Getting your little ones to eat breakfast in the morning can be a real challenge! Whether the issue lies in not having enough time to make something, or perhaps your child just simply does not enjoy breakfast. It can be easy to default to the sweet, sugary breakfast options just to get them to eat, and out the door. However, the best way to overcome this is to get inspired and switch up your breakfast menu with foods that are good for their growing bodies and have a positive impact on their learning skills each day. From fruit salad to breakfast wraps, we have breakfasts for every type of schedule and every type of eater.
If you have a child who is a little more than resistant to eating breakfast in the morning, try making them some tacos! They will be pleasantly surprised to see the dish waiting for them before school instead of at suppertime. It’s a great way to pack in fresh produce as well.
To make a breakfast taco, use a regular soft taco shell (preferably whole wheat), scramble two eggs with a splash of milk and a sprinkle of cheese, then add whatever toppings your child enjoys! It can be salsa, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce…regardless of what you pick, make sure you squeeze some lime juice on top for that zest of flavor.
McDonald’s breakfast is a well-loved North American fast food meal; so much so, that it is now an all-day breakfast! Instead of letting McDonald’s decide what goes in your child’s McMuffin, make it yourself with the freshest of ingredients.
Toast one English muffin and butter. Crack an egg into a mason jar lid placed into your frying pan and sprayed with a non-stick cooking spray and frying them a perfectly round breakfast sandwich sided egg! Then, add a slice of cheddar cheese and some all natural turkey or ham slices. You can also embellish this breakfast with some tomato, or even barbecue sauce!
If you have a whole brood of little ones, french toast is the way to go! You can make multiple breakfasts at a time and top it quickly in a matter of seconds.
To make your french toast, crack one egg per slice of bread you are french toasting. Then add a splash of milk, a dash of cinnamon and whisk together. Soak each individual slice of bread until it is soaked with the egg mixture. Add to a frying pan or griddle on low-medium temperature and flip after about 3-4 minutes. This is an easy and delicious way to get some proteins soaking into their bodies, first thing in the morning!
Pancakes are the perfect weekend brunch. They taste like a dessert but when they are whole wheat, they’re actually good for you! The kids will definitely love this morning meal with delicious drizzles of maple syrup!
To make whole wheat pancakes, you can make your normal pancake recipe but just add in whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. You can also add flax seeds for an undetectable fiber supplement, packed with nutritional benefits. Top with fresh berries, greek yogurt, and maple syrup.
Scrambled eggs are a great dish to serve up at breakfast that is a quick meal packed with protein. You can also serve it on toast for an open-faced breakfast sandwich.
To make these scrambled eggs with veggies, add your selected diced veggies (such as red pepper and mushrooms) to a frying pan with a little drizzle of olive oil. Saute until warm, then add two eggs whisked with milk. Scramble until cooked.
Breakfast wraps are an excellent alternative to breakfast sandwiches. They are easily enjoyed in the car on the way to school with an orange juice box and a paper towel.
Cook your eggs however you child likes them best. Add salt and pepper along with tomato, lettuce, cheese, and ham. You can even add a dollop of ketchup as well.
This may seem like a very odd breakfast choice, but it’s definitely one worth trying. When your little one does not like breakfast, giving them a slice of pizza to start their day will really catch them off guard.
To make a breakfast pizza, pick up a pre-made pizza crust that is preferably whole wheat. Add bechamel or hollandaise sauce as your base, and add ham, spinach, tomato, and cheese. Finally, crack a few eggs on top and slide into the oven.
Whole wheat berry muffins are a great option for kids who are late for school or don’t eat their breakfast fast enough. The best part is, you can add your child’s favorite fruit to them to make these muffins exactly what your child wants to see first thing in the morning.
Mix a regular batch of whole wheat or bran muffins, then, add in your berries and a little bit of cinnamon for added extra taste.
Ensuring that your child gets sufficient carbs, protein and produce at the beginning of the day can be a challenge, especially when you’re running out the door last minute. Creating a parfait takes a very short amount of time and ensures that your little one has enough energy to kickstart their day.
Layer granola, greek yogurt, and fruit starting with granola until you fill the cup. Kid’s can even help in building and creating their own parfait, it’s that simple!
Omelettes are a great way of avoiding carbs and sugars like a classic toast and jam breakfast. You can pack tons of vegetables into it along with some lean meat and cheese.
To make an omelet, simply whisk together milk, grated cheese and eggs (approximately two eggs per person). Pour into a heated pan and sprinkle your toppings on top. To ensure it is completely cooked through, you can either pop it in the oven on broil for a couple minutes near the end or fold it in half in the frying pan.
Waffles are not only a healthy option when they’re made with whole wheat but look like such a treat for the kiddos. They can be made into banana waffles with the addition of a mashed banana or pumpkin spice waffles with the addition of pumpkin pie spice.
Make your regular waffle mix and sub in whole wheat instead of all-purpose flour. Then add whatever ingredients you’d like to flavor your waffles. Pour a small amount into your waffle maker and once it’s done, add greek yogurt, berries and maple syrup on top. Perfection!
Trying to get your kids to eat all that kale and spinach can be a challenge. But when you hand them a bright green shake and tell them it’s a magic potion, you’d be surprised how quickly they gulp it down.
The key to making a good green smoothie is to include some delicious fruits with strong favors to the shake will still taste sweet instead of savory. Add bananas, strawberries, blueberries, greek yogurt, kale and avocado for a creamy and healthy breakfast.
It’s the food fad that has been seen all over Facebook and Instagram and looks absolutely stunning in every photo. The smoothie bowl is a new way to enjoy your smoothie with multiple toppings.
Recently at Forkly, we created a Fall-inspired pumpkin smoothie bowl. This is just one example of how smoothie bowls can be built for a complete breakfast. Adding fruits like blueberries and raspberries are great choices for an antioxidant-rich breakfast, while a green smoothie bowl is perfect for sneaking in all those greens we typically have to convince our children to eat. Click here to see the Forkly Fall Pumpkin Smoothie Bowl recipe.
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/fall-pumpkin-smoothie-bowl-with-benefits/ PHOTO AND RECIPE HERE: FORKLY
Oatmeal is something you always have in your pantry cupboard and can be as boring or as exciting as you want it to be.
To create an apple cinnamon spice oatmeal breakfast, simply make oatmeal as per usual then add diced apples, raisins, and pumpkin pie spice. You can also add cacao nibs and chia seeds for added nutritional benefit.
If you like sticking to the basics when it comes to breakfast, there’s nothing wrong with whole wheat cereal. Just make sure the cereal you pick for your kids aren’t coated with sugar and syrups.
Some great options for cereal include Shredded Wheat, Shreddies, Brown Rice Krispies and Mini-Wheats. Enjoy dry or in a bowl with milk!
These quiches are super convenient because you can make a large batch of them and freeze the extras you won’t use this week. Help your kids start off their week with a smile by using a smiley fry in the place of a hashbrown topping.
Quiches are great for providing kids with a solid amount of protein while keeping the fat content low. To learn how to make these individual quiches, click the link here for the Forkly original recipe.
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/smiley-lunchbox-quiche/ PHOTO AND RECIPE HERE: FORKLY
Chia pudding may seem like a daunting breakfast to start if you aren’t familiar with chia seeds, but it is very similar to oatmeal. The only difference is that this recipe is completely overnight with milk instead of a few minutes before consuming with boiling water.
Use 3/4 cups of chia seeds with a little bit less milk than you would put in your cereal. Add your flavors such as cocoa powder, coconut and maple syrup for a chocolate coconut pudding and let sit in the fridge for 3 hours to overnight.
Do you have a child who has an upset stomach in the morning and just isn’t up for something complicated? Perhaps something easy to digest is the way to go to stop the morning battles.
Hand them a protein-rich shake that will fuel them for the day and help them stay alert at school until lunchtime. Use some vanilla protein powder, almond milk, cocoa, and banana to create a chocolate banana shake your child won’t be able to resist.
Consider taking some time on Sunday night to wind down from the weekend and prepare for the week ahead by doing some baking. You can top your banana bread with cream cheese, almonds, honey and anything else that will build an amazing breakfast for your little ones.
Make sure you find a whole wheat recipe that is high in fiber, low in oil, butter, and sugar, remembering that bananas themselves are so naturally sweet. Try serving with some orange juice and fresh fruit.
If you like making big batches of meals for your family ahead of time, this is the breakfast for you! With the ability to include piles of fresh produce, this salad is a wonderful option.
Cut up fruit into bite-sized portions, add orange juice, a splash of lemon juice and mint leaves for extra taste. Sprinkle the berries on last. Avoid the pre-packaged versions of fruit salad, which are often soaked in a sugar syrup, an unnecessary addition to an already sweet start to the day!
Granola is normally packed full of processed sugars, but if you make your own it can be super delicious AND healthy! This recipe is nut-free but still full of protein! Many people can’t eat nuts because of allergies or can’t take them to work or school because of no-nut policies. We’ve found a way around that without sacrificing flavor, crunch, or protein with this recipe. Why not whip up our Best Ever Simple Nut-Free Granola?
http://www.forkly.com/recipes/best-ever-simple-nut-free-granola/ PHOTOS AND RECIPE HERE: FORKLY
