Healthy Toddler Breakfast Ideas
Yes, breakfast is important for toddlers and kids. But with all that needs to happen to get a family out of the house each day and the changing preferences of kids appetites, it can be so difficult in real life. To help, these easy kids breakfast ideas can be assembled in minutes or made completely ahead of time. And each one is super delicious.
Breakfast Ideas for Kids
One quick tip to start: My biggest recommendation to help make feeding selective toddlers easier is to try a breakfast rotation. This means having a few regular toddler breakfasts that they see often, which reassures them they’ll see their favorites often but maintains some variety.
Toddlers love routine and familiarity, so serving foods once or twice a week can help the odds that they’ll enjoy it. We have oatmeal two mornings a week in my house as family breakfast and it’s been a great way to take some decision work off the table and enjoy a food they might not pick if given free reign.
- Low Sugar Cereal with Milk and Fruit
- Oatmeal with Fruit
- Whole Grain Pancakes
- Breakfast Bars
- Whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, half a banana, and a glass of milk. This one actually hits all four major food groups!
- French Toast sticks and orange juice. The good thing about French Toast sticks is that they’re thicker, can be eaten by hand, and are perfect for dipping.
- Strawberries dipped in yogurt.
- Breakfast Pizza – Make mini breakfast pizzas with ready-made crust, scrambled eggs, and cheese, or, just roll all those ingredients up into a soft taco and make breakfast burritos.
- Breakfast Snack Mix – Throw some granola, almonds, raisins, dried fruit, dry cereal, or just about any other healthy bite-size bits into a baggie, shake it up, and let your child go wild.
- Smoothies made with yogurt and fresh fruit.
For some easy recipes we recommend “Toddler Breakfast made Easy” – They have some delicious breakfast ideas your toddler will love.
Whether you’re dealing with a picky eater, a mini foodie, or someone in between, you’ll appreciate these easy and healthy breakfast ideas for toddlers. Most menu items are very quick to put together on busy mornings when you’re on the go and rushing to get your toddler ready for day care or preschool. Other ideas can be made ahead of time or are best prepared on a weekend morning when the entire family can sit down to breakfast together.
Creating a Well-Balanced Diet
Your toddler’s healthy growth and energy levels are fueled by a varied diet that includes foods from the five basic food groups:
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Protein foods, such as meats, poultry, fish, beans, and eggs
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Dairy, such as milk, cheese, and yogurt
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Fruits, with fresh, frozen, and canned varieties all OK
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Vegetables, including dark green, red, and orange varieties
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Grains, such as cereals, bread, pasta, potatoes, and rice.
It’s OK if your toddler doesn’t eat something from each food group at every single breakfast. What’s important is that your little one gets a range of wholesome foods at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, which will balance out and meet his nutritional needs over several days.
The Bottom Line
If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen, then breakfast can be a great opportunity to come up with creative menu ideas for your toddler. And, if you don’t like cooking that much and would rather fix something simple, then breakfast is one of those meals where you definitely have lots of great options.
Think about making some breakfast meals ahead of time, such as by preparing big batches that you can freeze for later and portion out as needed. This is a nice way to make mornings less frantic.
To ensure your toddler’s nutritional needs are met and to keep things interesting, aim for a mix of different breakfast foods on different mornings, such as eggy dishes, oatmeal with various toppings, healthy smoothies, and whole grain toast topped with cheese or peanut butter.
The weekends are great for something fun like blueberry pancakes or banana muffins. Plus, you could even ask your toddler to help with mixing the batter or putting toppings on a bowl of yogurt.
With the breakfast ideas on our list, you’re good to go. You and your toddler can have a yummy start to the day!