A nutritious breakfast gets your toddler off to a healthy start to his day. Making a menu for your toddler's breakfast helps you create a balance of the recommended servings for each food group starting with the first meal of the day. The menu also makes it easier to track the foods your toddler enjoys and eats well at breakfast. Toddler appetites vary with picky eating being a common factor for young children. Continue planning and offering nutritious breakfast options to your toddler every day, despite picky eating habits.
Step 1
Write a list of your child's favorite breakfast foods. Include a variety of foods like fresh fruit, potatoes, eggs, pancakes or cereal.
Step 2
Write a second list of breakfast food items your toddler doesn't currently eat, such as hot cereal or a particular type of fruit.
Step 3
Schedule at least one breakfast-food item from the list of your toddler's favorite foods for each day. Schedule at least one item from the foods that your toddler doesn't currently eat. This encourages her to try new foods while still letting her enjoy her favorite foods.
Step 4
Review the menu to look for a balance in nutrients. Aim for a serving of fruit, grains and dairy at every breakfast. Add in a serving of protein when possible in the form of eggs, nut butter or breakfast meats.
Step 5
Vary the types of food in each food group throughout the week. For example, if you serve hot oatmeal as the grains one day, use cold cereal, toast or a tortilla covered with peanut butter for other breakfasts later in the week.
Step 6
Prepare foods in different methods for more variety in your toddler's breakfast menu. For example, try hard-boiled, scrambled or over-easy eggs. Add different versions of foods, such as pumpkin, apple or banana pancakes in addition to the regular version.
Tips and Warnings
- Let your older toddler help you plan the breakfast menu. Print pictures of various food items as a visual to help your toddler put together breakfast meals.
