Healthy Breakfasts for Toddlers and Preschoolers

What’s not to love about a tasty breakfast meal that you can make ahead of time? Make this blueberry oatmeal casserole on Sunday night and serve it all week long. You can feel good about this meal because oatmeal is a great source of fiber, which helps to keep you and your little ones feeling fuller longer.

Pair it with a clementine for a boost of vitamin C.

Sure, you can buy frozen pancakes at the grocery store, but you’ll end up paying more and getting more of what you don’t want (like unhealthy ingredients) than if you made them at home. With these homemade pancakes, you can make a big batch and freeze a bunch to keep yourself set for a few months. Simply pull them out of the freezer and either microwave or toast them in the morning. And avoid the sugar rush by providing plain yogurt (dairy or non-dairy) for dipping instead of syrup. Throw some fruit on the plate, and breakfast is served!

This pancake recipe calls for whole-wheat or oat flour, which packs in more fiber than regular white flour—which is another great way to help keep your child fuller longer.

Avocado toast isn’t just for hipsters who brunch; it’s a great source of healthy, filling fat that your little one needs for his growing brain and body. This smart meal is also much less expensive to make at home and is even better with the high-quality protein of eggs. Pair it with a clementine for vitamin C.

Speed things up by making a big batch of hard-boiled eggs to eat throughout the week for snacks and quick meals like this one.

Like serving eggs for breakfast but don’t have the time to deal with the scrambling and the cleanup? If so, these vegetable egg muffins are a great breakfast entrée to make ahead of time in a big batch, and they taste just as good fresh out of the oven as they do frozen, thawed and then reheated in the microwave. Plus, this is a great way to add some veggies to breakfast.

Round out the meal with some fruit and whole-wheat toast.

You probably don’t hear of many people eating (or serving) quinoa for breakfast, but why not? Quinoa contains all 9 essential amino acids, making it a powerhouse source of vegetarian protein. You can make quinoa on the stovetop, but if you have a pressure cooker, the cooking process is a whole lot easier!

Get creative with different toppings to keep this quinoa Instant Pot breakfast bowl recipe fun and fresh.

Take banana and nut butter toast up a notch by adding strawberries into the mix. Sliced strawberries not only add a little extra sweetness, they also provide a good source of antioxidants, which help keep your little one’s body healthy.

Just be sure to spread only a thin layer of the nut butter on the toast, as too much can be a choking hazard for children younger than 4 years of age.

If you can spare just a few minutes before bed to prep this meal, you’ll be glad you did in the morning. Literally, all you have to do with these overnight oats is dump ingredients into a container and go to bed. When you wake up, everything is ready to eat!

You can have fun subbing in different flavors. Just be sure to include the chia seeds, as they are a good source of healthy fats and a little boost of protein.

Turn Taco Tuesday leftovers into a tasty, nutritious breakfast with this burrito “bowl.” This well-balanced plate is full of protein, fiber and antioxidants.

This tasty mix of nutrients will help keep your little one fuller longer and help boost her immune system.

Ingredients:

• Whole-wheat tortilla
• Scrambled egg
• Shredded cheese
• Black beans
• Diced tomato

Don't forget a side of fruit like blueberries.

Yogurt (dairy and non-dairy) is a classic breakfast staple, but did you know that just one serving of many popular flavored yogurts can pack more added sugar than your tot should have in an entire day? Instead of opting for the sugary yogurts, flavor your own with cut-up fresh fruit. Add some crunch with plain toasted oats.

Plain, Greek yogurt is a great choice for little ones because it is full of vitamin B12, which gives our brains and bodies the energy needed to function.

Whoever said breakfast has to be made with breakfast foods? When you’re coming up with morning meal ideas, you don’t have to limit yourself to typical breakfast items. It’s perfectly fine to eat what you would normally consider lunch or dinner foods for breakfast (think of it as the opposite of “brinner”). That’s why we’re proposing a deconstructed chicken and avocado wrap with unsweetened applesauce for breakfast.

Make life easier by using leftover chicken from the night before for that punch of protein. You can also have fun adding different flavors of salsa if your little one likes to dip.

Vegetarian option: Swap out the chicken for beans.