Healthy & Fun Toddler Breakfasts: 4 Ingredients or Less

Hello from the other side…of our toddler-breakfast rut. My one-year-old and I eat breakfast together every morning and are seriously stuck on the same boring oatmeal-banana-nut butter combo. Enter a couple super-healthy, super-easy breakfast options that I can whip up in a few minutes from stuff I already have in the kitchen. The measurements don’t need to be precise. And both double as snacks and freeze great, too – extra points all around.

These pancakes and mini muffins are banana- and egg-based – no butter or oils (except for the nonstick factor), no flours (so easily gluten-free) and as healthy as they come.

Note: Yes, this means they’re not the exact same texture as Bisquick pancakes and bakery muffins – the pancakes are a bit wetter, the muffins are a bit fluffier and both taste a little eggier. But they get two very sticky toddler thumbs up and are wholeheartedly Mama-sharing approved!

Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

Feeds: 1 hungry toddler

You need:

• 1 banana
• 2 eggs
• Totally optional: Any usual pancake toppers you like! Fruit, yogurt, chocolate chips, a drizzle of syrup, etc. (We usually go plain-Jane.)

That’s it. Really.

Give the banana a few good squeezes, then peel and mash up in a bowl. Add two eggs and mix well.

In a frying pan or skillet on medium-low heat, pop in a bit of whatever you use to prevent stickage – I usually use coconut oil, but any kind of oil, spray or butter works fine.

Scoop or pour batter into the pan, making whatever size pancakes you fancy. (I use a quarter-cup measuring cup, which gets me 6-7 smallish pancakes.) When the edges start to set, give ‘em a flip, and cook until they’re as toasty as you like.

Top – or don’t – as you see fit.

Ta-da!

Four-Ingredient Sweet Potato Mini Muffins

Makes: 20-ish muffins

You need:

• 1 banana
• 1 sweet potato (medium-sized)
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew, etc. – your choice!)
• Totally optional: Anything you want to add! Cinnamon, raisins or other dried fruit, chocolate chips, etc. (We keep them simple with just a shake of cinnamon…if I remember.)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and prep a mini-muffin pan with nonstick spray.

We need that sweet potato cooked. Leftovers work great, or cook it however works best for you. For me, that usually means giving it a few fork-pokes, tossing it in the microwave with a little water and hitting “POTATO.” Pull the skin off, and mash in a big bowl.

Give the banana a few squeezes, then peel and add to the bowl. Mash together with the sweet potato.

Add the eggs, and stir until combined.

Add the nut butter, and keep stirring. You may have a few lumps – no problemo.

Mix in any extras your heart desires.

Scoop or pour the batter into the pan, mostly filling each muffin slot.

Bake for 15-17 minutes until the little muffins just start to brown. Pull them out as soon as they’re cool enough.

Enjoy!