Whether you’re heading out the door with your toddler to a mommy and me class or rallying the big kids to make it to the bus stop on time, mornings can be hectic. And unless it’s a bowl of high-fiber cereal, making quick and healthy breakfasts can seem impossible.
I get it. Even if I wake up at 5am, I’m still rushing to get my kids out the door on time.
But it’s not because breakfast takes a long time to make, it’s because my kids like to eat. My older daughter in particular, lives for breakfast. Whether it’s eggs, toast and fruit, oatmeal or a frittata, she always wants more. My younger daughter? She’s happy with a piece of fruit and yogurt and maybe some of my green smoothie.
You already know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, especially for kids. A healthy breakfast can:
- keep blood sugar levels steady
- give kids energy at school
- helps them stay alert and focused
- prevent them from being overweight or obese
To ensure your kids start the day right, aim for protein, fiber and healthy fats—and of course fruits and vegetables. But just because you’re serving healthy breakfasts, doesn’t mean they have to be time consuming.
5 Ways To Get Healthy Breakfasts On The Table In No Time
1. Make breakfast ahead of time
If you make school lunches the night before, carve out some time and make breakfast for the next morning as well. A quiche, frittata or overnight oats are all good options. The same goes for green smoothies and juices: cut up individual portions of fruits and vegetables ahead of time and put them in containers or food storage bags so they’re ready to go the next morning.
2. Use the freezer
When my husband makes pancakes or waffles for breakfast, he’ll freeze any leftovers from the batch. Then when we’re short on time, we simply pop them in the toaster and they taste just as delicious as the day they were made. You can freeze egg muffins, regular muffins and breads too so you’ll always have healthy breakfasts on hand.
3. Make-your-own buffets
Put out Greek yogurt, berries and granola or nuts and let your kids make their own parfaits. Or try make-your-own breakfast wraps with tortillas, scrambled eggs, beans and last night’s sautéed vegetables.
4. Use your appliances
When my blender was on the fritz this summer, my husband purchased the Magic Bullet and I was instantly obsessed. I love how fast and smoothly it blends everything and what a breeze it is to clean.
Any type of blender will do to make smoothies or smoothie bowls. Got a slow cooker? Make oatmeal and you’ve got a healthy breakfast the minute your kids wake up.
5. Serve dinner for breakfast
Instead of the same ‘ol meal, re-purpose leftovers for quick and healthy breakfasts. Make a quinoa breakfast bowl with cinnamon, vanilla extract, a bit of honey and your kid’s favorite nuts. Or instead of butter, spread hummus or avocado on toast, top with slices of tomato and breakfast is served.
