reimagined as bagel chips with dip — just bake at 350 for 12 minutes with olive oil, sea salt and your favorite seasoning. For the dip, melt some spinach and cheese, or grab some avocados for a tasty guacamole dip.
17. Chia Pudding
Packed with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein, chia seeds amp up a breakfast pudding that’s easily made with almond milk, fruit and even some nuts for crunch. Check out these recipes for inspiration: chocolate raspberry chia pudding or blueberry chia pudding. The best part is that these delicious pudding recipes are sweetened with fruit and no added sugar.
Keep in mind that while you can purchase both white and black chia seeds, they both share the same taste, nutritional and thickening profile, making them interchangeable. However, if you have a kid that’s picky about colors, go with the one that suits them.
18. Boiled Egg and Soldiers
One of the more creative breakfast ideas for kids, your little ones will love this easy, dippable breakfast! Make a soft-boiled egg to serve in an egg cup and slice a piece of whole wheat toast into “soldier” slices. A common English breakfast, this unique dish isn’t popular over on this side of the pond, making it an excellent alternative to those worn out staples your kids know so well. Your kids will also love dipping toast into these runny eggs, which can add a much needed element of fun to their morning breakfast.
19. Fruit Wrap
Spread a thin layer of low-fat cream cheese, yogurt, cottage cheese or nut butter onto a whole wheat tortilla. Top it off with fruit and roll it up for a sweet breakfast wrap! If you want to take things a bit further, mix and match different wraps, spreads and fruit for an almost limitless array of alternatives to that boring, old sandwich. But make sure to avoid overstuffing the wrap if you don’t want to deal with leaky wraps that your kids might not enjoy.
No-Prep Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Kids
No time doesn’t have to mean no breakfast. Check out these super-quick options to provide a healthy breakfast for kids with a minute to spare and no meal prep.
20. Frozen Pancakes or Waffles
Turn to the toaster for this hassle-free breakfast! Opt for whole grain varieties that are high in fiber, and serve them with a side of no-prep fruits like berries or clementines. In a pinch, you can even throw frozen pancakes in the microwave for that quick, gotta-get-out-the-door snack. That said, the brand you buy does make a difference, so give a few different ones a shot before settling. Bad brands will taste gummy or spongy and lack flavor — which won’t pass muster with a picky eater.
21. Nurture Life’s Cheesy Egg Bite with Pancakes & Sweet Taters
To skip the frozen food aisle but still serve up a stack of deliciously quick pancakes, try out our Cheesy Egg Bite with Pancakes & Sweet Taters! Balancing the protein of an egg bite with fiber-rich sweet potatoes and adorable whole grain pancakes, this morning delight is ready to enjoy in under 2 minutes.
22. Cereal
Look for whole grain options that are low in sugar and high in fiber. One of our favorites is the Original Puffins Cereal, which has five grams of fiber per serving. Avoid the typical options that are loaded with sugars and preservatives that provide little nutritional value. Instead, look for cereals that are high in fiber and protein, nutrients that kids need more of.
23. Frozen Breakfast Burritos
To increase the nutrition of this heat-and-eat breakfast, go for brands that include more than just eggs and cheese—tofu, black beans and diced vegetables add a nutritious twist. Try Amy’s Breakfast Burrito for a healthy start to your kid’s day or prepare your burritos from scratch the night before to keep your work light in the morning.
24. Greek Yogurt Parfaits
Choose wide variety of flavors will keep kids interested, as will a mix of toppings they can take on the go—sliced almonds, cereal, diced strawberries and more. Look for Greek yogurt without any added low-calorie sweetener such as aspartame, stevia and the like. With just yogurt and fruit, parfaits are an excellent and healthy breakfast for kids that can be easily made from your child’s favorite fruit, or switched up if that old staple is getting a bit boring.
25. Granola Bars
The ultimate grab-and-go option, KIND Healthy Grain Bars offer fiber and protein in a handheld form. For extra oomph, pack your kid a small container of nut butter for dipping. If you’re buying another option, make sure you pay attention to the nutritional facts on the side of the box. Many granola bars are loaded with sugar, salt and fat — and odds are that chocolatey coating or yummy drizzle has more in common with a candy bar than something nutritious.
Your family can conquer busy mornings with these quick yet healthy breakfast ideas for kids. Take advantage of wholesome store-bought breakfast foods and use your weekends to prep a few make-ahead breakfasts. And when your schedule is too full to even think about breakfast for the week, add a few Cheesy Egg Bites to your next Nurture Life order!
You don’t have to do it all yourself to make sure your kids begin every day happy, healthy and full. We’re here to provide a helping hand if and when you need us. If you have any questions about our ready-to-eat kids meal menu or how to place an order, please contact us as support@nurturelife.com.
