When I was growing up, my mom always had a hot, healthy breakfast ready for us in the morning. I wasn’t as awesome. Cereal quickly became a staple and while it’s a decent meal, it’s not the best option. So, I started putting together fast, healthy breakfast ideas that helped me feel like a better mother and made my kids think I was just as awesome as Gramma. Sometimes, motherhood is all about the hacks.
Fast, Healthy Breakfasts to Make
I’m all about food hacks, so some of these are based on regular meals, but are actually just faster versions of them.
1. Oven Pancakes
These are crazy easy to make. Just whip up your favorite pancake recipe and pour it about half an inch deep into a greased 9×13 baking pan. I usually do two pans for our family of five. You can sprinkle stuff on top if you want to get fancy . . . I’ve done chopped fruit, berries, chocolate chips or actual baking sprinkles. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through, cut into squares and serve up. The biggest benefit of this? No flipping darn pancakes over and over while everyone else eats.
2. Baked Oatmeal
If your kids are like most, they probably aren’t big fans of oatmeal, but it’s super healthy and should definitely be on your breakfast menu. That doesn’t mean it has to be the same old oatmeal you grew up with, though. Baked oatmeal is delicious and makes kids think they’re eating dessert for breakfast. You can even make it the night before and serve it up cold or reheat for breakfast.
3. Cupcake Omelets
My boys love these omelets and the greatest thing about this fast, healthy breakfast is that you can customize every single one of the omelets . . . and get them all done at the same time. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret . . . I make a bunch ahead of time and freeze them on a tray, then pop them into freezer zipper bags. Whenever we need a REALLY fast breakfast or even a snack, I just pop them in the microwave for a few seconds and they’re ready to go.
So, making these just requires well greased cupcake tins and some eggs. You can add whatever else you want. For each cupcake omelet, you need one egg. I usually just do them all together. So 12 eggs for 12 cupcake omelets. Preheat the oven to 350°. Beat the 12 eggs with a couple tablespoons of milk and a pinch of salt. When they’re well beaten, portion into the muffin tin. Now you can add whatever you want. Common inclusions:
- Ham or precooked bacon
- Chopped mushrooms
- Chopped onions
- Shredded chicken
- Leftover ground beef
Whatever your family enjoys, toss it in. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese and bake for 15 minutes or until cooked through.
4. Chia Pudding
Kids won’t complain about pudding for breakfast! There are tons of recipes out there for chia pudding, but our favorite is this one. You can change it up as much as you like, of course. Just do it the night before so you have it ready to go in the morning. We like it with chocolate and blended to keep the seeds from being super obvious.
5. Green Smoothies
Okay, I call these Shrek Smoothies since my boys were skeptical in the beginning, but they will happy suck these tasty smoothies down now. Again, super easy to whip up and you can add whatever you like to them. Also, pro mom tip . . . if your kids are seriously against the green, add enough cocoa powder to hide the green.
The basic recipe is 2 cups milk (dairy or nondairy), 2 cups spinach, 2 bananas and a dash of cinnamon. Put the spinach in first, to make sure it blends nicely. If you want this to be a bit more filling, you can also toss in half a cup of oatmeal. Chia seeds, cocoa powder, coconut milk, and other fruit can also be added. You can find even more smoothie recipes on this post.
6. Breakfast Cookies
Cookies for breakfast? Yes, please! These look and taste like cookies, but they’re crazy healthy . . . and very easy to whip up. They’re also vegan.
Just mash two bananas with a cup of rolled oats and drop onto a baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350° or until cooked through. Let them cool for a minute on a rack and serve. You can add chopped nuts, dried fruit and even chocolate chips or a bit of peanut butter (add more oats if needed) to vary things a bit.
7. Muesli
Like oatmeal, but hate cooking it? You’ll find muesli a nice, simple alternative. Just mix two cups of oats with a cup of nuts or seeds, or any mix of them, plus half a cup of fruit. Top with milk or your favorite non-dairy liquid for a tasty bowl of cereal. Some people like to add non-oat flakes, as well, so you might try quinoa flakes or rolled barley, too.
8. Super Scrambled Eggs
These eggs are a great way to add some major nutrition to your morning with minimal effort. Just whip up 2-3 eggs per person, adding a pinch of salt and pepper, as well as half a cup of minced spinach, a tablespoon of minced parsley and a chopped tomato. Cook it all up and serve as a tasty, healthy breakfast. If your kids aren’t keen on veggies in their eggs, you can blend the above ingredients and serve as a special sauce to top their eggs.
9. Avocado Toast
When it comes to healthy breakfast ideas that can be whipped up in no time, avocado toast is the best. Grab some whole wheat bread and toast it to your desired darkness. While that’s toasting, you can mash an avocado and slice a tomato. Slather your toast with creamy avocado, top with tomatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and you have a wonderful breakfast that even the pickiest eater will want to try (leave the tomatoes off for the super picky ones, though).
10. Breakfast Ice Cream
This requires a bit of preparation, but it’s worth it to whip up “ice cream” for breakfast. Just slice a bunch of bananas and freeze on a tray in the freezer. Put them into a zipper bag once frozen.
When you’re ready for your breakfast ice cream, just dump a cup or two of frozen banana slices into the food processor and process until smooth. It will come out creamy and just like soft serve ice cream! While you can use just the bananas, there are plenty of fun variations, so try adding other frozen fruit, like a handful of frozen blackberries, blueberries, or strawberries. Cocoa and a drop or two of mint extract can also help your ice cream become a little extra special.
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