Breakfast Before the Dash: Easy Ideas for Busy Family Mornings

By Megan Wallace, RD | Pediatric & Family Nutrition

Read more about Megan Wallace on our Daily Nutrition page.

If mornings in your house feel a little chaotic, you are definitely not alone. As a dietitian and a mom of three, I know how quickly a morning can go from “we have lots of time” to “everyone needs to be in the car five minutes ago!”

And somewhere in the middle of finding shoes, packing bags and getting everyone out the door, we’re also supposed to feed everyone breakfast.

The good news? Breakfast doesn’t need to be elaborate to be nourishing.

 

Start with balance, not perfection

When I’m putting together breakfast for my own kids, I like to think about including a source of protein, along with carbohydrate-rich foods and some fruit when it works.

That might look like oatmeal made with milk, hemp hearts and topped with berries, a yogurt parfait with fruit and cereal, eggs with whole-grain toast, or a breakfast sandwich.

And sometimes? It’s a bowl of cereal with milk.

One thing I hear from parents is that they’re trying really hard to avoid “processed” foods, especially when feeding young children. But convenience foods can absolutely have a place in a nourishing family diet.

Quick-cooking oats, whole-grain cereal, whole-grain bread, frozen waffles, yogurt and other convenient options still provide nutrients – and they can make the difference between breakfast happening and everyone leaving the house hungry.

Convenience isn’t something we need to feel guilty about.

 

What if there isn’t time to sit down?

Ideally, sitting together at the table gives kids an opportunity to slow down, listen to their bodies and decide how much they want to eat.

But that’s not always reality.

Some mornings start incredibly early. Someone sleeps in. Someone’s favourite shirt is still in the wash. Suddenly, breakfast needs to happen in the next five minutes.

My philosophy is pretty simple: a fed child is a happy child.

Breakfast may happen at the table, on the way out the door, or once you arrive at Kepler. A smoothie or yogurt drink can also be a great option for a child who isn’t particularly hungry first thing in the morning.

Rather than adding more pressure to an already hectic morning, think about what will realistically work for your family.

 

Easy breakfasts to keep in your rotation

You don’t need 20 breakfast recipes. Having a handful of options your kids reliably eat can make mornings much easier.

 

For mornings with a little more time:

• Oatmeal with milk, berries and nut or seed butter
• Yogurt parfait with fruit and whole-grain cereal
• Eggs with toast and fruit
• Baked oatmeal
• Breakfast casserole
• Breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese

 

For the flying-out-the-door mornings:

• Smoothie with milk or yogurt, fruit and oats
• Higher-protein yogurt drink + banana
• Whole-grain toast with nut or seed butter + fruit
• Muffin + cheese + fruit
• Frozen waffle sandwich with nut or seed butter

 

And remember, breakfast doesn’t have to look exactly the same every day.

 

Keep the stress out of breakfast

Young children are very responsive to what’s happening around them. When mornings become stressful and we’re repeatedly asking them to “take another bite!” while watching the clock, eating can become harder too.

Sometimes the most helpful thing we can do is simplify.

Keep a few easy breakfast staples in the house. Use convenience foods when you need them. Sit together when you can. Grab something to go when you can’t.

 

And remember – breakfast doesn’t have to be perfect. On those mornings when breakfast is a few bites, something grabbed on the way out the door, or simply doesn’t go as planned, Kepler is ready with a nourishing morning snack to help fill in the gaps between waking up and getting everyone out the door.

 

As a mom it feels like each meal is a point of hyperfocus as per what our littles are and are not getting. But as a Dietitian, I know that the foods chosen over days and weeks are what truly makes up a child’s nutrition – and I can assure you, you are doing better than you think. 

 

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Recipe to try: Make-ahead banana berry baked oatmeal

This dish is one of my personal go-tos for hectic mornings since prepping it once provides a nourishing, ready-to-eat meal for several days.

 

What you’ll need:

• 2 cups rolled or quick-cooking oats
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 1½ cups milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries
• ¼ cup nut or seed butter

 

How to make it:

Simply combine all ingredients, transfer into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish, and bake at 350°F for roughly 30–35 minutes until set in the center.

 

Slice into portions and store in the refrigerator to keep simple breakfasts ready throughout the week.

 

Enjoy warm at the table paired with Greek yogurt and fruit, or hand out a portion alongside a yogurt drink on those flying-out-the-door family mornings.

 

If you need a nut-free option, seed butter or SunButter works wonderfully.

 

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Check out Megan’s recent Food Friday post on our Instagram!