Filling breakfasts for fussy kids

[takealettermsjones]

I want to improve my kids' weekday breakfasts, which are most often just cereal or toast/crumpets etc. I don't think it's nutrient dense enough but we are extremely rushed in the mornings so I need something very quick, both to cook and eat. Two of the three can also be a bit fussy, so it can't be anything too complicated. They won't eat scrambled eggs or omelettes (even in "bite" form, which has scuppered my air fryer egg bite plan!). What can I give them?? Thanks so much for any ideas!

Pancakes? You could make a big batch of them and freeze them, just reheat in the morning and top them with whatever they like. Even put a bit of protein powder in the mix.

Thank you, I could try that. How do you reheat?

As a former "picky" child (probably diagnosed as having ARFID if I was a child now) my mum used to give me hot chocolate made with actual milk to fill me up.
For a while I had spaghetti hoops on toast for breakfast.

I’d also go pancakes, mash some banana into the mix to add some nutrients. I reheat by popping in the toaster.

My two will also have Greek yoghurt flavoured with a fruit compote (sounds posh but basically frozen berries cooked through with a little sugar for sweetness and stored in a tub in the fridge). Better than flavoured yoghurt because you can control the sugar and there are no additives. You can also use the compote to top pancakes.

Porridge in the microwave with frozen fruit, nuts, seeds
Yogurt as above
Beans on toast
Cheese on toast
Cheese and ham croissants

Peanut butter toast

Over night oats, make the night before. Can be flavoured with whatever they like, variety is endless. I like them with chopped apple, raisins and cinnamon, sprinkle a bit of honey over and a dollop of greek yogurt.

Breakfast wraps? Or Burritos?

Whatever they'll eat - bacon, egg (I do a slice of omelette), sausage, potato (hash browns or homemade hash), onions etc.

https://projectmealplan.com/make-ahead-freezer-friendly-breakfast-burritos/ this sort of idea.

Chuck in the microwave in the morning. We did this for months when DH had to be up horribly early and needed a hot breakfast to set him up for long days. Worked well.

We do cereal most days as that's what the DC like. I don't think it's very filling but they don't seem to mind and have an early snack and early lunch at school. I'm curious about more healthy or protein cereals, which could be better. I do try to give them some weatabix or shreddies along with the Cheerios (their favourite) as I think they're more filling.

Sometimes porridge with other cereals sprinkled on top.

We have done pancakes but wouldn't do it every day.

I offer toast but they say no.

I haven't thought to do beans on toast for breakfast but could work as that's also protein (inspired by PP who mentioned spaghetti on toast).

DD likes ham and cheese sandwiches or wraps for breakfast. I make them at the weekend and put them in the freezer then put one in the fridge each evening to defrost. Super easy

Oats!

I just grab a big handful of oats (whole Irish oats, not the instant kind), cook them a pan with a small amount of water for 5 mins then stir in some cold milk at the end (makes it a bit creamier and cools it down). My DC also like cinnamon & mashed banana stirred in. Then it gets served in bowls with brown sugar sprinkled on top.

very filling and quick.

DD is really fussy (on the borders of ARFID). She sometimes has chicken nuggets for breakfast (easy, filling, lots of protein). We've also done 'pizza toast' (tomato puree and cheese on toast), cheese toasties, basically anything quick and easy that she'll eat. Once when we were travelling that was sushi! Definitely worth thinking outside the 'breakfast' box

Some great ideas here, thank you.

Re. the oats, we do warm Weetabix with banana mashed in. Is that very different nutritionally from oatmeal? I will try overnight oats, I think they might like putting it together themselves the night before. I have also seen things like peanut butter oat balls... Might be worth a try.

I like the idea of the breakfast wraps too, if I can figure out the freezing/reheating bit. They are not keen on bacon though, so I might have to just do them with sliced chicken/turkey or something!

They do also eat Greek yoghurt, so they'll have Cheerios with yoghurt and honey rather than milk. I'd be happy enough if they did this every day, but sometimes they just want rice krispies and milk, and it's mostly air! I can't just offer them more of it either, as they are slow eaters and we haven't got time 🤣

Rice Krispies and milk is fine for breakfast if that’s what they’ll eat - if they’ll take a piece of fruit all the better. If you look at their diet across the week how does it look?

My kids are older but had pancakes with bacon this morning, tomorrow it’ll be porridge with different toppings, another day it’ll be yoghurt and fruit and yes they’ll likely reach for something like Cheerios another day. Their evening meals are well balanced and we have decent snack options. I’d not make breakfast a battle ground tbh, much more important that mornings are as calm and positive as possible.

Left overs from night before eg pasta, fried potatoes
any number of things on toast; sardines, cheese, tuna, beans,mushrooms…
sandwiches of any form but cold sausages could work .
i used to provide a hot breakfast most days but constantly rang the changes in terms of what it was .My DC liked eggs which was helpful.

Their diets are pretty good I think - I think I might have confused things by saying fussy. We are not approaching ARFID territory (although my 6yo did have a phase at around 4 where I was worried it could be, but we've thankfully grown out of that now). By fussy I just mean they can be quite particular, and their meals are pretty bland by my tastes (I'll make sauces on the side or seasoned versions of things for myself and DH). I'm really just looking to front load it a bit more so that they're not hungry in the morning at school.

I have a very picky child who won't eat bananas or eggs. She has beans, toast with peanut butter, granola and fruit with yoghurt. The beans, peanut butter and yoghurt helps fill her up. The granola has nuts too. All are no cook options.

I used to make breakfast pizza bagels for ds who has ARFID. Half a bagel lightly toasted spread with passata and grated cheese melted on top.

Dd used to like smoked salmon & cream cheese bagel!

I used to give ds protein fortified chocolate milkshakes or Weetabix protein crunch cereal

Greek yoghurt & banana is filling

I make a batch of granola bars on a weekend which they're allowed to grab one of for the school run if still hungry.

(350g oats. 80g plain flour. 75g dried coconut. 60g dried fruits. 75g mixed seeds mixed into a bowl. In a pan gently melt 150g brown sugar. 75g Golden Syrup and 200g butter. Mix together and then into a lined oven dish at 180 for about 20 mins, when cool slice into about 12 small slices)

Breakfast here varies from Crepes with nutella, strawberries and flaxseed on. T Eggy bread to weetabix and sometimes shreddies.

We just do porridge - mix oats and milk then microwave for 1 1/2 minutes, stir then microwave again. I just make a big bowl and split out between me and the DC. I usually defrost some frozen berries to mix in (I let DD choose which ones) and add additional milk to the kids bowls to cool it down. DD also adds some cheerios as well 😆.

Breakfast wrap are a favourite in my house. 1 hash brown, 1 bacon, 1 sausage and 1 runny egg.

We had different things on different days but no set plan. On the rota are pancakes, little pancakes (drop scones), croissants with a filling of their choice, brioche, jelly sometimes with fruit in it, fruit, sausage rolls, sandwiches,toast, cereal, any goes really.
Have you tried quail eggs? Fried they look like Haribo eggs

Eggy bread
Porridge with fruit*
Semolina with fruit*
Barley & ground almond porridge w fruit*
American style pancakes
Cheesy carrotty oatbake
Potato pancakes

We like our hot breakfasts in Autumn and Winter!

*fresh or frozen, often frozen berries, and usually with spices added and a little syrup