How To Prepare a Healthy Summer Breakfast for Your Child

Summer days can be a little lazier, more laid back and more relaxing. The morning routine should still be pretty consistent for your kids, especially their summer breakfast. Parents can take advantage of the extra time in the summer by preparing a healthier breakfast for their kids.

What Are Healthy Breakfast Options?

Parents may be wondering, what are examples of a healthy breakfast or does baby food have preservatives? A healthy breakfast is one that provides plenty of vitamins and minerals to your child and helps fuel their body for summer fun, such as camp, swimming, biking or playing with friends. Check with your kid’s pediatrician to see how many calories are appropriate for your child to consume each day. Look at baby food labels to see if your infant’s food options measure up.

Include Nutrient-Rich Foods

The basic building blocks of a healthy breakfast are nutrient-rich foods, such as protein, vegetables, fruits, dairy and grains. Some good breakfast foods to include are eggs, lean meats, low-fat cheese or milk, fresh vegetables, fresh fruit, oatmeal and whole-wheat bread.

Avoid Added Sugar, Sodium and Trans Fats

Parents also need to know what to avoid when preparing a healthy summer breakfast. Avoid any foods that add sugar, sodium or trans fats to them, such as canned foods, packaged chips or cookies. Opt for fresh fruit in season, such as watermelon, cherries, peaches or cantaloupe instead of fruit snacks or fruit juice.

Add a Multivitamin

Your child should also be taking a multivitamin each morning during their breakfast. Children may love taking vitamin gummies instead of a traditional vitamin. Check the label of your child’s vitamin to make sure it meets their nutrient intake requirements and ask your pediatrician for advice.

Arranging Your Child’s Breakfast Plate

The next challenge is to arrange your child’s breakfast plate so they are more likely to eat what you make. If your child is an infant, toddler or preschooler, you can choose a plate that has each section labeled with portion sizes to make it easier to provide a wholesome and complete meal.

Get Creative With Shapes

Kids also love creative shapes for their meals, especially if the food is healthy or something they aren’t used to eating. Toast and other bread can be much more fun if you use cookie cutter shapes to cut them out. Fresh summer fruit like watermelon can also be cut out in shapes to make the meal more enticing.

Have Your Child Help

Recruit your child to help prepare breakfast, depending on their age. Even little kids can help fetch essentials when you’re making their meal, such as a loaf of bread, something from the fridge or their Wellements multivitamin. This helps make breakfast time more fun and engaging for little ones.

Improve your children’s breakfast menu this summer by incorporating these ideas into your routine. You and your child can get healthier and enjoy your breakfast and morning time without feeling the stress if you try some of these tips.