Quick and Easy Breakfasts

Scrambled eggs are a classic kid favorite, especially when jazzed up with add-ins like zesty cheddar cheese and sliced scallions. Avoid overcooking scrambled eggs; they should be moist, but not runny. Keep reading for 22 more tasty ideas guaranteed to get your kids up and at 'em.

1. Stir in homemade or store-bought basil pesto.
2. Toss in chopped ham, turkey, or sausage links (we like Smithfield Hometown Original Breakfast Sausage Links).
3. Chop up corn tortillas, quickly sauté in canola oil, add eggs, and enjoy an easy version of migas. Top with a mild store-bought salsa.
4. Sprinkle on cheddar cheese and sliced scallions.
5. Make use of cooked vegetables that happen to be in the fridge. Or plan to prep extra veggies at dinnertime so you'll have leftovers for breakfast.

Choose whole-wheat or sprouted bread for extra nutrients and fiber that will keep your kid (or yourself) full throughout the morning. If toast feels too blah to you, Thomas’ English Muffins is a satisfying way to zhuzh-up your breakfast routine—the toppings will melt right into that nooks-and-crannies goodness. To toast several slices at once, pop them under the broiler on a sheet pan.

1. Swirl on honey-sweetened ricotta cheese. Then add fruit.

2. Layer peanut butter or almond butter, your child's favorite fruit (thinly sliced peaches, strawberries, and bananas work especially well), and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

3. Spread on a bit of butter and add thinly sliced hard-boiled egg. Or, make a cheater's egg salad by chopping a hard-boiled egg and adding a little plain Greek yogurt, salt, and pepper.

4. Peel, pit, and smash an avocado, smear on top, and sprinkle with a little salt.

5. Cover with whipped cream cheese and top with smoked salmon. Sprinkle with chopped dill for extra credit.

Make It Fast: For oatmeal even speedier than instant, prep it overnight—no cooking required—with Quaker Overnight Oats: just add milk and let steep overnight! (Or, DIY and stir together 1/2 cup rolled oats with 1/2 cup milk. If desired, add your kid's favorite toppings.) 

Make It Slow: Use your 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker to cook steel-cut oats overnight. Simply butter the insert, add 2 cups steel-cut oats, 7 cups water, 1 cup milk, and a few pinches of salt. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Top with fruit and brown sugar.

Make It Different: Stir in some whole grains or seeds—such as cooked quinoa or chia seeds—to your morning bowl of oats. Add milk and any of your kids’ favorite oatmeal extras.

To more easily blend smoothies, put the liquid or yogurt in first and the ice or frozen fruit in last.

1. Toss a handful of spinach into your kids' favorite fruit smoothie. Chances are they won't even notice and they'll get an extra boost of vitamins A and K.
2. Get hip to hemp. Despite what you may be thinking, hemp seeds are safe for kids, mild-tasting, and one of the few plant-based complete proteins. Plus, two tablespoons of hemp seeds in your smoothie offer a boost of healthful fatty acids, potassium, and iron.
3. Add a teaspoon of antioxidant-rich unsweetened cocoa powder to a peanut-butter banana smoothie for a nutritious breakfast that tastes like dessert.

Chia Pudding Mix 1/2 cup chia seeds with 2 cups milk, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and a swirl of maple syrup. Whisk and refrigerate overnight.

Parfaits Layer plain Greek yogurt, fruit, and honey if desired. Top with granola just before serving.

Ham-and-Cheese Muffins Place a few pieces of chopped ham in greased muffin cups. Crack an egg into each cup, stir, and bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes or until set. Refrigerate leftovers and reheat in the microwave.