Easy Breakfast Ideas For Kids on the Go

Getting your kids out the door and off to school on time is a feat in itself. Making sure they have breakfast is an important part of the morning routine, yet many kids don’t eat breakfast before school, including 25% of teens!

Eating breakfast doesn’t have to be a sit-down affair – sometimes breakfast on the go is the best you can do. The important thing is that your children have fueled their bodies with a nutrient-packed breakfast to help them start the day right.

What is an Easy, Nutrient-Packed Breakfast for Kids?

First and foremost, a good breakfast starts with one they will eat! A nutrient-packed breakfast for kids should have some protein for staying power, plus fruits or vegetables for vitamins and minerals, and whole grains for fiber. An easy breakfast on the go should be something you can easily hold in your hand and doesn’t require much, if any, utensils.

Pantry Essentials for Easy Breakfasts for Kids

For those frazzled mornings, it’s best to start with a stocked pantry and refrigerator that have:

• Cold cereal, preferably whole grain and low sugar (less than 12 grams added sugars per serving)
• Oatmeal, preferably unsweetened
• Low fat granola
• Whole grain bread and/or tortillas
• Nuts and nut butters
• Unsweetened dried fruit
• Nutritional shakes (like Carnation Breakfast Essentials® Nutritional Drinks or Powder Drink Mixes)
• Fresh fruit
• Individually wrapped cheese
• Milk or calcium-fortified dairy alternative
• Single serve yogurt
• Hard boiled eggs

Nutrient-Packed Breakfasts for Kids – To Make in Advance

Many grab-and-go breakfast options require a little prep work. That way, it’s ready to go come morning time – you can just take it and run! Here are five easy breakfast ideas, from sweet to savory:
 

• Breakfast Yogurt Popsicles – It may look like a yummy treat, but this one-hand breakfast popsicle is made with Greek yogurt, fruit, nuts, seeds and grains. There’s a lot of nutrition packed into this frozen pop!
   
• Mini Quiche – Muffin tins make the best breakfasts since the results are portion-perfect healthy breakfasts for kids. These mini quiches are a great way to get some early morning veggies as well as protein and calcium.
   
• Breakfast Cookie – A cookie for breakfast? Sure, when this one is made with fruits, vegetables, oats and nuts. Pair with a glass of milk for some calcium and added protein.
   
• Banana Pancakes – The traditional staple packs extra nutrition with whole wheat flour, yogurt and Carnation Breakfast Essentials® powder in the ingredient mix. Pancakes are easy to freeze and reheat on those busy mornings, and this one is flavored so well that no syrup or toppings are needed.
   
• Overnight Oats – This breaks the “no utensils” rule, but overnight oats is so easy to prepare and makes for a hearty breakfast with stomach staying power. Just get some old-fashioned oats, milk and fruit. Add some nuts for extra nutrition or a sweetener for added taste. Cover and place in the refrigerator, and the next morning you have oats to go!

Easy Breakfast Ideas for Kids – No Prep Needed
 

For those mornings when time is of the essence, chances are you have some of these items on-hand for quick breakfast options on the go, straight from the pantry or refrigerator:
 

• Make a baggie of ready-to-eat cereal and pair it with a ready-to-drink nutrition shake
   
• Grab a cup of yogurt and top it with a handful of granola for crunch
   
• Take a whole grain tortilla, smear it with peanut butter and roll it up around a banana
   
• Grab a whole apple and some string cheese and you have a great fruit and dairy/protein pair!
   
• Make a quick trail mix with whole grain cereal, nuts and raisins
   
• Peel a pre-cooked hardboiled egg and eat it with a piece of fruit or veggie sticks

The most important thing is to send your child off to school with nutrients they need to start the day right. A nutrient-packed breakfast on the go helps fuel their morning until snack time or lunch and will help keep the crankiness at bay.