10 Quick Breakfast Ideas

I grew up eating hot breakfast as a family.  If you go to my parents' house before 11 am the smell of bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, or pancakes will be lingering still.  Which makes me wonder...did I smell like breakfast every morning I went to school?  My mom worked 7pm-3am a few nights a week as an RN, and she would come home and sleep for a few hours, but we'd always find her making breakfast for us when we got up at 6.  She often went back to bed after we left to catch up on her sleep.  I admire her so much.

Now I have a family.  Mr. came from a non-breakfast family.  I'll admit it.  It bothers me.  But I'm up every morning, cooking away for my family, too.  It's about half-and-half breakfast vs. non at our house.  Many times it's just me, belly up to the table savoring my blueberry pancakes, crepes, oatmeal, sunny-side-up eggs, egg mcmuffin, or whatever I'm in the mood for.  Breakfast is MY meal.  I cook what pleases me.  And I love it.  I also love sending my kids off with a full belly of nutritious goodness.

The more I get around, however, the more I realize how rare it is for kids to get a hot breakfast in the morning.  And I don't even really mean "hot".  I mean "not-cold-cereal".

So here's a few quick breakfast ideas.  Most I've tried, and some I'm really looking forward to.

1. Pancakes.  This staple of home life is seriously simple.  It doesn't take that much effort.  Especially with the advent of dry pancake mix.  I remember well my dad on the back porch, grinding the wheat that went into his "Oh Boy Pancake" recipe.  Those days are over.  Choose a healthy pancake mix like Kodiak Cakes, available at any grocery store, and get your babies eating whole wheat early.



2. Toaster Pancakes.  I don't know about you, but I ALWAYS have leftover pancakes.  Try toasting them to reheat.  It's much less soggy.  Top with cream cheese and fruit to disguise the fact that they are leftovers.  Nothing goes to waste in a clever woman's home.  Well, almost nothing...

3. Refrigerator Oatmeal from The Yummy Life.  I grew up on plain oatmeal & toast.  Anything I can do to cram some oatmeal down my kids' throats will be tried.  Can't wait!




4. Egg-in-a-Hole from Ree Drummond of Pioneer Woman Cooks for Food Network.  This removes the option of eating just the toast.  Smeared with jam or syrup it hits all the basics.




5. Breakfast Sandwiches from She Makes & Bakes.  You don't really need a recipe for this one. The staples are an egg, two somethings to book end, and your unlimited choice of meat & cheese to satisfy even the pickiest eaters.  Make a lighter one for yourself and start the day on a high note.  For the bread try english muffin, pancakes (Mickey D's does it), mini bagles, toast, or biscuits.






6. Breakfast Burritos.  Again, not one that really needs a recipe.  Scramble some eggs.  Add onions, cheese, meat of choice, peppers, avocados, tomatoes...or just plain eggs & cheese.  Wrap in a warm tortilla.  OR wrap tightly in waxed paper and store several in the fridge in a plastic container or baggie for a quick, reheatable breakfast for your teens on the go!  Makes a perfect snack, too.



7. Yogurt, Granola & Fruit, or fruit & yogurt parfait if you're fancy like that.  My girls think they've died and gone to a five-star restaurant if they find these babies waiting for them when they roll out of bed.  Shhhh...don't tell them they take about 60 seconds to make.



8. Monkey Toast: a fancy kid-attracting name for toast with peanut butter and bananas.  Add some milk and they've got a fun and filling breakfast.



9. Freezer Muffins.  What sounds better than spending an hour or two slaving over a hot oven, so that you can offer a healthy homemade muffin to your kiddos in the morning?  I'm all for the freezer.  Just make twice your favorite recipe, let cool to room temp & freeze in baggies of two.  Pull them out the night before or pop them in the microwave for 1 minute.  Weirdly, my kids prefer them frozen rather than defrosted.

Try this recipe from Gourmet for blueberry, or this recipe from 100 Days of Real Food for banana nut.




10. Breakfast Bars.  Variety is the spice of life, and these breakfast bars will make the family do a double-take.  By making them at home you can be sure only good stuff goes in them.  And for a chunk of time one afternoon, you're golden for several days.  Add the fact that they are also wrapable and freezable and you're off the hook for a couple days at least.  Try this recipe from My Busy Kitchen.  The sky's the limit on the options and customization of these babies.



Making breakfast for your kids will be something they remember forever.  Making quick breakfasts make sure that they remember it fondly.

Rise & Shine!