Family life can get pretty hectic; there’s no denying it. We know that as parents, from the moment you wake up in the morning to the moment you go to sleep at night, there’s always something to think about, something to do, and somewhere to go. And while we know you enjoy the hustle and bustle of raising your little one, we also know that it helps things along to enjoy a hearty breakfast first thing in the morning!

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not just for you, but most certainly for your children, too.

While it’s easy to say that breakfast is very important for both us and our kids, it’s not always easy to include it in our busy schedules. As adults, we can occasionally get away with gulping down coffee and a biscuit and using the ‘I don’t have time’ excuse. But when it comes to our kids, making time is absolutely essential.

So if you have questions such as, How do I ensure my child is getting a delicious, nutritious breakfast every day? How do I ensure that my child’s breakfast is contributing to their healthy body weight, their ability to learn, their heart health, digestion, bone health, and much more? Then you’re in the right place.

Before we dive into some suggestions, let’s understand just why breakfast is so important for our youngsters.

Why is breakfast so important for my child?

They say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a reason. This meal will set the pace not only for the rest of your child’s morning but also for the rest of their day. After they have been sleeping all night, this meal is their body’s first big source of energy, which fuels them up for hours of mental and physical activities after a long time without food.

Breakfast and the body:

On a physical level, breakfast is vital for keeping your child hopping, skipping, and jumping around with their friends. This meal is strongly linked to kids maintaining a healthy weight, heart health, and bone health. It also provides a jumpstart for them to fit in enough vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and calcium-rich dairy foods into their diet. Breakfast will help them to consume the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and fibre for the day, which includes more of the nutrients that often come up short, such as calcium, potassium, fibre, folate, iron, and vitamin B12.

Breakfast and the mind:

When it comes to being kind to the mind, breakfast will always play a key role. This is especially true for children, since they can’t condition themselves to overcome the effects of skipping breakfast like many adults can.

What does a healthy breakfast look like for my child?

Making time for toddlers to enjoy a healthy breakfast that will keep them going until lunch is an absolute must! In terms of what to eat, every breakfast should be made up of foods from at least three food groups, including protein-rich foods and whole grains.

Let’s explore some nutrient-packed breakfast ideas that won’t take long at all:

Easy, practical breakfast ideas for your toddler:

Ready-to-eat cereal topped with yoghurt or milk, sliced banana, and sunflower seeds Water to drink.

Bran muffins or granola and Greek yoghurt topped with berries Water to drink.

Almond or peanut butter on a toasted bagel, topped with apple slices. Water to drink.

Instant oatmeal is made with milk or fortified soy milk, topped with dried cranberries and crushed nuts.

Peanut butter spread on toasted bread or a waffle, or rolled inside a wheat tortilla; tangerine. Water to drink.

Why is breakfast so important for my child?

From Unii’s Toddler Nutrition Journey, we share why a balanced breakfast is so vital for tots.