7+ Simple Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Try

1.  Oats

• • • My Favorite Oatmeal Pancake Recipes:

      • Healthy Banana Pancakes｜Suzanne’s Kitchen 
      • Pumpkin Banana Oat Blender Pancakes｜Fitnessista
      • Oatmeal Blueberry Yogurt Pancakes｜Ambitious Kitchen (Consider using one of Siggi’s whole milk yogurts with no sugar added)
      • Oatmeal Blender Pancakes |  Erin Lives Whole (this recipe does have a little maple syrup)

2.  Eggs

Eggs are such an easy and nutritious breakfast, and the options are endless.  Add a side of whole wheat toast and a fruit or vegetable and you have a balanced meal! Try sliced avocado, fresh fruit, sauteed veggies or easier- leftover vegetables from the night before. Leftover roasted potatoes are also a great side. 

Ideas for Eggs: 

• • Scrambled egg with cheese – a classic 
    • If you have an adventurous eater, add any chopped veggie you desire 
    • Change it up with fresh salsa and black beans 
    • Add extra flavor with garlic and onion powder

• • Omelet with veggies and cheese of choice

• • Hard-boiled egg 

• • Fried – Try Star in the Hole Eggs from Super Healthy Kids 

• • Scrambled egg tacos or fajitas (you could make a taco bar- fun!)

• • Mini egg muffins or egg casserole- these are great to make extra and freeze for future breakfasts or any other meal for that matter. Your future self will thank you ;). Some of my go-to egg bake recipes:

• • • For babies and toddlers, I love the frittata bites recipes in this cookbook – Baby & Toddler On the Go. Recipes include spinach and cheese; Mexican chicken and jack; ham, tomato and swiss; asparagus and mozzarella; and cherry tomato and feta frittata bites. She also includes frittata pasta bites which are delicious and great for lunch or dinner!  

• • • Easy Veggie Egg Bake by The Healthy Mavern  

3.  Whole Wheat Waffles

1. • My go-to store-bought options are Kashi 7 Grain Waffles, Kashi Blueberry Waffles, and Vans Organic Waffles Original.  Both brands have gluten-free options, as well.
   • For homemade whole wheat waffles, check out this recipe by Super Healthy Kids 
   • Make it a meal:
     • Top with nut/seed butter and chia seeds + fruit and milk on the side
     • Top with butter, hard-boiled or fried egg + fruit and milk on the side
     • Use in place of bread for an egg sandwich 
     • Pair with greek yogurt and fresh berries 
     • Pair with turkey or chicken sausage and fresh fruit

4.  Avocado Toast

This is a very lax recipe and makes 2 pieces of toast.

Ingredients: 

• Whole wheat bread, 2 slices 
• Avocado, 1 
• Chia seeds to sprinkle 
• Juice of a lemon (optional) 

Directions: 

1. Mash avocado with a fork or masher 
2. Mix in a squirt of lemon juice and a sprinkle of chia seeds
3. Toast whole wheat bread 
4. Spread toast with avocado mixture and top with additional chia seeds (or “chia sprinkles”) 
5. To make it even fancier (and to add protein and iron), add a fried egg or a sliced hard boil egg on top or on the side! A fresh tomato slice and feta cheese crumbles would be delicious as well.

5.  Peanut Butter Toast

• • Spread nut/seed butter of choice on toasted whole wheat bread, bagel, or English muffin – easy peasy! 
  • Balance it out with fruit and a serving of milk or yogurt
    • Sliced banana or berries go great on top 
    • Or you can try this quick (no added sugar) raspberry jam: mash raspberries, mix with some chia seeds and spread on top 

6.  Whole Grain Cereal with Milk and Fruit 

Let’s be honest- sometimes (or a lot of the time) it has to be as simple as cereal and milk, and that’s okay!  Cereal is A-OK in my book. It’s an enjoyable, nutritious meal, especially when paired with milk and fruit.  But there are more nutritious options than others of course.  The cereal aisle can be tricky to navigate to find options that aren’t loaded with sugar, but still taste good. In my upcoming post, I will provide tips on choosing cereal and a list of my favorites because we are cereal fans over here!  For children under 4, check the size of the cereal piece to make sure it’s not a choking hazard.  For little little ones, you can soak cereal like cheerios in milk so it’s softer to chew.

7. Breakfast Smoothie

Smoothies are kind of awesome in that they are easy to make, you can use many combinations of different foods, you can throw veggies in that you don’t even taste (if you’re not a big veggie fan), and you can drink them on-the-go.  There’s also just something fun about them!  

Some things to think about when making a breakfast smoothie: 

• Make sure it has enough in it to qualify as a complete meal.
  • Some recipes just have milk, fruit, and ice. That’s not going to fill anyone up for very long. To make it a meal, add some protein and fat such as nut butter. Oats go well in smoothies and add good quality carbohydrates and fiber. Chia seeds go great as well. Avocado will add some healthy fat and make it creamier.   

• Aim for:
  • A combo of fruit and/or veggies like banana, berries, pineapple, zucchini, spinach or avocado 
  • Milk and/or Greek yogurt
  • A protein/iron source like nut butter or chia seeds
  • And oats (rolled or instant oats) 

• If your child prefers a simpler fruit smoothie (like milk, banana and frozen berries), no bigger. Just have something on the side like a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.

Chocolate for breakfast anyone?  Here you go…

Family-friendly breakfast ideas

These meal ideas are great for the whole family to enjoy which makes it easier for you.  Try not to be a short-order cook in the morning to cater to everyone’s preferences.  Our kids need to learn to like different foods and be able to make do with what is offered.  Of course, you can make alterations to fit their feeding skills, dietary needs, and preferences.  But, for the most part, it can be the same meal. In my next post, I will give you some more ideas and tips for older babies and young toddlers since they do have some unique nutrition needs.  But again, these meals are great for the whole family.  Enjoy!  

If you’re struggling to get your child to eat, check out my post on “12 Tips to Tackle Picky Eating.”