HealthInfo Canterbury
Breakfast ideas for children
Ētahi tīwhiri mō te kai parakuihi
Eating breakfast will give your children and whānau/family a good start to the day. Breakfast will give them energy to be active and learn better. Eating breakfast will also make it easier for your child to achieve or stay a healthy weight.
Making breakfast
Choose something from each of the following three groups:
Something filling – Go foods |
Something lasting – Grow foods |
Some colour – Glow foods |
|---|---|---|
Examples include: Breakfast cereal Porridge Wholegrain or wholemeal toast Wholemeal pita bread Rice Noodles |
Examples include: Low-fat milk (green or yellow top) Low-fat soy milk Yoghurt Reduced-fat milk (light blue top) Baked beans Eggs Peanut butter |
Examples include: Fresh fruit Canned fruit Frozen fruit such as grapes or berries Mushrooms Tomatoes |
Breakfast ideas
- Weet-Bix with milk and canned peaches.
- Scrambled eggs and sliced tomato on toast.
- Mashed banana on toast with a glass of milk.
- Porridge with milk and grated apple, chopped banana or frozen berries.
- Toast with peanut butter and a glass of milk.
- Leftover rice with vegetables and a glass of soy milk.
- Baked beans on toast and a glass of milk.
Remember, eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice.
For more breakfast ideas and recipes see Breakfast ideas from Healthy Kids.
Choosing a breakfast cereal
Look at the nutrition information panel and aim for:
- less than 10 g fat per 100 g
- less than 10 g sugar per 100 g
- more than 5 g fibre per 100 g.
Good options include Weet-Bix and porridge.
Tips for children who will not eat breakfast
- Eat breakfast as a whānau/family. Children are more likely to eat breakfast if they see you eating it.
- Encourage your child to choose their own breakfast options when you're out shopping. Use the “either/or” approach: "you can either choose Weet-Bix or we can make porridge".
- If your child isn't hungry in the morning, have your main meal earlier in the evening and make sure your child isn't having snacks after dinner. This may improve their appetite in the morning.
- If it's rushed in the morning, try getting your child up a little earlier. You can prepare for breakfast the night before by setting the table and getting the bowls and cereals ready. You could also give them something to eat on the way to school, such as a banana wrapped in wholemeal bread or a sandwich.
HealthInfo recommends the following videos
- Canterbury DHB – Breakfast cereals
A short video with advice about choosing healthy breakfast cereals.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed September 2021.
Review key: HIHEC-62690
