Breakfast Ideas for Young Kids

Updated on June 14, 2012
C.K. asks from Knoxville, TN
12 answers

Hey Mamas!

What do you all feed your kids for breakfast? I am not a big breakfast person and I am struggling to come up with somewhat nutritious breakfast ideas for my kids (ages 2 1/2 and 5). The 5 year old is pretty picky and neither one of them will eat eggs. So most of the time they have fruit and either oatmeal, cereal, or toast.

Thanks!
Cyndi

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.B.

answers from Dallas on

We vary: cereal, Eggos, bagels, apple slices, grapes, etc. I don't rquire breakfast to be breakfast food as long as it has nutritional value.

1 mom found this helpful

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.M.

answers from Chicago on

We are the same as you. Have you tried eggs different ways? My daughter likes fried eggs, but not scrambled. They will both eat hard boiled. Maybe put a little shredded cheddar cheese in them or cut up some fav veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onion - like scrambled egg omelet)

We like different peanut butters on whole wheat bread.
Yogurt with granola and fruit
eggos
french toast if I have the right kind of bread in the house.
home made waffles and freeze them - very easy to stick it in the oven and tastes just as good as freshly made.
Pancakes - you can find a recipe for healthier ones with whole wheat flour if you don't like the boxed powder

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.T.

answers from New York on

Yogurt (my daughter loves greek style) and a granola bar, whole wheat toast with cottage cheese both with juice.

Also have you tried a scrambled fried egg with a slice of cheese melted on top? My daughter won't eat a plain egg but will with the cheese, as the egg fries I keep the same size a the slice of cheese since she won't eat any without the cheese on it...

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

A protein source is good first thing in the morning.
They might like peanut butter or cream cheese on toast or bagels.
It's a shame they don't like eggs, but at that age my son would only eat scrambled eggs if I put ketchup on them.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

F.B.

answers from New York on

muffins, zucchini bread, sweet potato/ carrot pancakes, french toast, fruit and yogurt drizzled with honey, a smoothie. I know you said they don't eat eggs, but might they eat a fritata, quiche or other eggie sort of thing?

The breakfasts I remember and cherish most growing up were the times when we were allowed to eat non breakfast foods - left over icecream cake when it was our birthday, or on saturday mornings cold pizza, or getting to eat a giant bowl of spinach and walnuts (I was a strange kid who loved popeye and spinach).

These aren't exactly the most nutricious things, but you can certainly borrow the idea and use it to your own purposes. No reason why you can't serve up good nutricious non breakfast food for breakfast.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

1 mom found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My kids love eggs which makes it easy to get that protein in them but other ideas we use are:
Plain greek yogurt/low sugar granola
almond butter on sprouted wheat bread toast
smoothie made with frozen fruit and coconut milk - add protein powder and probiotic/fiber supplements too! In fact my girls love mango/carrot and berries/beets combo.

1 mom found this helpful

S.T.

answers from Washington DC on

what's wrong with fruit, oatmeal, cereal and toast? if the cereal is a good one and not a sugarfest, those are all good choices. eggs are so awesome, but there are lots of other protein sources. yogurt is one of the best, and if your kids like fruit, smoothies are your best friend. frozen fruit, yogurt, maybe some protein powder, and milk (try dark chocolate silk almond milk!) will give 'em a terrific start to any day. and you're not limited to breakfast foods either. string cheese, lunch meat, pizza with really good ingredients, pita and hummus, granola bars (homemade or good quality ones, easy on the sugar and fat) and bagels with cream cheese are all fun choices. have you tried doing crock pot oatmeal that you set up the night before, with fun additions of nuts and flavorings?
:) khairete
S.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

E.M.

answers from Louisville on

apples and peanut butter, oatmeal, breakfast burritos eggs sasuage and any veggies you want to sneak in...french toast sticks with fruit, yougurt, my girls love smoothies i use one little yougurt cup 3 slices frozen peaches and about 3 tbs of oj then i put protein powder in it van. flavor...hope this helps

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.T.

answers from New York on

I've always been big on protein in the morning to help carry them through the day. We've used all kinds of non-typical breakfast foods - I figure most of the stuff I've listed beow is healthier than bacon, cheese omelettes, donuts, fruit loops, etc.
When they were pre-schoolers my husband realized that they'd eat anything skewered by a toothpick. So I'd fold and stack american cheese - stick a toothpick thru it, cheese cubes, babybell cheese, cut up baloney (stacked & skewered), peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, cut in cubes or strips, or peanut butter with banana or apple sandwiches, apple slices with peanut butter, leftover dinner (chicken, roast beef, etc.) grilled cheese sandwiches... Last year I got my kids into turkey sausage sliders - so I'd buy the frozen turkey sausage patties, throw them in the toaster oven while I made my coffee and got ready for work, then put them on slider buns. One likes them with cheese & catsup, the other likes them plain.

When my son was young he'd ask "you got any meat?" when I asked what he wanted for breakfast. I usually grill and freeze chicken cutlets (when they're on sale) so my son has often had grilled chicken cutlet for breakfast. My son is very tall and has always been so I always figured the protein helps replace all the nutrients his body uses getting so tall...

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

T.B.

answers from Johnson City on

I keep my freezer stocked with fruits and my pantry with lots of goodies. I let my children take turns creating smoothies or oatmeal for everyone. They get to pick what goes in it that morning. You can also let them make a trail mix with pantry items. This makes it fun.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

N.G.

answers from Fayetteville on

They won't eat any eggs, even when made in different ways? Boiled, scrambled or cheese omeletes are a favorite in our house. They're full of protein and help keep us full longer vs. sugar laden cereals.
My family enjoys:
-Malt-O-Meal
-pancakes and waffles with real syrup or fruit compote
-ham, egg and cheese sandwiches (use biscuits, english muffins or bagels)
-biscuits with butter and jelly
-quiche (Lorraine)
-bacon or sausage (turkey products are awesome!)
-fried potatoes (with diced onion and bell pepper for flavor and color, seasoned with pepper and a bit of seasoned salt)
-warm milk mixed with Ovaltine
-bagel and cream cheese
-bakery fresh pastries
-shredded wheat cereal with blueberries or strawberries
-greek yogurt topped with granola and chopped fruit

You can read Dr. Seuss' Green Eggs and Ham and then serve them the green tinted food! You can tint their milk, too!

When I want to try something new I always head to Rachel Ray recipes at rachelraymag.com. Every recipe (except for one salad dressing) I've tried has been awesome! Good luck to you!

T.S.

answers from San Francisco on

It's so funny how most people think you should only eat "breakfast" food in the morning!
Make them whatever they like, and try to get some protein in there. Warmed up leftovers from the night before (that's what I ate this morning!) a peanut butter sandwich, turkey sausage with a little cheese on an english muffin, the possibilities are endless.

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions