Breakfast Ideas for Toddlers
We all remember the hectic mornings when you’re on the move and hurrying to get your toddler ready for daycare or preschool. You are likely to have a picky eater or special demands from your toddler, but it is a race against time. For a toddler, breakfast is a quintessential meal of the day, as it prepares them for the bay ahead. These simple and healthy breakfast suggestions for toddlers are great whether you’re dealing with a fussy eater, a little foodie, or someone in the middle. A majority of these meal items come together relatively quickly. Others can be arranged in advance or are best executed on a weekend morning when everyone can gather together for breakfast.
A Balanced Breakfast
A balanced meal is important to start the toddler’s day. A balanced meal is a conglomeration of carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.
- Foods high in carbohydrates, such as fruits, and whole grains, and vegetables like sweet potatoes, give you sustained energy.
- Protein is made up of amino acids that are mostly found in meat, eggs, dairy, nuts, seeds, and legumes. Protein aids in child growth and prolongs the sense of fullness in toddlers. As a result, the urge to snack becomes less frequent
- Up to the age of two, babies and young children need healthy fats for normal brain development. Due to their active lifestyle, the risk of adverse effects from a high fat is very low. Diets low in fat are not advised for children under the age of two. Avocado, flax and chia seeds, almonds, seafood, egg yolks, and whole milk dairy products all include beneficial fats for toddlers.
- Fruits and vegetables of all shapes, sizes, and hues give children the vitamins and minerals they need for healthy development and immunity. Vegetables and fruits contain several micro-nutrients which help to fulfill dietary requirements.
Food Bribes
- Parents should refrain from offering food rewards to their child during meals, such as promising him dessert if he eats his peas. This quid pro quo system negatively impacts the child’s thought process. Using parallels to other siblings, such as stating, “Look, your older sister eats her vegetables,” is also not a good idea.
- Comparing one child to the other puts early pressure on the toddler and can lead to self-esteem issues. Future eating issues may result from this increased stress. Maintain a calm and enjoyable atmosphere at mealtimes so that your child can develop excellent eating habits and social skills with the rest of the family.
Tips for Feeding Toddlers
Even though your toddler will probably consume the majority of the same foods as the rest of the family, there are a few safety measures to take into account:
- Ensure that the food is not too hot so that his mouth doesn’t get burned. Before letting him eat, take a small taste to check the temperature.
- Steer clear of foods that are highly spiced, butter- or salt-seasoned. The strong flavors may be too much to handle for your toddler’s palate
- Adding too much salt or sugar could harm your child’s long-term health.
- Foods should be mashed or chopped into small, chewable pieces, to prevent a choking hazard.
- Cut spherical foods such as grapes and cherry tomatoes, into halves or quarters.
- Hot dogs and carrots must first be cut lengthwise, then chopped into pieces into bite-size pieces if they are cylindrical foods.
- Don’t offer a chunk or tablespoon of peanut butter; instead, spread it thinly on bread or crackers.
- The following foods should be avoided: whole nuts, seeds, popcorn, hard candies, jelly beans, and gummy bears. If ingested whole or in large parts, these foods can all be easy to choke on.
Allergies
While your child is experimenting with different foods for the first time, it’s critical to watch out for any adverse reactions they might have to particular foods. If your child develops a food allergy, it is most likely by one of the following foods:
- Any form of calf milk
- Any product with Wheat\sSoy\sPeanuts
- Almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, and cashews are some examples of tree nuts.
- Fishes like cod, salmon, or tuna.
If your child has allergies, you can notice the following symptoms:
- Skin conditions like rashes or edema
- breathing issues including sneezing, wheezing, or throat tightness
- gastrointestinal signs such as nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- indications of poor circulation such as pale skin, dizziness, or unconsciousness.
Your child may occasionally have an intolerance or sensitivity to a particular food rather than an actual allergy to it:
- Lactose intolerance. Your toddler may complain of some stomach discomfort, general bloating, or experiencing diarrhea due to their inability to digest any dairy products or products that may contain lactose.
- food intolerance. Your child may exhibit asthmatic symptoms if they are allergic to the food additives, preservatives, or colors found in store-bought foods.
Fortunately, allergies to eggs, milk, wheat, and soy may be a way for the baby to accommodate these foods and the allergies may vanish as they grow older. By the time they become five years old, the majority of kids outgrow any food sensitivities. Allergies to nuts, shellfish, and peanuts could take longer.
BAKED BREAKFAST RECIPES
Egg Cake Pops
The egg is a universal breakfast food, but its versatility makes it easy to be incorporated into any dish. Cake pops, as the name suggests are originally made from cake batter but they are very dense in calories and sugar. So bring the best of both worlds together we have egg cake pop. It is fun and healthy.
Ingredients
- 2-3 eggs
- 30 ml of milk
- 1 cup of cheese, shredded (optional)
- Additional ingredients for omelets like green onions, bacon, ham, peppers, mushrooms, etc
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius
- Spray oil or nonstick cooking spray on your cake pop maker.
- In a bowl whisk milk and eggs together.
- Fill the wells of the cake pop maker with the egg mixture.
- Fill the egg mixture with cheese and other omelet components of your choice.
- Shut the cake pop maker and cook it for two to three minutes.
Take it out and serve it with ketchup or if you want to dive it with an Asian twist garnish it with furikake.
Savoury Baked Oats
Baked oats have taken the internet by storm. First, they are very easy to make and foolproof and anyone can get it right the first time. But having a sweet breakfast might not be your toddler’s cup of tea, so why not go for savory ones?
Ingredients
- Quick oats or rolled oats that have been finely crushed in a food processor or blender.
- Wheat flour or all-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- One grated carrot
- one grated apple
- Golden raisins (optional)
- Nuts or seeds chopped: Choose chopped pecans, chopped walnuts, or chopped sunflower seeds.
- Melt coconut oil: You might also use butter.
- Maple syrup or honey
Instructions
- In a bowl mix, all the dry ingredients
- Then add the coconut oil or butter.
- A batter should be uniform after being combined.
- Make a ball out of it and set it on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.
- Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 15 mins.
- Move to a wire rack to completely cool.
WARM BREAKFAST RECIPES
Apple cinnamon pancake
One of the kids’ favorite breakfasts is pancakes. They are simple, fluffy, and delicious, they have the power to make anyone’s day better. They can be modified to fit the dietary requirements of the toddler as well by swapping for ingredients alternatives. Also, this recipe does not call for any added sugar.
Ingredients
- 100 grams of wheat flour
- one medium-sized Apple
- One teaspoon of oil
- cinnamon powder to taste
- 1 teaspoon jaggery, 1/2 teaspoon ghee (optional)
- salt to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Eno or baking powder
- 50 ml of water (can substitute with milk if you like)
Instructions
- Combine salt, baking soda, cinnamon powder, and wheat flour in a bowl.
- Add oil and water to the dry ingredients. Ensure there are no lumps to form a homogenous mixture.
- Add some shredded Apples.
- Combine the flour mixture with the grated apple. Wait 10 minutes before moving.
- Stir the pancake batter one more time after 10 minutes. At this point, add the sugar or jaggery.
- Set a dosa tawa or griddle to medium heat. Grease it with ghee or butter when it’s heated enough.
- Ladle some batter onto the frying pan. Ensure that the pancakes are not too big for the child to handle or cut out little shapes like circles or triangles.
French toast stars
Another universal favorite breakfast is french toast. It is a sweet heaven for breakfast lovers. Dip them in syrup, yogurt, chocolate, or anything you want. Parents can opt to make it healthy by incorporating fruits like blueberries, and raspberries or increase the protein by adding a spoonful of peanut butter into the batter.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 pieces of white bread; you may also use brown or whole-grain bread.
- For frying, use one tablespoon of olive oil; rapeseed oil is also OK.
- To serve, add one tablespoon of our favorite sauce to dip your stars in.
Instructions
- Crack the eggs into a cup and whisk them with a fork.
- Prepare the bread for dipping by carefully pouring the beaten eggs onto a tiny plate that may hold a slice of bread.
- Bread can be dipped by placing a slice in the beaten egg mixture and pressing it down slightly so that it will absorb the egg mixture.
- Turn the bread and coat it evenly on all sides. The opposite side of the bread should now be covered with the egg mixture.
- Add a splash of olive oil to a nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Place the bread in the pan to fry it.
- Cook the bread for about 2 minutes on one side, then flip it over, and cook it for an additional 2 minutes.
- Eliminate excess oil by placing the cooked bread onto a piece of kitchen paper to absorb any extra oil.
- Cut out any fun shapes or stars using a star-shaped biscuit cutter after transferring them to a cutting board.
BREAKFAST ON THE GO
Oatmeal Cups
Oats are a great breakfast option. they are delicious, can be used in multiple formats, and above all satiating. These oatmeal cups with no added sugar are perfect for to-go breakfast for busy moms and their toddlers.
Ingredients
- Use unsweetened applesauce or mashed bananas instead.
- Either eggs or flax eggs.
- Any kind of milk or non-dairy
- Creamy nut butter
- Vanilla flavoring
- Rolled oats
- Cinnamon
- Use organic blueberries that are fresh or frozen, chocolate chips, or whatever else you choose instead!
Instructions
- Set a muffin tray aside and grease it with oil or butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Mash the bananas and add eggs, milk, nut butter, and vanilla to it
- Oats, baking powder, and cinnamon should all be blended thoroughly.
- add both of the mixtures together.
- When the mixture is ready, fold in the blueberries. Since there is no flour, the muffins may not rise very much.
- Baking for 18 to 20 minutes in the oven.
- Top it with yogurt, nut butter, and granola.
- Store in the refrigerator for five days or two months in the freezer. you can also microwave it before eating.
Plum Organics Pouches
Plum Organics is known for selling organic teethers, puffs, and pouches. They have products that cater to each stage of baby foods including stage 3 baby food pouches that help a baby’s palette prepare for table food. Plum also supports underprivileged kids by providing Super Smoothie pouches to children from low-income families. Also, their website features a page with numerous recipes that adults can utilize to prepare food. Plum organics formula or mixture is such that it helps with easy digestion for infants as well as helps them have regular bowel movements.
Banana Baked Bars
Ingredients
- one cup of mashed banana
- 1 cup almond milk
- two-thirds of a cup of a creamy nut or seed butter
- 1 1/3 cups almond or oat flour
- Rolled oats, 1 1/3 cups
- half a teaspoon of cinnamon
- one tablespoon of baking powder
- 1/3 cup cacao nibs or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a big bowl, combine the banana, nut butter, and milk until smooth.
- Add the flour, oats, and baking powder. mix thoroughly
- Add dark chocolate if you want some chocolate goodness.
- Bake for 25 minutes in the oven. check it with a fork or stick.
- Slice into 6–9 bars.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to five days.
