Healthy breakfast foods for kids

We all know that in the mornings there is zero time for dawdling. Sometimes it feels like a miracle when you finally have the kids out the door after they’ve been woken up, dressed, and fed. Imagine this: the whole family, including those once-cranky kids, wakes up happy as can be, makes it down in time for the family breakfast, and gets to work/school with 5 minutes to spare.

Actually, breakfast is the most important meal of the day because it provides you morning energy, along with that metabolism boost to keep the calories burning throughout the day. While this perfect scenario rarely happens in busy households on week days, it is important to get this meal in those growing kids’ bellies. Enough with the pop tarts, doughnuts, and cereals that are practically a bowl of cookies with milk; it’s time to bring in the real goodies. You might be asking yourself: so if I’m short on time anyway, how in the world am I going to fix my kid a healthy breakfast and at the same time not bust through my grocery budget? The answer is that fixing healthy breakfasts is just as simple, it can be just as cheap, but it is way better for the children. Even on-the-go breakfasts can be healthy. Healthy breakfasts provide the nutrients that your kids need to get them through to lunch.

Yummy and Healthy Breakfast Suggestions



Mix and Match. Try having dairy and grains; grains and fruits; dairy and fruit. Even try adding protein in there. A variety of foods will provide the most vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
Always Be Prepared. For those days when there is just no way to fix something, have healthy bars on hand, such as Nutri-grain, Quaker Breakfast Squares, or Nature Valley. Send one of these and a banana off with your child for a healthy start.
Keep a Stock. English muffins, (wheat) bread, bagels, frozen multi-grain waffles, oatmeal—these are all things that are easily kept on hand and are a lot healthier than grabbing a pop tart or doughnut. For the toppings, use a low-fat cream cheese, butter, or a small squirt of jelly.
Protein. Eggs, bacon (preferably turkey bacon), and peanut butter can all be incorporated into a healthy breakfast packed with protein. Eggs can be scrambled, hard-boiled, fried, or cooked into an omelet. Bacon can go with eggs or toast (but don’t fry in fat!). Peanut butter is delicious spread on a warm bagel fresh from the toaster.
Cereal. When buying cereal don’t go for the ones that are just a smaller version of a cookie, go for whole grain cereals that provide relief from a sweet tooth craving. Serve with 1% reduced fat or skim milk.
Yogurt. Yogurt is an excellent source of calcium and tastes great. Try either the fruit or non-fruit varieties. Top with a handful of blueberries, sliced banana, or a little bit of cereal.
Smoothies. Smoothies are easy to make and don’t have to have a specific recipe. Most fruits, when blended together with some yogurt, make a great low-calorie, low-fat, and delicious breakfast!
Pancakes. These don’t take long to make, and are a great morning treat. Buy a mix that you only have to add water too, and it will save even more time. Drizzle with syrup and top with fresh strawberries.
Juice. Sometimes kids prefer juice over actual fruit. This is fine, as long as its 100% fruit juice. It will provide at least one serving of fruit and is a great and healthy addition to any breakfast.
It’s Easy!
Serving breakfast (and eating it) should be as much a part of your routine as getting dressed. It fills up the fuel tank that has been deprived since the night before. Stay away from sugary breakfasts and you will have a happier and healthier kid.