11 Easy Breakfast Ideas for Kids on Busy School Days
The school year is starting again, and while this may mean less time you need to spend entertaining your kids during the day, it also means much busier mornings trying to get everyone ready and out the door. That's why knowing easy breakfast ideas for kids is essential.
Making sure your kids start the day with a healthy meal before school is important, but it can be extremely difficult to make this happen on your busiest mornings. To help those who may struggle to find the time to make a nutritious breakfast for themselves and their family, we talked with Laura Burak, MS, RD, author of Slimdown with Smoothies, and founder of Laura Burak Nutrition.
"There's nothing I love more than showing parents how easy it can be to navigate their crazy schedules by just learning a handful of quick easy breakfast ideas to get each day off to a healthy start," says Burak. "Stocking a few staple ingredients like a whole grain bread or toaster waffle, yogurts, eggs, fruit, and a nut or seed butter is all you need for a variety of quick options that naturally contain a healthy source of carbs and protein to keep your blood sugar stable for hours."
Read on to learn about more easy breakfast ideas for kids on busy mornings, then make sure to check out 6 Ways to Introduce Your Kids to Vegetables.
Yogurt cups
A simple yogurt cup can be a healthy, quick breakfast on the go, says Burak. "Make sure you pick a yogurt brand that uses less sugar in its recipe, like siggi's, and add any fruit, nuts, or seeds on top."
For more ideas on healthy yogurts to buy, check out The 15 Best Low-Sugar Yogurts, Approved by Dietitians.
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PB and B toast
Another quick and delicious breakfast to try is a piece of toast—as long as you make it more nutrient-dense. "Layer peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter) on whole grain toast with sliced banana on top," says Burak. "And I have to say, this one is my favorite and takes less than 5 minutes to make."
For more toast inspiration, try one of these 15 Toast Recipe Ideas. Then for some ideas on healthy store-bought bread to purchase, try one of these Healthiest Bread Loaves to Buy.
Banana Bread
You may not have the time or energy to bake a whole loaf of bread in the morning, but baking a loaf over the weekend or on a slower afternoon can give you a quick breakfast the rest of the week.
If you're looking for a super simple recipe, this banana bread definitely does the trick. You'll still get some nutrients from the bananas, walnuts, and Greek yogurt, but you may also want to pair this with a protein like a hard boiled egg.
Smoothies
According to Burak, smoothies are always a great option for busy mornings. "Throw any frozen fruit, yogurt, and your milk of choice into a blender, and voila, a quick portable breakfast." And not only is it a quick option, but it gives you plenty of space to add in a ton of your favorite nutrient-dense ingredients. "You can get creative with other additions like nut butters, greens, and even frozen cauliflower," says Burak, "but either way, this option is super easy and nutritious."
Overnight oats
Oats are full of fiber, making them one of the best foods you can eat for breakfast. But on the busiest mornings there may not be enough time to make a fresh bowl of oatmeal.
If that's the case, prepping some overnight oats a few days in advance can help you and your kids enjoy this delicious breakfast without any prep the morning of. For some inspiration on how to make overnight oats, check out this recipe for Peanut Butter Overnight Oats.
Breakfast burritos
A breakfast burrito may seem a bit complicated at first, but just like overnight oats, you can prepare some in advance so that you barely have to do anything during the busy mornings.
On an afternoon or evening when you have a little bit of spare time, try throwing together a few breakfast burritos like this fiber-filled burrito. Then, wrap them up in aluminum foil and freeze them. Then in the morning you can just grab one and cook it in the oven or toaster oven.
Quiche
Quiche is a delicious breakfast choice that still tastes great warmed up for multiple days after you make them. You can try something like this spinach and ham quiche and just pop it in the microwave or oven on a busy morning while you and the kids are getting ready.
Toaster waffle or pancakes
And lastly, popping a quick frozen waffle or pancake in the toaster can help save you some time in the morning, it may just require some extra searching to find a brand whose ingredients you trust.
"There are several brands of whole grain, higher-protein frozen waffle and pancakes in the market these days, so simply toast or microwave, add some protein on top like any nut or seed butter, yogurt or cottage cheese, and an option for fruit, and this breakfast is ready to eat," says Burak.
Muffins
Muffins are a great breakfast item to bake ahead of time and enjoy when you need to take something on the go. You may want to try a more protein-heavy recipe, which calls for adding a protein powder of your choosing. This will help you and the kids feel full longer.
Breakfast pizza
Who says you can't have pizza for breakfast? This recipe for individual English muffin pizzas is cute and full of nutrients that will help keep you and the family full until it's time for lunch.
Mini frittatas
If you've never made mini frittatas, you may want to start this school year. They are delicious and can save you a ton of time each morning.
"This idea requires an oven ahead of time, but if you make a bunch at once, you can just heat and eat each morning," says Burak. "Combine eggs with any veggies and cheese, with an option to add cottage cheese or yogurt for even more protein, and bake in muffin cups, then, add a fruit for extra energy and walk out the door in minutes!"
