Kid-Approved Breakfast Recipes

Updated July 28, 2009
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Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Start off the day with creative breakfast recipes that get the seal of approval from kids. These recipes are simple, easy to eat, and great for busy parents to serve to kids during busy mornings. When it comes to the first meal of the day, make it count by enticing picky eaters to venture out of their comfort zone and get the nutrients they need, like fiber, calcium, and protein to ensure that they leave the table with full tummies and are ready to take on the day. 

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Mini Fruit-and-Yogurt Parfaits

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Lynn Nesmith

Mini Fruit-and-Yogurt Parfaits Recipe

Light and healthy, single-serving Mini Fruit-and-Yogurt Parfaits combine granola, yogurt, pomegranate seeds, fresh pineapple, and blueberries, and are perfect for breakfast or a snack.

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Triple-Berry Muffins

Credit: Photo and Styling: Katelyn Hanley

Triple-Berry Muffins Recipe

Here's a breakfast muffin you don't have to feel bad about. We opted for canola oil over butter, incorporated 50% white whole-wheat flour, and kept the added sugar low by leaning on the sweetness of ripe summer strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Peaches will be a welcome addition later in the season.

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PB&J Stuffed Multigrain Pancakes

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin

PB&J Stuffed Multigrain Pancakes Recipe

Peanut butter powder is the secret to adding intense nutty flavor (without a lot of fat) to these jam-stuffed pancakes.

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Mexican Breakfast Burritos

Credit: Oxmoor House

Mexican Breakfast Burritos Recipe

This easy, satisfying breakfast is ideal for feeding kids on busy mornings. You can even let them assemble their own burritos!

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Banana-Chocolate French Toast

Credit: Johnny Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross

Banana-Chocolate French Toast Recipe

For tough-to-please kids, try serving breakfast for dinner. Pair this dish with a mixed fruit cup to round out the meal.

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Apple-Oatmeal Muffins

Credit: Ryan Benyi; Styling: Jen Everett

Apple-Oatmeal Muffins Recipe

Treat kids to these Apple-Oatmeal Muffins for a breakfast-on-the-go or afternoon snack. These moist muffins are studded with fresh apples and applesauce, making it a favorite for everyone.

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Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole

Credit: Oxmoor House

Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole Recipe

Prep this the night before for an easy breakfast or brunch. You could bake this in a large casserole dish, but kids will feel special when presented with their own individual ramekins of cheesy, eggy goodness.

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Mama's Mini-Cinnis

Mama's Mini-Cinnis Recipe

Take refrigerated crescent rolls, add some pantry staples, and what you've got are mini cinnis with a homemade spin that both kids and grown-ups will enjoy. The kids all agreed that a glass of cold milk would complete this breakfast treat.

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Sunshine Smoothie

Credit: Oxmoor House

Sunshine Smoothie Recipe

This slightly sweet, thick drink is a great snack or part of breakfast. You can also freeze it in ice pop molds for a refreshing and nutritious frozen treat.

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French Toast Bites

Credit: Leigh Beisch

French Toast Bites Recipe

Give your crew the kid-friendly version of traditional French toast. These crispy bites are easy to eat and easy to make (only five ingredients and five minutes cooking time)—just right for your busy family.

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Eggs and Bacon Breakfast Pizza

Credit: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lindsey Lower

Eggs and Bacon Breakfast Pizza Recipe

Bacon and eggs, those American breakfast staples, go Italian in this quick pizza. Be careful not to overcook the eggs--you'll want to sop up the golden yolk with your crust.

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Breakfast Pizza Cups

Breakfast Pizza Cups Recipe

Any time you can add the word "pizza" to a kid's meal, it's bound to be a success. And this one was no exception, receiving the highest rating from our judges. Packed with healthy alternatives such as egg substitute and ground turkey sausage, you will love it just as much as your little ones. "It's a better way to eat eggs," says Jalen, 11.

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Jam-Filled Poppy-Seed Muffins

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Jam-Filled Poppy-Seed Muffins Recipe

Bite into Jam-Filled Poppy-Seed Muffins to discover a colorful, sweet surprise inside.

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Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Credit: Jan Smith

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins Recipe

Shh, don't tell the kids these muffins are good for them! The fresh fruit and whole grains make for a filling breakfast that can be eaten at the table or on the way to school. And judge Anna Leigh, 9, suggested substituting strawberries for the blueberries.

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Peanut Butter Pancakes

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner

Peanut Butter Pancakes Recipe

Make your everyday pancakes a little more exciting by adding peanut butter as a flavor alternative. And nothing would be better on this finger food (our judges wasted no time with utensils) than jam or jelly in place of regular maple syrup.

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Savory Sausage Breakfast Rolls

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Jan Gautro

Savory Sausage Breakfast Rolls Recipe

Filled with sausage and cheese, these hit the spot on a chilly fall morning. We like reduced-fat pork sausage, but turkey sausage also works in these breakfast rolls.

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Breakfast Cookies

Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Caroline M. Cunningham

Breakfast Cookies Recipe

Did someone say 'cookie'? These grab-and-go breakfast bites taste indulgent, but they're made with whole wheat flour, nuts, and dried fruit. Drizzle them with a cranberry juice-flavored glaze.

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Chocolate Chip Waffles

Credit: Kate Sears; Styling: Gerri Williams for James Reps

Chocolate Chip Waffles Recipe

Chocolate Chip Waffles are kid-friendly and quick to make. Sarah Roe's sweet waffles will have everyone at the breakfast table asking for more!

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Classic Banana Bread

Credit: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

Classic Banana Bread Recipe

This healthier take on banana bread uses yogurt instead of butter, but it's just as moist and indulgent as classic recipes. This banana bread recipe isn't just easy. It's also highly customizable and can adapt to a number of flavors and substitute ingredients. Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job. Serve toasted with a smear of cream cheese, Greek yogurt, or peanut and top with mixed nuts, if desired. You can even customize your bread with a crunchy streusal topping that the kids will love.

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Copycat Starbucks Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Prop Styling: Christina Daley; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners

Copycat Starbucks Bacon & Gruyère Egg Bites Recipe

All the cheesy goodness of Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites, minus the high price tag and long drive-thru line. 

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Miso Walnut Sticky Buns

Credit: Annie Campbell

Miso Walnut Sticky Buns Recipe

Incorporating instant mashed potato flakes into this foolproof sticky bun dough is the secret behind their incredibly moist, tender texture. Meanwhile, using a bit of bread flour, in addition to all-purpose, helps provide structure and height. White miso paste, also known as sweet miso, adds a dynamic element of salt-sweet depth to both the filling and caramel topping—making these a most impressive addition to any brunch spread. Pro-tip: Don’t let the buns rest in the pan for too long after baking as the sticky topping will begin to solidify as it cools, making it difficult to turn them out.  

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Blueberry Pound Cake Muffins

Credit: Jen Causey; Food Styling: Margaret Dickey; Prop Styling Kay Clarke

Blueberry Pound Cake Muffins Recipe

What’s better than blueberry muffins? Blueberry pound cake muffins. These are sweet, fluffy, and rich, with a crispy caramelized top. The blueberries add color and flavor, and the lemon zest adds just enough tartness. 

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Raspberry, Sumac, and Almond Snack Cake

Credit: Annie Campbell

Raspberry, Sumac, and Almond Snack Cake Recipe

Featuring a delightfully crunchy almond topping along with the delicate sunny brightness of sumac, this cake is effortlessly impressive. And given how easy it is to whip up, it’s a perfect go-to recipe for any occasion that calls for a special treat. Lightly toasting the almond flour before incorporating it into the batter imbues the cake with a delicious toasty depth; however, if you’re in a hurry, rest assured, the overall success of the recipe is not incumbent on this step. Serve as-is or with lightly sweetened whipped cream. 

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Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamon Toast

Credit: Meredith Food Studios

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cinnamon Toast Recipe

Need to use up a small amount of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal that won't fill a bowl? Use it as a crunch-tastic accent for toast instead. This fun twist on cinnamon toast is easy enough for kids to make, and thanks to the cereal, no additional cinnamon sugar is needed. 

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Blueberry Scones

Credit: Annie Campbell

Blueberry Scones Recipe

When we set out to create the best basic blueberry scone recipe, we knew it needed to be buttery and tender, but not cakey or overtly sweet—dense for sure, but not dry. These deliver on every front. While these blueberry scones are divine as-is, you can customize the recipe with whatever flavor add-ins you like. Try mixing in some spices—we found that ground ginger and ground cardamom (about 1/4 teaspoon each) to be great aromatic flavor compliments to the blueberries—or you could add a little fresh citrus zest to the dough. If you like your scones on the sweeter side, we’ve also included a simple citrus glaze recipe to drizzle over top. You can use fresh lemon or orange here; we actually used a combination of both with very tasty results. In order to prevent soggy blueberry scones, wait to glaze them until you’re ready to serve. 

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Mini Breakfast Pizzas

Credit: Victor Protasio

Mini Breakfast Pizzas Recipe

This mini breakfast pizza is glorious: A pizza and salad combo that makes for a delicious weekend breakfast or brunch but also works nicely as a dinner. You can buy whole-wheat pizza dough in the freezer section of your grocery store, or from your favorite local pizza shop, or get a mix from Amazon. We like to par-bake the dough a bit first so it comes out perfectly crispy without overcooking the egg. If you don’t like runny yolks, cook each pizza for an additional couple of minutes.

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Sausage, Gravy, and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches

Credit: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Kira Corbin

Sausage, Gravy, and Egg Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe

This sandwich will rival what you get at the drive-through. Freezing the gravy in ice-cube trays makes portioning easy. For freezing and heating instructions, see below.

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Breakfast Pizza Pockets

Credit: Photo by Daniel Agee

Breakfast Pizza Pockets Recipe

If you ever heated up a tray of pizza pockets for an after-school snack as a kid, listen up. Breakfast pockets take just a little more time to make, but are even more satisfying because you get to pick the fillings. Pick up a package of pre-made frozen pizza dough (or make your own, if you’re feeling homestead-y), roll it out, and slice it into square—large for bigger pockets, smaller for mini pockets. Fill the dough with eggs, cheese, and meat if you like, bake the pockets, and breakfast is served. Better yet, you could make a batch of breakfast pockets on Sunday night and reheat one before you head to work for the next couple days.

Here we’ve gone for the classic BEC breakfast pocket: scrambled eggs, crumbled cooked bacon, and cheddar. Much as we love tradition, don’t be afraid to get creative here: Try miso scrambled eggs with sautéed mushrooms and spicy chopped sausage, or scrambled egg whites with spinach, tomatoes, and goat cheese. You’d be hard-pressed to go wrong here.

Breakfast Pizza Pockets

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Maple Quinoa Bake with Skillet Apples and Walnuts

Credit: Karen Rankin; Prop Styling: Sarah Elizabeth Cleveland; Food Styling: Karen Rankin

Maple Quinoa Bake with Skillet Apples and Walnuts Recipe

This hearty and comforting baked quinoa is a great healthy breakfast to make ahead for the family or serve for a brunch gathering with friends.   

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