Quick high-protein breakfast ideas for children that are easy to grab

[IThinkThereforeIPaint]

Two kids, both probable ADHD, one 11 (really quite overweight and very inclined to unhealthy food), one 8 (naturally likes healthier food and will stop when full).

Looking for breakfast ideas that are reasonably high in protein, not tons of fat, and that are quite 'grab and go'.

We will sometimes make them eggs or a yogurt/porridge bowl or the older one will sometimes make himself eggs, but a lot of the time they will just quickly grab a bowl of cereal and I think they will do better on something with more protein to fill them up longer term, although cereal has it's place and the ones we buy are the healthier end. I'm going to switch away from whole milk because the older one keeps drinking entire mugs (and has started adding honey!).

Happy to make in advance but need to be quick in the morning, so recommendations for tried and tested recipes... Muffins, flapjacks, overnight oats? Or something on toast? Thanks

I disagree with swapping away from whole milk as it’s pretty low fat anyway and actually the fat can help to keep them feeling fuller for longer.

How about baking a batch of Savoury Muffins or making Shatsuka in the microwave?

I used to make banana and porridge oat muffins, which you can freeze and bring out occasionally. I always halve the sugar when baking. This weetabix cake definitely needs the sugar reducing. Or there’s a slimming world version which uses sweetener but I’ve never tried that.

I have a banana whizzed with milk before going tk the gym. You could probably blend in some oats too.

Frittata could be made the night before .

Bacon can be cooked quickly in the microwave between sheets of kitchen roll - less mess than a pan for a bacon buttie.

Crumpets with peanut butter.
I love crumpets witb a slice of ham, pineapple and grated cheese melted but perhaps a bit of a faff when you’re in a hurry .

Breakfast is ‚just another meal‘ - so don’t rule out non traditional breakfast foods like pizza, wraps, or anything really - mine would eat leftover lasagne !!

My dc like this strawberry smoothie which is made with yogurt https://www.eatsamazing.co.uk/family-friendly-recipes/drinks/strawberry-greek-yogurt-smoothie

Baked beans are very low in fat. You can get Heinz baked beans ‘snap pots’ which are one-portion servings and are microwaveable.

Warburtons do protein bagel thins which are already sliced so couldn’t be easier. A great option with some lighter cream cheese.

Go continental - some yoghurt, or some ham and lower fat cheese on rye bread, or turkey sausage - you can cook those in advance and keep them in the fridge to eat cold during the week, or chicken in a high protein wrap, or a slice of frittata. If you broaden your definition of breakfast it becomes much easier.

Great suggestions thank you.

If be happy for them to have whole milk with cereal but not mugs of it when he does need to lose weight rather than putting on more.

I actually had a crumpet with sliced turkey for my breakfast this morning!

Suspicious of protein bagel thins... I'm Jewish and have strong ideas on what constitutes a proper bagel! But I do have a bread maker so actually I could have a look into higher protein bread recipes.

My family are currently obsessed with cottage cheese pancakes. The recipe I use has eggs, cottage cheese, oats, vanilla extract and baking powder all blended together with a bag of defrosted blueberries chucked in. I prep a big batch one morning and stick them in the fridge or freezer then just chuck them in the toaster when we want to eat them.

Full of protein and nutrients, really filling and feels like a treat - wins all around!

Thanks, is there a link to the recipe? Otherwise I can improvise.

300g cottage cheese
200g egg (about 4 large eggs)
7g vanilla extract
27g maple syrup, plus more to serve
200g oats

Blend all of the above then leave for 5/10 min for the oats to absorb some of the liquid.
then add

5g baking powder
300g defrosted blueberries

makes around 10 pancakes

Teen DS often has last night's leftovers for breakfast. No prep involved but realise it doesnt suit everyone! (I dont usually fancy eg spag bol for breakfast)

prep French toast. Freeze in ziplock bags with a layer of freezer paper between slices. Cook from frozen in the morning.

Flourless muffins. Mine have eggs, cheese and chorizo with any random veg - whisked up and oven baked in silicone muffin trays. Pop them out and refrigerate and they can eat cold or nuke for a couple of minutes. forgive my ignorance but that’s not kosher is it? You could ditch the meat completely or sub for some Turkish sausage or similar?

Thank you all!
Particularly for the pancake recipe, sounds great. Frozen french toast a good idea too, we often make it but then they can grab and go.
Chorizo not kosher but yes plenty of substitutes.

Nigella has a recipe for ricotta hotcakes. They are slightly more faff than other pancakes because you have to whisk the egg white, but I have found they keep well in the fridge and also freeze very well (much better than most other pancakes).

Frittata is good cold and you can do individual servings using a silicone mini muffin mould.

Oh She Glows (blog) has a recipe for 'carrot cake baked oatmeal' which can be made ahead and keeps well. To be honest I have done this more as a weekend one where I prepare it the night before and then bake at leisure on a Saturday or Sunday, but then we often eat leftovers on subsequent days.

During the week we often do overnight oats of various kinds as it is even quicker to grab in the morning than cereal. I base it on
https://www.henry.org.uk/recipe/overnight-oats
or (my favourite version) Felicity Cloake's Perfect Bircher Muesli on the Guardian website.

Egg bites.

I blend a couple eggs, egg whites, and some cream cheese, put in silicone muffin molds, add chopped vegetables like green pepper and mushrooms, and cook in short bursts in the microwave until the egg looks set.

You can find lots of recipes and they freeze well too.

I was going to suggest ham but then you said you are Jewish so a different cooked meat(s) maybe with cheese as a PP said.

Hard boiled eggs mad the day before. Pickled eggs that can be kept in the cupboard.

You can make a batch of pancakes, fill with cheese, mushrooms, onions then freeze, they can be quickly heated in the microwave or air fryer.

Fruit / veg carrot sticks you can dunk in some hummus.

Not exactly 'grab and go' but beans on toast, heat the beans in a jug in the microwave to save time.

There are these egg and spinach bites too.

Eldest DD tends to have turkey sliced, cheese, olives and cucumber on a plate. Never been a fan of typical breakfast food.

Youngest
Scrambled eggs on toast
Or a turkey and cheese bagel with tomato.

I don't often have breakfast but if I do
Greek yoghurt honey and nuts.

@OMGitsnotgood do you have the recipe for the banana oat muffins pls?

@GoldGoldi‘m sorry I don‘t, it‘s along time since I made them. There are lots online and I’ve tried to find one for you that sounds about right - try this one .
I always reduce sugar in cakes.

I also make a batch of 'protein' pancakes on a Sunday night and the kids just warm them in the toaster on a morning. Mine are -

150g Full fat or 5% greek yogurt
125ml milk
180g oats
3 eggs
small Squidge of honey or vanilla essence.
1 tablespoon baking powder.

All in the blender and blitz, then cook into scotch pancake type size. Makes about 20. May need to add an extra dash of milk if too thick.

Have you tried breakfast burritos?

I think they would love these

I saw a bit of Saturday Kitchen and Poppy O’Toole was promoting her latest book and cooked some breakfast burritos. The recipe I posted wasn’t hers but they’re a great idea.

Breakfast burritos and pancakes made!