Mornings can be an incredibly stressful time for families. It can be even harder making sure everyone eats something healthy and nutritious before getting out the door for the day.
Here are some healthy, quick and easy breakfast options for your family on busy weekdays. Some of the ideas may involve some weekend prep to make them even faster to grab-and-go on weekday mornings– but they all are quick and easy to prepare!
15. Overnight Oatmeal
Overnight oats are not only delicious, but you can let your kids get creative and make their own overnight oats filled with all of their favorite foods! Start by combining equal parts of old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats with your choice of milk in a mason jar. Add your sweetener of choice (honey, agave nectar or maple syrup). Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In the morning top with fresh fruits and nuts and seeds for a little added nutrition and texture. Overnight oats can be enjoyed at home, or they are also a great grab-and-go meal idea!
14. Homemade Granola Bars
On the weekend whip up a batch of homemade granola bars so that they are ready to grab-and-go throughout your families busy week. Yes, store bought granola bars would be an easier option, but the great thing about making your own, is that you can control exactly what ingredients are in them. No preservatives, copious amounts of sugar, or ingredients you can’t pronounce!
Fill your homemade granola bars with with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds. For a little sweetness, add some chocolate chips, or honey, agave nectar or maple syrup. These will not only be delicious, but packed full of protein and other important nutrients.
13. Homemade Energy Bites
There is no better grab-and-go breakfast than energy bites. There are so many recipes to choose from, so do a little research online for a recipe your family will enjoy. They are so quick and easy to make, you can easily make a few different varieties to provide some choices.
Packed with protein, these little bites will certainly hit the spot and provide the much needed energy to get through the busiest of mornings!
12. Avocado Toast
For a slightly more savory option, avocado on toast makes a delicious quick and easy breakfast for the busiest of mornings. Avocados are the only fruit that provides a substantial amount of healthy monounsaturated fatty acids. They are a naturally nutrient-dense food that contains nearly 20 vitamins and minerals.
Top toasted whole grain bread with half a ripe avocado either sliced or smashed. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper to taste. For a little extra protein, top with an egg! Delicious and nutritious!
11. Hard-Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs are a classic make-ahead protein-packed breakfast. Prepare some in advance and keep in your fridge as a grab-and-go breakfast (or snack) all week.
If you have a little extra time in the mornings, slice one up and serve on whole-wheat toast. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste, and you have a delicious and quick protein-filled breakfast.
10. Peanut Butter and Banana Wrap
In under 5 minutes you can have this tasty breakfast ready! All you need is a large flour tortilla, some peanut butter and a banana.
Spread peanut butter (or the nut butter of your choice) onto a flour tortilla. Then place a whole banana on top, then roll up and go! I find this incredibly filling as an adult, so 1/2 a wrap should be more than adequate for a child.
9. Ham and Cheese Wrap
Another super easy and delicious wrap is a ham and cheese wrap. All you will need is a large flour tortilla, some sliced deli ham, and some of your favorite cheese, sliced.
Lay out your flour tortilla and top with some sliced ham and cheese. Then, wrap it up and toss it in the microwave to heat it up and melt the cheese a bit. It is a great grab-and-go breakfast option. You can add a little more protein into the mix by adding a scrabbled egg to it too! Yummy!
8. Yogurt Parfait
Yogurt Parfaits are a quick and easy breakfast option, perfect for a busy weekday morning. They can easily be made ahead and stored in the fridge — ready to grab-and-go on your way out the door.
Layer Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, and granola in a container or mason jar and you are all set! You can sweeten it with a drizzle of honey, agave nectar or maple syrup, too. A yogurt parfait would be a great meal to start your day!
7. Scrambled Eggs
Eggs are loaded with protein, vitamins, minerals, and good fats. A large egg contains only 77 calories, 5 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, and 9 essential amino acids. They are pretty quick to prepare, so if you can incorporate them into your family’s breakfast, you should!
Even if you don’t want to dirty a pan, you can even make them in the microwave! Beat two eggs in a microwave-safe container, sprinkle with cheese or some diced veggies and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then cook for another 30 seconds at a time until the eggs are set.
6. Smoothie
Smoothies are another perfect on-the-go meal! There are endless fruity variations, and they are the perfect way to incorporate some veggies into your little ones diet, without them even knowing.
Mix in a handful (or two) of spinach for added nutrition. Spinach is so rich in nutrients, including: folate, vitamin C, niacin, riboflavin and potassium, protein, fiber, calcium and iron — to name just a few. In under 10 minutes you can blend up a delicious batch of smoothies for the whole family to take on their way out the door.
5. Fruit Cup
Fruits are not only nutritious, but they give an immediate boost of energy to the start of the day. It is very easy to make your own fruit cups in advance and have them ready to go on busy weekday mornings.
There are so many delicious fruits you can incorporate — watermelon, kiwi, grapes, strawberries, blueberries — to name a few. Layer them up and put them in a to-go container to make life easier on your family’s busiest of mornings.
4. Egg Muffin Breakfast Sandwich
Try to refrain from stopping at your local fast food restaurant — and make your own egg muffins in under 10 minutes! All you need are eggs, English muffins, cheddar cheese and sliced ham.
By making your own, you will not only save money, but you can also save on calories, fat and sodium! Making your own and controlling what ingredients are used, always wins out. You could spend 10 minutes driving to your fast food restaurant and waiting in line, when you could make your own version at home in the same (or maybe even less) time!
3. Yogurt Bark
With less than 15 minutes of prep time followed by a 2 hour chill in your freezer, you can have the most delicious yogurt bark — ready to enjoy any day of the week! All you will need is: 32 oz plain Greek yogurt, 1/2 cup honey, 1 pint raspberries, 1 pint blueberries, and about 1 cup of strawberries sliced and parchment paper.
Line a 9×13 inch baking dish with parchment. In a mixing bowl, whisk together yogurt and honey. Pour and spread the yogurt mixture into the base of the line baking dish. Sprinkle the different berries and gently press into the yogurt. Freeze for at least 2 hours (so easy to make the night before), then use a knife to make the first break, then you can break it with your hands. Keep in the freezer to serve cold. Add nuts or seeds for a little added crunch and nutrition.
2. Apple with Peanut Butter
This is one of my favorite snacks, but it would also make for a tasty quick and easy breakfast option too for families with busy weekday mornings. Apples are extremely rich in important antioxidants, flavanoids, and dietary fiber. Eating apples may even help reduce the risk of developing cancer, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease! Its no wonder they say “an apple a day, will keep the doctor away”.
Peanut butter, almond butter — any nut butter will do! Try to buy natural nut butters as opposed to other peanut butters that often contain more sugars, hydrogenated oils and other ingredients you can’t produce. Natural is always best!
1. Cereal with Fruit and Milk
Plain toasted oat cereal with sliced banana and milk is one of my favorites (and my son’s favorites) for breakfast. Cereal with milk is a great option for buys mornings as it only takes a minute or two to prepare.
Stray away from high-sugar cereals, as they will cause a sharp spike in blood sugar, followed by a hard crash. Whole grains and fresh fruit however is a much better option. The fruit will help satisfy that sweet-tooth, and the whole grains will give you a steadier release of energy throughout your morning.
