Last Updated on January 16, 2022
How to get kids to eat breakfast is an ongoing challenge. Some kids will eat anything, and others are picky, picky, picky. Or, what they want to eat and what they should eat are two very different things.
As moms, dads, grandparents, and caregivers, we can get very frustrated when our little ones refuse to eat breakfast.
We know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it can be hard to get kids excited about this fact! What to do?
Oats to the rescue. And not just plain old oats (although they are very good for you, they’re not to exciting for the kids). Here are 6 ways you can make breakfast more exciting for kids!
Make Oatmeal with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips
This is the easiest breakfast you’ll ever make for your kids. It always gets rave reviews from the picky eaters!
- Add one cup of old fashioned rolled oats to a saucepan with two cups of milk (or water). You can use whole or skim milk, but you can also sub in soy or almond milk if your kids are lactose intolerant.
- Cook over medium heat until boiling and then reduce the heat to low, cooking for about five minutes.
- Stir in a spoonful of peanut butter and some mini chocolate chips, or really anything you have around the house! Another alternative is to add cinnamon when making berry-flavored oatmeal instead of chocolate chips.
- Serve with fresh fruit on top. If your kids love peanut butter as much as mine do, you can also serve a spoonful on top of the oats.
- Breakfast is ready to eat in less than ten minutes!
Make Pancakes with Berries and Cream
Oatmeal pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream is a favorite breakfast of many. They don’t take a long time to make, and they’re so worth it!
Oat Pancakes with Berries and Cream
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats, blended into fine flour or use oat flour
- 1/2 cup white, whole wheat, or oat flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp plain greek yogurt
- 1 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt or low fat whipped cream
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients and mix well.
- Blend in the milk, yogurt, and vanilla
- Heat up your griddle while the batter rests for a few minutes
- Use about 3 tbsp of batter per pancake. Once bubbles start forming and edges are firm, flip over and continue cooking until done
- Serve pancakes with a dollop of vanilla yogurt or low fat whipped cream and the sliced strawberries on top.
Make a healthier waffle with frozen bananas, almond butter, and maple syrup
These waffles are made with almond butter and frozen bananas and they’re a healthy breakfast option.
Oatmeal waffles can be eaten with or without toppings. You can use cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla extract, nuts, raisins, apples, or any other fruit you like on them for toppings.
The recipe also works well as a pancake batter for those who like to make pancakes without eggs. Add some extra ingredients such as baking powder and vanilla extract instead of eggs to create your batter.
These waffles were surprisingly satisfying because the oats make them filling and dense so if you need a hearty breakfast these are perfect!
Add fruit to oatmeal instead of sugar or syrup
Add a variety of fruit to your oatmeal instead of sugar or syrup. Especially orange, kiwi, and strawberries, but any fruit will do. Your kids will love it!
How to Get Kids to Eat Breakfast: Other Ideas
Let them help prepare breakfast
Let the young ones help prepare breakfast by picking out ingredients and measuring things. It is also more fun when they get to crack the eggs or stir ingredients together. This can be an activity that everyone looks forward to!
Kids that are a little older can probably make most of the meal with just minimal supervision. They like the responsibility and will be more likely to eat what they’ve had a hand in preparing.
Here’s a Tip: Instead of the same old eggs and toast, let kids decide what kind of breakfast foods they would like. They may choose oatmeal with fresh fruit or a smoothie made with berries and yogurt. If you pick out ingredients based on their preferences, your child is more likely to at least try the new breakfast.
Make fun shapes with pancakes or eggs
One way to make breakfast exciting for kids is to use cookie cutters and make fun shapes with pancakes or eggs. Kids can help you mix the pancake batter and decorate the dishes as well.
To make pancakes in the shape of a smiley face, put chocolate chips for eyes and mouth on a pancake and put bananas on the side to make the ears.
To make eggs in hearts, use heart-shaped cookie cutters with white bread or cheese as your base. Add sliced ham for eyes and some ketchup as lips (optional).
You can also add vegetables like cucumbers into fruit salad to create fun shapes. Kids love eating fruit because it usually comes in fun shapes that are easy to eat.
It can be a struggle to know how to get kids to eat breakfast. However, those six ideas will help you get your little ones up and running in no time, with healthy food in their tummies.
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