100 Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Toddlers & Kids
The ultimate list of over 100 healthy and easy breakfast ideas that your toddlers, kids, and the entire family will love! In this guide, you will find easy homemade recipes, easy ideas, healthy store-bought breakfast foods, what breakfasts to avoid, plus tips on making and serving breakfasts to your child and so much more! This guide is great for kids 2 – 12 years old.
Medically reviewed and co-written by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Toddlers
Feeding toddlers and kids can be tricky and morning times can be especially rough.
Whether you are rushing off to preschool, school, work, a playdate, or a fun adventure – getting out of the house with everyone dressed, teeth brushed, backpacks filled, lunches and snacks made and everyone fed a healthy breakfast can be an Olympic sport.🥇
There usually isn’t enough coffee in the world to help you survive those crazy busy mornings! ☕️☕️☕️
But I want you (and me) to crush those mornings and go for the gold!
In this guide, you will find over 100 amazingly easy, healthy and delicious breakfast ideas and recipes for kids, serving sizes, FAQs, our expert tips, the best foods to serve in the morning and the ones to avoid, info on how to make a balanced meal, and so much more!
With dozens of breakfast recipes for kids to choose from, like my crazy good 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes, Broccoli Egg Muffins and Easy Spinach Pancakes, there are zero reasons to be in a breakfast food slump. If you need toddler smoothie, dinner or lunch ideas, I have those too, plus plenty of healthy popsicle recipes to choose from as well.
Broccoli Egg Muffin Video
Watch here to see how easy it is to make our fan-favorite Broccoli Egg Muffins!
Tips on Making and Serving Breakfasts
- Prep Ahead – To save your sanity during the busy weekday mornings – prep one or two breakfast recipes that can be stored in the fridge or freezer on the weekend. That way you can just heat and serve without much thought – Spinach Waffles, Blueberry Sheet Pancakes, Broccoli Cheddar Egg Muffins, and Zucchini Pancakes are some of our favorite freezer-friendly recipes.
- Picky-Eaters – You don’t need to feel the pressure to add in veggies or foods that your child doesn’t care for in the morning. Go with a breakfast they like and if you have the time add in fruit, yogurt, meat or other food they don’t care for as much on the side to expose your toddler to other food options as well.
- One Breakfast for the Entire Family – Make one breakfast for baby, toddler, kids, and you! I developed these breakfast recipes for toddlers and kids, but I eat them as well! One meal for the whole family! So don’t think that you have to make an extra meal just for yourself. I do usually add sriracha, butter or syrup to my portion depending on what the recipe is.
Helpful Feeding Tools
These tools will make it a lot easier for you to make and serve these recipes for your toddler and older kids. For more of my favorite kitchen tools, make sure to check out my online shop.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ideally, breakfast should be made of at least 3 food groups for a balanced meal. Protein will help keep them full for longer, as will fiber. Too much added sugar will cause energy crashes so choose whole grains instead of white grains loaded with added sugar.
Whatever they like (within reason)! Give your kid some options for breakfast and let them choose, and try to get them to help with making it, whether the night before or in the morning if you have time. When kids are involved in making the meal, they are more likely to eat it. And don’t forget about leftovers. They may not be your typical breakfast food but they can totally be eaten for breakfast.
Breakfast helps provide children with the energy their busy little bodies need after a night of fasting for the day ahead. It fuels their brain and can help improve performance in school since it helps with memory and attention. Kids who eat breakfast tend to have higher test scores than those who do not.
Toddler & Kid Daily Nutritional Guidelines
According to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, nutrients of concern for underconsumption in a child’s second year are vitamin D, calcium, fiber, and potassium, so make sure your toddler gets a variety of foods with these nutrients daily.
Below are recommended daily intakes for toddlers of different ages. Still, it’s important to look at what your child eats throughout the whole week instead of focusing on each day since toddlers’ eating habits can be erratic and unpredictable. As long as you keep offering a variety of foods from all of the food groups, your child’s nutrition should balance out each week.
Daily Recommended Intake for Toddlers 12-23 months
- 700-1,000 calories a day split between 3 meals and 2 snacks
- Half of the daily calories should be from healthy fats
- 2/3 – 1 cup equivalents of vegetables
- ½ – 1 cup equivalent of fruit
- 1 ¾ – 3 ounce equivalents of grains
- 1 2/3 – 2 cup equivalents of dairy
- 2 ounce equivalents of protein
Daily Recommended Intake for Toddlers 2-4 years
- 1,000-1,400 calories a day for girls and 1,000-1,600 calories for boys split between 3 meals and 1-2 snacks
- Healthy fats should be reduced to about 30% of total daily calories
- 1-2 cup equivalents of vegetables
- 1- 1 ½ cup equivalents of fruit
- 3 – 5 ounce equivalents of grains
- 2 – 2 ½ cup equivalents of dairy
- 2 – 5 ounce equivalents of protein
Daily Recommended Intake for Children 5-8 years
- 1,200-1,800 calories a day for girls and 1,200-2,000 calories for boys split between 3 meals and 1-2 snacks
- 1 1/2- 2 1/2 cup equivalents of vegetables
- 1-2 cup equivalents of fruit
- 4-6 ounce equivalents of grains
- 2 1/2 cup equivalents of dairy
- 3- 5 1/2 ounce equivalents of protein
Daily Recommended Intake for Children 9-13 years
- 1,400-2,200 calories a day for females and 1,600-2,600 calories for males split between 3 meals and 1-2 snacks
- 1 1/2- 3 1/2 cup equivalents of vegetables
- 1 1/2-2 cup equivalents of fruit
- 5-9 ounce equivalents of grains
- 3 cup equivalents of dairy
- 4-6 1/2 ounce equivalents of protein
Serving Sizes
Serving sizes will vary from child to child but generally, kids need a quarter of the portion an adult does. Parents tend to overestimate servings for their children. I recommend starting small to not overwhelm your kid and give seconds if your kid wants more. Here are some examples of typical serving size for kids ages 2-12:
- 1/4 cup dry cereal
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 banana
- 1/4 -1/2 slice of bread
- 1/2 egg
- 1 oz. meat
- 1/2 piece of fresh fruit
- 1/3 cup of yogurt
- 1-2 tablespoons of cooked veggies
Balanced Breakfasts
Try to include at least three food groups when making breakfast to make it nutritious and filling. As a reminder, the food groups are fruits, vegetables, grains, protein, and dairy. Below are some sample breakfast ideas with at least 3 food groups:
- Yogurt, blueberries and granola
- Peanut butter and banana on whole wheat toast
- Veggie and cheese omelet
- Cheese stick and pear slices
- Cheerios and milk with a side of fruit
- Boiled egg and steamed carrot sticks
- Avocado and scrambled eggs on whole grain bread
- Milk, spinach and fruit smoothie
Mini Meals
When your little one isn’t hungry for a full breakfast meal, try a mini-breakfast, which will help start their day off with some nutrition until they are ready for something more substantial.
- apple “donuts” – horizontally cut apples with the core removed, with cream cheese “frosting” and a pinch of sprinkles or freeze-dried fruit.
- finger salad – an assortment of chopped fruits and veggies
- graham cracker sandwiches – made with cream cheese and jam
- pb&j crackers – crackers topped with peanut butter and a dollop of jelly
- avocado toast – whole-grain toast topped with avocado and everything bagel seasoning
- yogurt parfait – plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey, chopped berries and a sprinkle of granola
- banana rice cake – rice cake topped with almond butter, slices of banana and hemp seed sprinkles.
Breakfasts to Avoid
Ideally, you want to serve nutritious breakfasts that will help nourish your child’s body. While treats are occasionally fine, it’s best to serve whole foods instead of ultra-processed foods so your child stays fuller longer and they have the right nutrition to start their day off on the right foot.
- Breakfast pastries like donuts, sugary muffins, cinnamon roles, Pop-Tarts, etc.
- Sugary cereals
- Highly processed meats like bacon and sausage
- Juice drinks (not 100% fruit juice) like Minute Maid, Juicy Juice, fruit punch, Sunny-D, etc.
- Too much juice
- Coffee, Yoohoo, energy drinks
Related
40 Family Dinner Ideas for Kids
Breakfast Nutritional Tips for Your Toddler
Don’t skip it– Kids who eat breakfast have been shown to do better in school as it helps with memory and attention.
3 food groups– Try to include at least 3 food groups at breakfast to make a well-balanced meal.
Choose whole grains– Whole grains are full of fiber, which helps you keep full for longer. When choosing cereal or breads, look for the whole grain icon or make sure “whole grain” is listed as one of the first ingredients.
Easy on added sugar- Many packaged breakfast items are full of added sugar, which can cause an energy crash later. Avoid cereals and breakfast pastries that have too much added sugar.
Protein– Make sure to include protein at breakfast to help keep full throughout the morning. Good protein options are eggs, yogurt, milk, and nut butters.
Fruit– Breakfast is a great time to help get in your daily fruit servings. You can choose one that is easy to eat on-the-go, like bananas or apples, or have cut-up fruit available.
Favorite Kid Breakfasts
Here are some of our reader-favorite homemade breakfast recipes for toddlers and kids.
3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes for Baby
Broccoli Egg Muffins
Healthy Mini Pumpkin Muffins
Peanut Butter Chocolate Smoothie
Easy Spinach Pancakes
Blueberry Oatmeal for Baby, Toddler + Kids
Freezer-Friendly Spinach Waffles
Blueberry Avocado Mini Muffins
Breakfast Egg Muffins for Baby, Toddler + Kids
Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bake
Pink Beet Pancakes
Easy Breakfast Ideas
- muffins: store-bought (with whole grains and no or low sugar), or 15 Healthy Muffin Recipes, Easy Spinach Muffins
- healthy cereal: low in sugar
- rice cakes: served with cream cheese, peanut butter and slices of bananas or almond butter and a sprinkle of hemp seeds
- cinnamon raisin bread
- pancakes: store-bought (frozen with whole grains), 3-Ingredient Banana, Pumpkin, Sweet Potato, Blueberry Sheet Pancakes, Spiced Blender, Easy Zucchini Pancakes or Spinach Pancakes
- whole-grain bread
- granola: homemade or low-sugar store-bought
- waffles: store-bought (frozen with whole grains), Spinach, Golden Milk or Sweet Potato Waffles
- toast: Avocado + Egg toast, Almond Butter with Banana, or smeared with cream cheese and a sprinkle of hemp seeds or sugar-free jam
- eggs: Scrambled, omelet, over-easy, Broccoli Cheddar Egg Muffins, Cheesy Egg Roll-Up, or Avocado Egg Toast
- cottage cheese: whole milk store-bought or with Fruit on Top
- yogurt tubes (frozen or cold)
- hard-boiled egg
- cubes of turkey
- breakfast quesadilla
- baked donuts
- whole-grain french toast
- breakfast cookies
- oatmeal: low-sugar, instant or homemade such as Blueberry Oatmeal, Beet & Carrot Oatmeal, Pumpkin Oatmeal Bake, or Banana Peanut Oatmeal Bake.
- kefir
- yogurt: plain or low in sugar, 8 Fun Flavors to Try
- nuts: chopped cashews, walnuts or peanuts
- nut butter: almond, peanut or sunflower
- milk: regular, almond, oat, soy, etc
- smoothie: store-bought or 15 Smoothies for Kids
- chunks of cheddar, feta or goat cheese
- cereal bars
- applesauce pouches
- banana rice cakes
- yogurt parfait
- graham cracker sandwiches
- yogurt pouches
- berries: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries or raspberries
- apples
- orange sections
- melon: honeydew, canteloupe or watermelon
- applesauce: homemade or store-bought, cinnamon, carrot, strawberry applesauce and 8 more easy flavors
- banana
- grapes – cut vertically
- mango
- kiwi
- peaches
- pineapple
- pears
- fruit kabob with yogurt dip
- fruit salad
- chopped frozen fruit
Favorite Breakfast Recipes for Kids
Here are our favorite homemade breakfast recipes for toddlers and kids. If making any baked goods, our recommendation is that you keep some for the week and freeze some for a later meal.
- 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
- Easy Spinach Muffins
- Pancake Muffins – 12 Ways!
- Cottage Cheese + Fruit Bowl for Baby + Toddler
- Avocado Green Smoothie
- Mini Pumpkin Muffins
- Wholesome Blueberry Sheet Pan Pancakes For Baby + Toddler (allergy-friendly)
- Freezer-Friendly Spinach Waffles for Baby + Toddler
- Easy Zucchini Pancakes
- Rainbow Frozen Yogurt Bark for Toddlers + Kids
- Cheesy Egg Roll-Ups (for baby, toddler + kids)
- Avocado Egg Toast for Baby + Toddler
- Blueberry Oatmeal (10-Minutes)
- Pink Beet Pancakes
- Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bake
- Applesauce Mini Muffins
- Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Almond Butter + Banana Toast with Hemp Sprinkles for Toddler
- Easy Scrambled Eggs
- Peach Pie Smoothie for Toddlers + Kids (2 Hidden Veggies!)
- Oatmeal with Beets + Carrots
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie with Hidden-Veggie
- 3 Green Smoothie Freezer Packs
- Berry Granola Yogurt Bark (toddler + kid approved)
- Peanut Butter Banana Yogurt Bark
- Whole Grain Pumpkin Waffle Dippers
- Whole Wheat Pancake Mix
- 8 Healthy Toddler Breakfasts
- Ellie’s Favorite Granola
- Easy Blender Spinach Pancakes for Baby + Toddler (Allergy Friendly!)
- Blueberry + Lemon Toddler Muffins
- Sweet Potato Waffles for Baby + Toddler
- Whole Grain Pumpkin Waffle Dippers
- Toddler Breakfast Oat Cups – 4 Tasty Ways
- Strawberry Oatmeal Smoothie
- Allergy-Friendly Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins for Toddler + Kids
- Back to School Granola with Cranberries + Coconut
Get the recipe: 100 Toddler & Kids Breakfast Ideas: Blueberry Pie Smoothie
Ingredients
- 1 cup frozen blueberries
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk, regular, nut, coconut, hemp, etc.
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1-2 tbsp maple syrup, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup ice
Instructions
- In a blender, add all of the ingredients and blend for 1-2 minutes, adding more milk if the smooth is too thick.
- Pour into 2 glasses and serve.
Notes
Equipment
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1 Comment on “100 Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Toddlers & Kids”
Thank you very much for this article, it really is a lifesaver. Feeding kids healthy food is always challenging the dressing on these recipes will make it easy to feed the kids.