Ever since they were babies, my kids would wake up hungry. Like the world might end, we need food now kind of hungry, and this is when I began my search for fast, easy, and filling breakfast ideas to get their day started off right.
The following breakfast ideas are both healthy and satisfying. We have pretty much rotated through some version of these breakfast foods every week ever since my girls started eating solid foods. These breakfast ideas have grown and evolved with us as my kids have grown.
They can be made with a few simple ingredients and any extras you happen to have on hand. This makes them both easy and versatile so your kids never get sick of them. I will often make these in bulk for the week, so that I only have to actually cook breakfast a few times.
Oatmeal
This is a simple classic that can be easily mixed up with a variety of flavors and toppings. We make a basic oatmeal recipe then add whatever toppings we happen to have on hand that day. Some of our favorites are apple cinnamon oatmeal, banana peanut butter oatmeal, blueberry oatmeal, mixed berry, and seriously so many more.
Bonus Tip: When my kids were early toddlers, I would make thicker oatmeal (add less water) so that it would be a little less messy.
Waffles or Pancakes
I make oatmeal banana waffles or pancakes, and when I do, I make an insane amount. I freeze them and keep them on hand for an easy breakfast option.
These are my kids’ favorite, and they have been for quite some time. It is very versatile and can be made into waffles or pancakes depending on which you prefer.
The waffle maker that I have makes 4 rectangular waffles at a time which is perfect to freeze and then pop in the toaster. I love these because they are basically a mess free version of banana oatmeal. I first got the oatmeal pancake/waffle idea when my girls were babies, and the tiny pancakes consisted of blended oats and milk slowly evolving into the more flavorful and delicious waffles they are now. Yum! You can find this delicious recipe here.
Eggs
We eat eggs quite regularly, but we usually mix them up to be omelettes, scrambled eggs with cheese, over easy eggs with toast. Depending on the day, I will make eggs in bulk on the stove or I will make a quick version in the microwave. If it is a quick weekday breakfast, I usually go with the microwave version.
An easy and quick way to make eggs with less dishes is to spray oil in a large glass Pyrex measuring cup or a glass bowl. Crack a few eggs (however many you want or however many will fit) and a splash of milk into the measuring cup or bowl. They will fluff up quite a bit so make sure not to fill the cup or bowl all the way to the top. Cook in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Enjoy!
Yogurt Parfait
My kids absolutely love Greek yogurt and will gladly eat it plain. However, when we have yogurt with breakfast I usually make it into yogurt parfaits. These are great since they are made with ingredients that we usually already have on hand. I start with Greek yogurt topped with any fresh or frozen fruit and homemade granola (usually made in advance).
Smoothies
The final go-to breakfast option is to make smoothies. These are absolutely delicious and can be made with such a variety of ingredients that we usually already have the ingredients needed on hand. Our smoothies usually consist of a combination of bananas, Greek yogurt, spinach, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, mango, and literally any other fruit we happen to have on hand.
These have been our family’s absolute favorite breakfast choices since they are nutritious, filling, and surprisingly simple to make and keep the ingredients on hand. I hope these 3 simple breakfast ideas help fill up your family to make your mornings a bit more calm and give you a little extra time to drink you coffee before it gets too cold. Cheers!
