Breakfast is among the essential meals of the day; therefore, a toddler should eat a healthy breakfast that is highly nutritious and contains energy-rich dietary fibers. However, given toddlers’ recent development of taste buds and their eagerness to explore new tastes, you may be looking for easy yet nutritious breakfast recipes for toddlers. They require a greater variety of foods than newborns, or they might refuse to eat. So, to get your toddler to eat, you’ll need to have a balance between nutrition, variety, and flavor in your cooking. While you may believe that maintaining that balance is tough, keep reading to learn about some delicious and healthy breakfast dishes that you can cook for your toddler.
25 Breakfast Recipes For Toddlers
These recipes are healthy, nutritious, and delicious. Let’s cook!
1. Mango and oat porridge
It is ideal for picky toddlers who love sweet and tasty flavors for breakfast. The sweetness of mango is certainly going to make the little one empty the bowl in minutes. Also mango is a rich source of vitamin A, which would help in maintaining and improving the vision of the toddler.
You will need:
- 2 cups oatmeal
- 1 cup pureed mango pulp
- 3-4 cups cow milk
How to:
- Mix oats and milk in a cooking pot and cook while stirring continuously.
- Once the milk boils, simmer the flame and continue cooking for five to seven minutes while stirring.
- Add the mango puree and cook for two minutes. Cool the porridge and serve.
2. Ragi (finger millet) idli
Ragi or finger millet is rich in minerals and can be cooked with idli batter to make delicious ragi idlis. It is a nutritious Indian breakfast idea for toddlers. The rich calcium content of ragi would help in strengthening the bones of the toddler.
You will need:
- 4-5 cups idli batter
- 3 cups of ragi flour
- 2 cups of water
How to:
- Mix ragi flour in water and boil it for seven to eight minutes so that the ragi is well cooked. Ensure that there are no lumps.
- Once the boiled ragi cools down, mix it thoroughly with premade idli batter.
- Pour the batter into idli molds and steam-cook them.
- Let the idli cool before serving this healthy and nutritious breakfast to your toddler.
3. Vegetable and wheat porridge
Wheat and vegetables are rich in fiber, and contain a lot of minerals. This porridge would be healthy breakfast option for vegetarian toddlers.
You will need:
- 2 cups broken wheat
- 2 cups finely chopped carrot
- 2 cups peas
- 1 cup finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower
- 6-7 cups of water
How to:
- Cook the broken wheat and the vegetables separately.
- Simmer the flame and continue cooking the broken wheat. Add boiled vegetables to the wheat and cook for two to three minutes while stirring.
- Let the porridge cool before serving.
- Add a pinch of salt and any herbs for taste.
4. Rice and banana porridge
This traditional, healthy breakfast for toddlers is easy to prepare, rich in energy and easy to digest. It is also the best gluten free breakfast idea for toddlers.
You will need:
- 1 cup rice or rice flakes
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 3-4 cups of water
- 1 mashed banana
How to:
- Boil rice or rice flakes in a cooking pot.
- Once done, simmer the flame and add rice flour to thicken the porridge.
- Stir and cook for four to five minutes. Add the mashed banana and cook for another minute. Serve when the porridge cools down.
5. Chicken, rice, and potato porridge
Chicken provides several essential nutrients while potato and rice supply the carbohydrates for energy. This is an ideal breakfast idea for preschoolers around three years old, who have both their molars out and can chew. This meal combination provides good amount of protein, which can aid muscle strengthening and growth.
You will need:
- 2 cups boneless chicken
- 3 cups rice
- 1 cup finely chopped potato
- 5-6 cups of water
How to:
- Cut the chicken into small pieces and boil them in water until they are cooked. Cook the potato and rice separately.
- Mix the boiled chicken and potato with the cooked rice. Add about a cup of water, and cook them a low flame for three to four minutes while stirring.
- Cool the mixture before serving.
6. Atta halwa (wheat dessert)
It is a quick breakfast idea for toddlers. It is also ideal for toddlers who have a sweet tooth or have a small appetite as this sweet meal is calorie dense and can provide ample energy with a small appetite.
You will need:
- 2-3 cups of wheat flour
- 1 cup broken wheat
- 4-5 cups of cow’s milk
How to:
- Mix the wheat flour, broken wheat, and milk in a cooking pot and cook them till the milk boils.
- Simmer the flame and keep stirring the mixture so that there are no lumps. Do not add any sugar as the milk sweetness would suffice.
- Once the wheat and milk are cooked, you can turn off the flame.
7. Sago and mango porridge
Sago or sabudana is light on the stomach and high on energy. It blends well with sweeter food items such as milk and fruits.
You will need:
- 3 cups sago pearls
- 2 cups pureed mango pulp
- 4-5 cups of cow’s milk
How to:
- Cook the sago pearls with milk until it comes to a boil.
- Lower the flame and simmer while stirring.
- Add the mango puree and mix it well while cooking for two to three minutes before it is done.
8. Chocolate smoothie
Smoothies are easy to gulp and your toddler might just love it and ask for a smoothie every morning!
You will need:
- 2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 mashed bananas
- 3-4 cups of cow’s milk
How to:
- Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend them till they are evenly mixed.
- Add some milk to thin the consistency and ensure that there are no solid lumps.
- Smoothies are best served cold and are ideal for summers.
9. Oatmeal breakfast bar
This is a breakfast that can be carried anywhere by the little one. Breakfast bars for toddlers are also ideal during hunger pangs. As they are chewy, they suit toddlers who are older than two and a half years.
You will need:
- 3 cups oatmeal
- 2 cups wheat flour
- 1 cup raisins
- 5 cups of mashed date pulp
How to:
- Roast the oatmeal and wheat flour on a low flame while stirring them continuously. Cook them for ten to fifteen minutes.
- Let it cool and then mix the roasted mixture with date pulp. Put the mixture on a flat dish and use a rolling pin to flatten it, which will evenly mix the ingredients.
- Cut the pulp into bars and freeze overnight. Delicious breakfast for preschoolers is ready.
10. Apple, ragi, and oatmeal porridge
A healthy combination of two whole grains and a fruit makes this a highly nutritious recipe for toddlers.
You will need:
- 2 cups diced apples
- 3 cups ragi flour
- 3 cups oatmeal
- 6-7 cups of water
How to:
- Boil apples till they are completely soft and tender.
- Let the apples and water cool. Transfer to a blender and blend. In the meantime, cook ragi flour in a cooking pot for seven to eight minutes.
- Boil oatmeal for three to four minutes, and then mix cooked ragi and apple puree to it. Cook them for two to three minutes while stirring. Cool the porridge before serving.
11. Pancakes
Toddlers with teeth are going to love this one. It is a breakfast meal that has the goodness of grains and eggs.
You will need:
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2 mashed bananas
- 4-5 cups refined wheat flour
- 1 cup mashed oatmeal
- 1 cup toddler cereal
- 1 tablespoon refined vegetable oil
How to:
- Mix all the ingredients except vegetable oil in a large bowl and whip them.
- Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan. Spread the oil evenly using a spatula.
- Pour the batter into the pan and cook till the pancake develops a brownish crust on the top. Turn it over with the spatula and cook for little over a minute.
- Cool the pancake and serve with some honey.
12. Soy flour nuggets
Soy is gluten-free and rich in several nutrients such as protein, flavonoids and even fiber. It is ideal for toddlers of over two and a half years as they have teeth to munch on the nuggets.
You will need:
- 4-5 cups of soy flour
- 1 cup finely chopped carrot
- 1 cup finely chopped spinach
- 1 teaspoon refined vegetable oil
- 1-2 cups of water
How to:
- Thoroughly mix the soy flour and vegetables with water. Heat some vegetable oil in a frying pan.
- Make small nugget-shaped pieces with the mixed soy flour. Put two to three of them on the frying pan.
- Cook each nugget for four to five minutes or till they develop a brownish top layer. Turn them over and cook for two to three minutes, and the tasty breakfast is ready.
13. Lentil, pumpkin, and carrot mash
Lentils have protein and carbohydrates while carrots and pumpkin are rich in vitamins! This can prove to be a complete breakfast for toddlers.
You will need:
- 4 cups of red lentils
- 3 cups diced pumpkin
- 3 cups of diced carrots
- 6-7 cups of water
How to:
- Boil lentils in three cups of water till they are thoroughly cooked. You can cook them in a pressure cooker for faster cooking.
- Boil carrots and pumpkin each in two cups of water separately till they are tender.
- Transfer the lentils and the vegetables in a mixing bowl and mash them together before serving it your little one.
14. Chicken and potato sandwiches
A sandwich makes a delightful breakfast both for adults and toddlers alike. Also, if you are looking for an easy breakfast idea for toddlers, then sandwiches are certainly going to meet your requirement. To make them attractive, you can cut them in different shapes and decorate it with vegetables.
.You will need:
- 2 cups chopped boneless chicken
- 2 cups diced potatoes
- 5-6 cups of water
- 1-2tbsp of refined vegetable oil
- 1tsp grated cheese
- A loaf of multigrain bread
- A pinch of salt
How to:
- Boil chicken pieces and potatoes separately till they are tender. Put them in a bowl and add cheese and salt, and mix well.
- Lightly toast some slices of multigrain bread, which is rich in fiber. Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan.
- Put the chicken and potato mix between two slices of bread and cook them on a low flame on the frying pan. Cook till the bread develops a dark brown crust. Turn it over and cook for a couple of minutes.
15. Raisin muffins
Muffins make an excellent breakfast idea for toddlers that go to daycare. Pack a few in the lunch box for snack breaks. Muffins are also perfect when your toddler demands something different from the usual breakfast.
You will need:
- 3 cups of whole wheat flour
- 2 cup refined wheat flour
- 1 cup powdered sugar (preferably brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 beaten egg
- 100 gms unsalted butter
- 1 cup milk
- 2 cups raisins
How to:
- Preheat the oven to 200ºC(392ºF).
- Sieve the whole wheat flour, refined wheat flour, and baking soda to ensure there are no hard lumps later in the muffin.
- In a bowl mix beaten eggs, milk and powdered sugar together. Heat the butter till it liquefies and add it to the bowl and mix it well. Finally, add the raisins, and mix lightly.
- Pour the wheat flour batter into the mixing bowl and whip together all the ingredients.
- Transfer the batter into muffin molds greased with butter to prevent them from sticking. Bake for 20-25 minutes and the muffins are ready.
16. Gram flour pancake (besan ka cheela)
Gram flour known as besan is rich in proteins and fiber. It can be made into thin savory pancakes called cheela, which makes an excellent Indian breakfast for a toddler.
You will need:
- 2 cups of grams flour
- 1/2 to 1 cup of water
- 1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
- 1-2 teaspoons of oil
- Some finely chopped coriander
- Pinch of salt
How to:
- Sieve the flour and salt together and collect it in a bowl. Add water to it and mix well to make a batter.
- Add chopped carrots and coriander to the batter and mix again. Add some more water if the consistency is thick.
- Heat some oil in a cooking pan. Cheelas are best made on tava – a cast iron frying pan.
- Pour the batter into the pan and spread it evenly using a spatula. Let it cook on a medium flame till the batter stiffens and the pancakes become brownish.
- Flip the pancake over and cook for a few minutes and it is ready.
17. Oatmeal cookies
Cookies are good when you would like to save some for a snack for the little one. They are easy to make and delicious as well.
You will need:
- 4 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 cups refined wheat flour
- 2 cups mashed oatmeal
- 1 beaten egg
- 1 mashed banana
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 baking soda
- 1/4 baking powder
- 1/2 cup refined vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup water
How to:
- Preheat the oven to 175ºC(347ºF).
- Sieve the whole wheat flour, refined wheat flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients except mashed banana.
- Mix the contents of both the bowls with water to make cookie dough. Add the banana to the mix and mix lightly. You can increase or decrease the quantity of water depending on the desired stiffness of dough.
- Roll the cookie dough and use a cookie cutter to cut them. Put cookie piece on a baking paper or directly on the baking dish greased with vegetable oil. Bake for 15 minutes and the cookies are done.
18. Jaggery parantha
It is another Indian breakfast, suitable for toddlers who have a sweet tooth. Jaggery is rich in several nutrients such as iron, magnesium and zinc and it is a healthier alternative to sugar.
You will need:
- 2 cups wheat flour (atta)
- 1-2 cups of grated pure jaggery
- 1-2 teaspoon refined vegetable oil
- 2-3 cups of water
How to:
- Make a dough with wheat flour and water. Add the grated jaggery to it and mix until the jaggery mixes homogeneously with the dough. You could add more water if required.
- Heat some oil in the frying pan or tava. Roll the dough ball into the shape of a parantha and cook it on the frying pan/tava until both sides are cooked evenly.
- You can also make this preparation by adding jaggery in the middle of a dough ball before rolling it into a parantha shape.
19. Strawberry and cream waffle sandwiches
Waffle sandwiches are easy and quick breakfast ideas. It takes no more than a few minutes to prepare them, and they taste yummy. It can be given to the toddler once a week.
You will need:
- Pack of premade waffles
- 3-4 cups of unsweetened whole cream
- 1 cup of sliced fresh strawberries
How to:
- Spread some whole cream on a waffle and put some strawberry slices on it.
- Cover it with another waffle. Add some cream on top of it and you are done!
- You can place the sandwiches in the freezer for five minutes to make them crispier.
20. Multi-fruit puree porridge
Add a fruity twist to the usual breakfast cereal for toddlers by adding a puree made from various fruits, which tastes delicious as well as provides with a punch of vitamins and minerals.
You will need:
- 1 cup chopped mango
- 1 cup chopped papaya
- 1 cup custard apple pulp
- 1 cup sliced banana pieces
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3-4 cups of toddler cereal
- 4-5 cups of cow’s milk
How to:
- Add mango, papaya, and custard apple pulp into a blender and blend until there are no solid lumps.
- Cook the baby cereal in milk for four to five minutes. Add fruit puree to it and cook for two more minutes.
- Transfer the porridge to a bowl and garnish with sliced bananas and raisins.
21. French toast
French toast is quite popular with adults, but they make a yummy breakfast for toddlers. They are pretty high in protein thanks to the eggs that go into the recipe.
.
You will need:
- Loaf of whole wheat bread
- 2 beaten eggs
- 1 cup whole cream milk
- 1 tablespoon cream
- 2-3 tablespoons of refined vegetable oil
How to:
- Beat eggs, whole cream milk, and cream in a bowl. Move the mixture into a shallow dish and dip bread slices into it and soak for four to five minutes.
- Heat oil in a frying pan. Take the soaked bread slice and shallow fry for four to five minutes till the bread develops a crispy top. Flip the bread and repeat the same. Cool and serve to the little one.
22. Peanut butter, banana, chocolate chip parantha roll
This is an easy to make breakfast where you make the usual plain parantha with a twist. Peanut butter would not only make it tasty but would also add some quality protein and fats to the meal.
You will need:
- 2-3 cups of dough
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 cup sliced bananas
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1-2 tablespoons of refined vegetable oil
How to:
- Make the parantha the usual way using the dough and oil on a frying pan/tava.
- Spread some peanut butter on the parantha, put the banana slices, and add the chocolate syrups.
- Roll the parantha, and a fun breakfast for the toddler is ready.
23. Egg in pepper
Make egg interesting and fun to eat by making inside a bell pepper/capsicum ring. It is easy to prepare, looks different, and certainly grabs a toddler’s attention at the dining table.
You will need:
- 2 rings of bell pepper
- 2 eggs
- Finely chopped coriander
- A pinch of salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon refined vegetable oil
How to:
- Heat the oil in a frying pan and place the pepper rings in it.
- Break an egg and pour its contents inside the pepper ring.
- Add some coriander and salt on top. Cook for four minutes or more, until the egg is well-cooked.
- Garnish with black pepper before serving.
24. Scrambled egg roll
The scrambled egg is a favorite of grownups around the world. However, it makes a good, instant breakfast for toddlers.
You will need:
- 2 beaten eggs
- 2-3 cups of dough
- 3-4 tablespoons of refined vegetable oil
- Pinch of salt
How to:
- Make a parantha the usual way and in a separate frying pan cook eggs to scramble them. Add salt and scramble for few more seconds.
- Put the scrambled eggs on the parantha, roll it, and the breakfast is ready. It is a good on the go breakfast, which can also be packed as a tiffin for the little one.
25. Toast with fruit spread
Make toasts fun and exciting by making a homemade fruit spread with yogurt.
You will need:
- 1 cup whole cream yogurt
- 1 cup mango puree
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 mashed banana
- Loaf of whole wheat or multi-grain bread
How to:
- Put yogurt, mango puree, and mashed banana, in a bowl and mix well. Add raisins and mix again.
- Toast the bread the usual way in the toaster.
- Spread the fruity yogurt mix on the bread and breakfast for a toddler is ready!
These breakfast recipes for toddlers may pull your child to the table on time in the mornings. These breakfasts include a source of complex carbohydrates, protein, and fruits that would keep your child full until lunchtime. We have included savory and sweet recipes to suit your child’s taste. Since these recipes are easy to prepare, you would only need 10-15 minutes in the morning to cook them. There are also a few healthy oats and porridge recipes that can be prepared in advance and served with some warm milk in the mornings.
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