Sometimes the best breakfast solutions are slightly tweaking what already works.
I put extra eggs in my pancake batter. Fry on griddle at 400’F. Bam…easy crepes. Of flat-cakes. Either way, they’re less-fluffy protein-filled flapjacks of YUM.
My boys also love omelettes. Fill them with ham, sausage, cheese, veggies…mmmmm.
My personal favorite breakfast is Eggs Benedict. Hollandaise is too easy to make from scratch, so don’t use a mix.
French toast is easy.
1 egg per 2 pieces of bread.
mix up the eggs, add in a little vanilla extract.
dip bread in egg, coat both sides, cook, put on plate
cut some banana slices onto the slices, sprinkle with cinnamon
Our son loves it!
Omelets, bean/cheese burritos. In our house we all have different hours so we fend for ourselves. I keep hardboiled eggs, frozen burritos and breakfast sandwiches, yogurts, cheese sticks, bagels/cream cheese, instant oatmeal packs, nuts, etc. Everyone just grabs a few things. My high schooler has to get the bus at 630 am so everything pretty much has to be grab and eat. Good luck.
Texas Brunch Casserole is my favorite … You can make ahead and the leftovers are yummy.
I do not like eggs…scrambled, fried, any egg on its own. I can eat them if they are in cake, recipe, etc. I’ve always hated breakfast casseroles because they are based mostly with egg.
This is requested every time we go to a brunch or when I have guests.
This casserole is based with Creamed corn… Here is the recipe. I hope someone else likes it as well as we do!!
Texas Brunch Casserole
1# cooked, crumbled sausage ( I use about 1.5#, Jimmy Dean Hot)
1 can creamed corn
1 cup Bisquick
1 egg, beaten
2 Tablespoons oil (canola, etc)
1/2 cup milk
8oz shredded Monterry Jack Cheese… (I use more cheese & add shredded cheddar)
1 can chopped jalapeno’s (can be used in casserole or served on the side)
Mix corn, Bisquick, egg oil and milk together well
Spread 1/2 of the mixture on a greased 8x8 pan
Layer with 1/2 of the cheese, all sausage and add jalapeno’s at this time if you choose.
Spread remaining mixture over sausage and cheese.
Cover with remaining cheese
Bake 30 minutes in preheated oven at 400 until done… slightly browned on top.
I find it funny how so many people can’t think outside the egg-cereal-pancake breakfast box LOL
Breakfast doesn’t need to be “breakfast” food, they can eat anything! I often eat leftover dinner for breakfast, warmed up, and sometimes my kids do as well, especially if it’s a favorite soup or stew, or fried chicken. You can make them ANYTHING they like, sandwiches, wraps, grilled cheese, pasta, you name it. My kids LOVE when I make fried rice for breakfast with leftover pork, or ham. Cook some rice, sautee the chopped up meat with finely diced onion in a skillet with a little oil, throw in a few peas and carrots, scramble an egg or two in there, add the rice and a bit of soy sauce (not too much!) and voila, once it’s gently mixed together it’s complete and satisfying hot breakfast. Since it’s just as good at room temp they often take it for lunch as well.
I agree with Mamazita. Breakfast can be any food.
I had to get that into my head a looooong time ago, because mine is not a fan of eggs, cereal, waffles or other “typical breakfast” foods. Leftovers For breakfast are great. Dinner leftovers are usually high in protein.
Cottage cheese and fruit is light.
Cold chicken, a taco, a pork chop. Add a few eggs to steak for steak & eggs. Blend a fruit or veggie smoothie with Greek yogurt, flax seeds, nuts, etc. filling light AND packed with protein.
The “minimal eggs” part made me think of tortilla espanola, one of my favorites! Very filling, and you can make it on the weekend and cut and heat wedges during the week.
You can also make a casserole-type dish based on breakfast burritos by layering tortillas, cheese, black beans, chopped green chilies and tomatoes, whatever they like in their breakfast burritos, pour beaten eggs with a little cream over the top and bake at 350 until set, about 30 min. I like this version because, again, you can make it in advance and just heat it up in the morning.
I also make waffle sandwiches for my kids with toaster waffles, cream cheese or peanut butter, and strawberries, bananas, etc.
I recently tried oven baked eggs in the muffin tin. They were a huge hit in my home! I did plain scrambled eggs for the kids, threw a bunch of veggies and spinach in mine, and ham in dads. Then I had different options for sand which building-flat bread, English muffin, etc. I also fried bologna and had different cheeses avalable. We made them for dinner. The eggs could also be made in advance and frozen or refrigerated for later use (one of my kids ate the eggs alone-doesn’t like her food to touch)
I baked on 350 for 15 mins. Just make sure to spray the muffin tin first! They popped out pretty easy after being out of the oven for a few, but later when they were cooled they were stuck pretty well in there.
One of my favorite quick breakfasts is from Taste of Home. I’ve fixed it for a crowd of over 50 also. It’s that easy.
It’s French Toast that is baked and not cooked on top.
You get day old bread or the bread you want to use, put it flat in a 13"X9" baking pan, then you mix a bunch of stuff in a large mixing cup. Like eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and more.
You pour this enormous amount of goo over the dry bread and it absorbed all night. It’s gooey and CANNOT be picked up or fried or anything except baked.
You bake it in the oven for about 30 minutes. It comes out like a yummy creamy breakfast treat.
When I googled the words Taste of Home over night french toast and then Oven Baked French Toast I got tons of recipes for breakfast ideas that one bakes that sound yummy.
My youngest (9) is the breakfast king. My other kids are pretty light on breakfast…one prefers cereal or a bagel with peanut butter, one doesn’t eat at all, and another tends to stick to cereal as well.
My 9 year old turns my mornings into shifts at a diner or a juice bar, but I don’t mind because he loves breakfast so much how could I not enjoy cooking for his sweet little face? This week he had several days of protein shakes: almond milk, vanilla protein powder, powdered greens, strawberries and half a banana. One day he had apple-maple chicken sausages with some silver-dollar pancakes, strawberries and pecans. Another day it was an omelet with peppers and cheddar-jack cheese.
He tried my chia pudding and didn’t care for it - 4 servings is 2 cups almond or coconut milk, 1/2 cup chia seeds, 1/2 cup sunflower seeds. 1/4 cup cocoa, a scoop of protein powder, a dash of vanilla,and a diced, barely-ripe banana. You can also add stevia if needed but I find it sweet enough. Mix it all in a mason jar or tupperware, let it set up overnight in the fridge and in the morning - yum! Loaded with protein and good fats.
Another fave in my house is sweet potato/sausage hash, from this booklet, which also has a lot of other neat breakfast ideas such as soup. If your boys like Tex-Mex, the Ole! Breakfast Bowl might be something they’d like.
ETA: forgot about yogurt - I don’t eat it, but my kids will sometimes have some yogurt with fruit, nuts, granola, etc. You can make parfaits with it, which can give a nice protein-filled start to the day.
If they like pancakes and waffles have you tried crepes? I whirl up the ingredients in my mini cuisinart and then the batter is supposed to “rest” for a half hour and I just make them in a small omelet pan, I don’t use a crepe pan or anything. I love them rolled up with jam but my kids prefer the standard nutella.
I also like to make ebelskievers for a special treat… you have to buy an ebelskeiver pan though. Like the crepes you can put any tasty topping in them.
My favorite is breakfast sandwiches with either English muffins or bagels, ham or the round canadian bacon, or regular bacon. Cheese and scrambled eggs of course… If i am feeling extra decadent I slice up some tomato and spread mayo on the toasted muffin.
The one who likes scrambled eggs might like the mini baked egg muffin cups you can find on pinterest. Especialy with some crumbled sausage.
As a kid I loooved one-eyed jacks, partly because I could make them myself. Melt butter in a pan, bite a hole into some really good bread, put it in the pan and crack an egg in the hole.
Bagels are our thing right now, I love to add lemon pepper and tomato to my cream cheese toasted bagel.
You didn’t mention French Toast but you could switch it up and do French toast sticks with a dipping sauce.
Greek yogurt has a ton of protien and isn’t too heavy. You could make a Greek yogurt smoothie and serve it with breakfast for more protien.
Crepes have more eggs (more protein, again ) than pancakes and can be filled with sausage and cheese. If they like fast food breakfast sandwiches, those are are easy to make healthy at home: whole wheat bagel or English muffin, egg, sausage, cheese.
And my kids favorite breakfast is peanut butter on whole wheat toast with a side of bacon and some fruit.
Greek yogurt parfaits - I made them for a brunch and they were a hit. They’re especially fun in a clear glass (like a wine glass) or sherbet dish. Start with Greek yogurt on the bottom, then put a layer of fruit (using frozen fruit is great - just as nutritious and less time/expense) - I used a mango fruit mix as well as a berry mix in 2 different parfaits. Just rough chop them or put them in the food processor. Then put another layer of yogurt. You can add some grape nuts type cereal for crunch, either in with the fruit or in its own layer (depends on the height of your glass). On the top you can drizzle a little pure honey or chocolate syrup, or a few berries. You could also stir some cocoa powder into some of the yogurt to create a contrasting layer without having to buy additional yogurt. I tried this with regular yogurt but it was too “runny” and the layers just mixed together.
I also saw something on Facebook - mix up eggs and a little milk as you would for scrambled eggs. Take a muffin pan, spray the compartments, and put into each cup whatever meat and veggies and cheese you want: ham, bacon or sausage (already cooked), green or red peppers, grated or small-cube cheese, onions or scallions, spinach (use frozen but thawed spinach if you don’t have the fresh leaves) - so really, anything you would put in an omelette or quiche. You can, of course, “personalize” each muffin cup for the preferences of your kids. Then pour the egg mixture on top until the cup is less than filled up. Bake in the oven at 350 until set and browned - about 20 minutes if I remember correctly. What you get are little protein-laden hand-held egg creations perfect for eating in the car or on the bus.
Cheesy Amish breakfast casserole from Allrecipes was a huge hit for last Easter. Made with bacon. Another tasty breakfast hit is baked oatmeal (forgot where I found this recipe). It’s not soupy/pastey oatmeal but more cakey firm. Reheat and pour milk over warmed oatmeal. In 2 quart dish, 4 c. Rolled oats, 4 c. Milk, 6 T. Oil, 1/3 c. Sugar, 4 tsp. Vanilla, 1 tsp. salt, 1T. Cinnamon, 2 eggs, 2 tsp. Baking powder (raisins optional). Bake at 375 for 1 1/4- 1 1/2 hour.
Another change, switched pancake/waffle mix instead of white flour-switch white whole wheat. A little denser but not bad. http://allrecipes.com/recipe/cheesy-amish-breakfast-casserole/detail.aspx
I have started making my boys milkshakes for breakfast. I use either 2% or whole milk and add a frozen banana, spoonful of peanut butter and sometimes a T of ground flax meal and chocolate protein powder. I have also made them using different frozen berries. It’s a pretty simple breakfast to whip up in the blender to start their day off well!
Quiche
Eggs over easy w/Sausage
Egg burritos for the ones that like it
BLT’s (bacon lettuce, tomato sandwiches)
Protein shakes (chocolate is the favorite around here)
Banana, cinnamon,mike shake w/little sugar & scone
Protein bars
French Toast
Fruit& granola parfaits
Eggs over easy & bacon, toast
Premade breakfast sandwiches you buy (Jimmy Dean is the best), micro-
wave & take on the go
Carnation breakfast bars
Banana bread
Cinnamon muffins
