Between getting the kiddos up and dressed, planning out the day, and maybe (if you’re lucky) pressing the snooze button a time or two, mornings with the fam can be a bit rushed. So, when it comes time for that most important meal of the day, complicated meals are off the table. 

Luckily, you don’t have to settle for handing the kids an unsatisfying granola bar or a $10 box of sugary cereal with a colorful animal mascot. We’ve gathered ten fun breakfast ideas for kids that don’t take much time or effort to put together. With a bit of pre-prep, these delicious dishes are perfect for school days, breezy weekends, or lazy summer mornings.  

1. Dish Up a Breakfast Casserole

Pre-prepped breakfast casseroles limit the time needed to make a morning meal. Simple bake scrambled eggs with your favorite omelet toppings in a greased baking dish and reheat the next day. For an easy-prep breakfast that’s good for days, try our try our ground turkey casserole and swap the kale for spinach, shredded carrots, potatoes, or broccoli. Top with melted cheese for the kiddos and serve with your kid’s favorite Primal Kitchen Ketchup. 

2. Whip Breakfast Into Shape(s) 

Transform simple basics like fried eggs or from-a-mix pancakes into magical morning treats using pancake or egg molds in fun shapes like stars and hearts—or even dinosaurs! If you’re feeling extra artistic, you can also try pouring batter into simple shapes in the pan (be warned, this isn’t easy, but it’s doable with thick batter and lots of practice). 

3. Serve a Smoothie Bowl

Little ones of all ages love to join mom in her breakfast “milkshake” routine (shh, they don’t have to know it contains fruit or veggies). For special days, this Unicorn Smoothie Bowl delivers a sweet, vibrant splash of color and flavor. It’s a crowd-pleaser! 

If you don’t have fresh or frozen dragon fruit chunks on hand, this No-Dairy Honey Smoothie Bowl or our banana-topped Chocolate Smoothie Bowl both deliver kid-approved flavor with parent-approved ingredients.

4. Load Your Toast 

For those days when the littles crave a comfort food treat, put toast back into rotation—with a protein twist! Use multi-grain or gluten-free bread depending on your preference, and add a boost of protein to the typical carb-heavy treat with unsweetened nut butter, mashed avocado and a boiled egg, ricotta and sliced tomatoes, or cottage cheese with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Instead of traditional bread, you can also swap in sweet potato slices or air-fried hash brown patties. 

5. Make Simple Swaps 

Making good breakfast choices doesn’t have to mean eating kale chips or dry wheat toast. With kids, it can often be enough to move the needle just a bit toward the “better” side.

Eat Real, a nonprofit that works to improve school lunch programs nationwide and increase access to real food, suggests making gentle swaps that can ease kids away from consuming large amounts of sugar in the morning. For example, trade that fruit cup with peach slices in sugary juice for a cup of Greek yogurt with fresh apple slices.

You can also freeze yogurt with berries and a sprinkle of granola in popsicle molds to make breakfast ice cream!

6. Try Tacos for Breakfast 

Stuff regular or gluten-free tortillas with scrambled eggs, sweet potato home fries, and your favorite breakfast meats and cheeses. For a fun take on hard shell tacos, melt cheese on a griddle following this breakfast taco recipe and fold it over to create “shells” for your fillings.

To save time, cook scrambled eggs, veggies, and meat in batches the night before and reheat in the a.m. Serve with A Tad Sweet Ketchup sweetened with honey or our Mild Buffalo Sauce.

7. Pack Protein Into Pancakes

Most kids love pancakes. Parents, on the other hand, might be concerned that these fluffy circles of deliciousness don’t deliver enough of a protein punch. Easy solution: Use our protein pancake recipe to limit sugar and increase the good stuff! 

For an even meatier alternative, this viral TikTok bacon pancakes recipe is made without any flour or wheat—try it with turkey bacon or plant-based bacon strips! 

8. Make Funny Faces

Dilemma: Your kiddo wants those cute happy-face flapjacks from a certain popular pancake chain, but there’s no time for eating out. No worries! You can easily duplicate the look and feel of kid’s menu pancakes at home. 

Instead of chocolate chips and whipped cream, opt for better-for-you blueberries for the eyes and banana slices layered in a crescent shape for the mouth. Round it out with a strawberry for the nose. If you’re hoping for a more protein-heavy breakfast, add scrambled egg hair to pancakes or make a face on a plate with two eggs for the eyes, a cheese cube nose, and a mouth made with turkey bacon.

9. Get Older Kids to Help

No time to cook in the morning? Assign older kids a task, such as making scrambled eggs or reheating things in the microwave, while you do the rest. This works great with a breakfast charcuterie board with handheld morning nibbles like hard-boiled eggs, cheeses, and berries. 

Have older kids plan your charcuterie layout and help the smaller ones make neat little piles of each breakfast item so the whole family can enjoy foraging a DIY breakfast from the board. Mom Tip: Use section snack containers or divided plates to help children portion out their food correctly—otherwise, your kiddo might choose one carrot stick, half an egg, and a pile of cheese.   

10. Pre-Bake Egg Cups 

One of our favorite make-and-take protein snacks, egg cups are endlessly customizable with a variety of toppings.  Baked in muffin tins, our egg cups pack all the goodness of a full weekend breakfast into petite, portable bites. From meaty sausage and ham-and-cheese cups to veg-friendly hash brown or zucchini versions, there’s something for everyone in your family. 

Best of all, you can make these ahead of time on the weekend and just reheat them in the mornings. Kids love dipping and drizzling egg cups, so don’t forget the sauce—one of our favorite combos is the ground chicken egg cups paired with smoky Chipotle Lime Mayo or tangy Chicken Dippin’ Sauce. 

Mix Up Your A.M. Routine

Getting creative with breakfast ideas for kids doesn't just make mornings more enjoyable; it also sets the tone for an amazing day. From delightful yogurt apple parfaits and handheld egg cups to colorful smoothie bowls and protein pancakes, there are endless possibilities for fueling your little ones with a delicious morning meal.

So, the next time you're pressed for time and wondering what to serve for breakfast, remember that a little imagination goes a long way. By incorporating these ten fun and easy family breakfast ideas, you can turn the most important meal of the day into a magical experience.