fast healthy breakfasts, kids, before schoolIt's not really necessary for me to compile a bunch of new breakfast recipes for the new school year. Want to know why? Cause I'm not even going to pretend I'll be making any recipes in the morning before school (and work). There's just no time.

I prefer to keep it simple and, instead, stock up on lots of hurry-up and healthy breakfast items that the kids like.

Items I keep on hand for quick, healthy before-school breakfasts:

  • Fresh no-prep fruits (seasonal): apricots, peaches, pears, grapes, bananas, blueberries, apples, satsuma mandarins (so easy to peel)
  • Drinkable lowfat yogurts or yogurt sticks
  • Whole-grain frozen waffles, bagels, tortillas, English muffins, or bread
  • Instant oatmeal or frozen, premade steelcut oats
  • High-fiber and/or whole grain energy bars or granola bars
  • High-fiber, multigrain dry cereals
  • Honey sticks (antioxidants!)
  • Lowfat milk or chocolate soy milk
  • Fruit salad: if I have time on Sunday evening, I cut up melon, strawberries, or whatever fruit we have on hand to make a fruit salad that will keep several days in the fridge

So just like with most meals we put together around here, I try to get in a range of food groups into each breakfast — even a quick, before-school breakfast. I pretty much insist my kids grab a piece of fruit and drink a glass of milk for breakfast every morning unless we find a way to get fruit/dairy into their meal elsewhere.

Add milk and fruit, and here are some ways I get a good mix of food groups into a quick before-school breakfast:

  • Yogurt sprinkled with a multigrain cereal, fruit, and nuts
  • Whole grain bagel with peanut butter, honey, and banana slices
  • Oatmeal topped with bananas, pecans, and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey
  • Fruit salad drizzled with honey and a slice of whole grain toast
  • Frozen whole grain waffle topped with peanut butter and raisins
  • Egg on whole wheat English muffin (for egg, one egg, splash of milk, whisk, cover and cook one minute in the microwave; add ham or cheese, if you wish; works on a tortilla too)
  • Peanut butter (or almond butter or cashew butter) and reduced sugar jam on whole grain toast

Other great breakfast ideas:

What quick and healthy breakfasts do you whip up for your kids before school?