Do you often wake up in the morning wishing you knew what to give your little one for breakfast?
I know I do.
There are evenings when I do not wish to cook for next mornings, afternoons when I just want to lounge and do nothing, nights when someone needs to take a bath, and so on.
So breakfast for me sometimes means food on the fast lane. What can I possibly give her that is fulfilling, not too hard to make and eventually doesn’t mean a trip to the supermarket at 8 a.m.?
These recipes are using common ingredients, nothing fancy, nothing posh.
And they’re great for baby led weaning.
And make great finger foods, to improve that pincer grasp.
And they are varied enough in shape, colour and taste so your little one doesn’t get too bored after a while.
I’ve got sweet, I’ve got savoury, I’ve got a little bit of everything.
What I haven’t got is baby cereal. I already did a rant on this in another post, so if you want to know why they’re not the ideal food for your baby, go ahead and read my ramblings on this topic.
Related posts
- 125 first foods great for babies with no teeth
- 10 reasons your little one is not eating solids
- 5 alternatives to baby cereal + one tip
- 14 smash cake recipes – no sugar or other nasties
- 2 ingredient cookies (fruit and oat biscuits)
- 33 powerful tips to put an end to picky eating for good
PIN IT FOR LATER
I’m a mom on a mission to teach others how to cook. And I have a weekly newsletter where I share my kitchen experiments, failed recipes and food tantrums of my 3 year old. Join me in my cooking challenges and get a free meal plan. My project is called Cooking School for Moms and it’s gonna be epic.
So let’s start, shall we? You can also pin this post for later, when you run out of inspiration.
Note: Copyright of the images and recipes goes to their respective authors. By linking to their websites, I am giving them credit and by no means I want to assume the recipes as my own (except where mentioned, meaning recipes 1 to 7).
Baby led weaning breakfast recipes
- Apple pudding
Now, I admit, this is not one of the recipes that can be eaten in 10 minutes. But if your little one is just starting out and hasn’t figured out he can shout for food at the top of his lungs, than you can take some time to make this in the morning and have some left for the next day, and so on. It’s soft enough for little babies and great for toddlers too.
2. Griddle-pan waffles
You don’t need a waffle maker to make waffles. If you have a griddle pan, then that’s enough. This is a foolproof recipe from Jamie Oliver himself, and it’s great cause there’s no sugar in it, so you can serve it either as a sweet breakfast, either as a savoury one, with some egg on top.
3. Fruit clafoutis
Clafoutis is a French term to define a soft sponge-like cake topped with fruit. It’s so easily done, basically no time at all. It’s great for babies with no teeth!
4. Millet pudding
I have talked about the benefits of millet in my cereal post, as a replacement for any baby cereal brand out there. It’s similar to rice once cooked and has the additional benefit of iron included. It makes a great finger food once cooled.
5. Baked oatmeal cake
I have made this out of the Baby Led Weaning Cookbook by Gill Rapley, using some oatmeal that had been sitting in my pantry for a long time. Makes a great finger food and great for babies with no teeth too!
6. Carrot muffins
This is my top result in Google searches so far, another recipe from the Gill Rapley book. Who says you can’t have carrot muffins for breakfast? You can also serve these for lunch or dinner and are great for babies just starting out or for toddler’s lunchboxes.
7. Baked omlette
I used to make this for Emma in the first few months, as I was freaked out by frying eggs. But I’ve come to the conclusion frying is not harmful if you do it with little to no oil/butter in a non-stick pan. These are great for little hands to manage and are very versatile in terms of filling. All you need is a set of ramekins.
Source: www.eatsamazing.co.uk
Now these are the perfect example of a finger food for babies. Small and soft, packed with protein and fruit. I would omit the maple syrup/honey. Especially the honey if your baby is under 1 year old.But a great and quick example of what you can do with a muffin tin.
9. Wholemeal blueberry scrolls
Source: www.mykidslickthebowl.com
These look so great! And I love the fact that the dough is so quick and easy to make, it’s basically flour and yogurt! And they’re versatile, you can fill them up with whatever you fancy. They’re definitely on my to-do list!
10. Easy sweet potato pancakes
Source: www.blwideas.com
When it comes to sweet potatoes, I never know what to do with them, except bake, steam or boil them. But these pancakes are quick and easy and you can even make them vegan! There is no flour involved, so they’re gluten free! How cool is that?
Source: www.whatscookingmom.in
This looks so tasty! I bet it goes well in a muffin tin too! It’s eggless, so great for babies with allergies. Looks soft enough for babies without teeth, so give it a go if you have some leftover carrots. After you make my carrot muffins, of course!
Source: www.mummytodex.com
How cute are these pancakes? All pink! That’s cause they are made with beetroot. Word of caution: beetroot is rich in nitrates, which consumed in large quantities can cause problems for your little one. So consume in moderation and part of a varied diet, okay?
Source: healthylittlefoodies.com
These have only 3 ingredients! Woaaaah! Just eggs, bananas and another fruit of choice. Because of this, I would suggest serving them with milk or yogurt to make it a more consistent breakfast. Or serve as is as a snack.
Source: mylittlemoppet.com
Now these might look like they make a great Valentine’s Day breakfast, but you can serve them all year round and don’t need to cut them in heart shapes. Great with fruit on the side and perfect first finger food for babies.
15. Plum and almond sliced baked oats
Source: www.healthylittlefoodies.com
Another great finger food and very fulfilling too, as it has oats in it! I like the fact that she suggests how to store baked oats and various combinations that you can make with it.
Source: www.theleangreenbean.com
There goes the sweet potato again! And another recipe that is gluten-free and dairy-free, totally doable in a muffin tin! Perfect for tiny hands at the beginning of their weaning journey.
Source: www.hankyshappyhome.com
These pancakes are really easy to make! If you’re tired of the same old banana pancakes recipe, then this might be an alternative for you. If you don’t have apple puree in the house, just grab an apple and grate it on a small hole grater. Turns into apple sauce/puree instantly. No fuss!
18. Mini banana and egg muffins
Source: www.myfussyeater.com
Another quick recipe to be made in a mini muffin tin, this time, but I bet you can make it in a normal sized one as well. It’s versatile as well, you can add any fruit instead of strawberries and they keep well in the fridge. Not to mention if you make them in the mini tin then they’ll be perfect for mini hands!
Source: www.whatscookingmom.in
Something savoury for the picky eater who won’t eat his veggies. These look like mini pizzas. They’re great for lunch boxes too, or for a kid’s party! You can omit the spices if baby is not a fan. But if you’re willing to have a go, I have a post about how to add spices to baby’s food (with a free printable you can keep in the kitchen so you don’t have to remember all the combinations).
20. Blueberry quinoa breakfast bars
Source: www.ourautismdiet.com
Oh, quinoa. That pseudocereal that always leaves me baffled in terms of potential recipes. It’s a great source of iron, but I don’t particularly like the taste. I must try this recipe cause I do have some quinoa left in the pantry (maybe you do too – if not, don’t go to the supermarket, choose another recipe from the list; I do happen to read about a lot of moms who, like me, were keen on trying it but didn’t know many recipes – that’s why it’s on this list, even though quinoa might not be as common as other ingredients).
21. Banana and blueberry french toast sandwich
Source: www.mummytodex.com
If plain french toast is too boring lately, why not mix some banana and ta-da! It’s naturally sweet, no sugar added! You can cut it into strips to make it easier for babies to handle. It’s very fulfilling too, as it is made of bread, egg and can be served with fruits and yogurt or milk on the side.
22. Banana avocado and apple muffins
Source: www.myfussyeater.com
Banana and avocado make a great combo (if you don’t believe me, I have a quick dessert recipe made with these two together) and the apple gives it extra flavor! Plus, it’s easy to transform into a gluten-free dairy-free option if you modify the base recipe.
23. Baked pancake
Source: www.mummytodex.com
I love this recipe! I made it cause I was afraid of frying stuff for my baby (I think I already mentioned that a ton of times already!) plus it is made in one go: just dump the batter and pop in the oven! If you don’t have an oven-proof pan, just go for any oven dish, it works just as well! And you can put various fruit on top if you want.
Source: www.myfussyeater.com
Rice pudding is my childhood dessert, along with semolina pudding (see this post for a basic recipe). The coconut gives it extra flavor but you can make it with normal milk and just added the desiccated coconut. If doing baby led weaning, offer it on a pre-loaded spoon to have the little ones accustomed to cutlery. Or, I found that when left to cool down completely, it can be made into tiny balls for babies to grab.
25. Banana and peanut butter oat cookies
Source: www.mummytodex.com
Peanut butter and banana isn’t a combination meant to be put only on toast. These cookies really deserve some attention too! They’re great served with a glass of milk on the side and keep well in an airtight container. It’s another way to offer oats to your little one, plus it has the added richness of the peanut butter.
Source: www.manilaspoon.com
Another savoury breakfast idea for you. This time, you can incorporate almost any veggie in it, starting with spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, onions and so on. Let your imagination free on this one. Spinach is rich in iron, but not that rich as people might think. I would also suggest broccoli or peas as an ingredient.
27. Blueberry banana oat muffins
Source: www.wingsandroots.co.uk
These muffins are just packed with good stuff: protein from the egg, milk and yogurt, iron from the oats, egg and flour, sweetness from the banana and a bit of sourness from the blueberries (assuming, like most of them, they are not very sweet). It’s a great finger food, especially for babies with no teeth.
Source: www.creativehealthyfamily.com
This is a recipe where I would recommend using eggs which have a lion stamped on the shell. This means they are salmonella-free and the egg yolk can be left runny and it is safe for your little one to eat. I would also suggest serving this with toast soldiers (toasted bread cut in finger shapes) which baby can happily dip in the yolk. Also, leave out the salt.
29. Lemon cake
Source: www.mummytodex.com
Can you tell I like this website a lot? The recipes are all quite easy and this one makes use of the lemons you bought and never made lemonade with. There is something British about this recipe that makes me wish babies could drink tea and serve a slice of this alongside. So instead, serve with milk or yogurt. It does have 6 eggs in the composition, so maybe serve 1-2 slices in one sitting.
30. Cauliflower cheese egg muffins
Source: www.mykidslickthebowl.com
This is another savoury recipe with hidden veggies possibilities. It makes great use of any cauliflower you have left in the fridge, as well as any toppings you may like: spinach, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes etc. I would choose the lowest salt Cheddar option and add a little bit of seasoning, as they might taste a bit too bland for some.
31. Peanut butter banana roll-ups
Source: www.eatsamazing.co.uk
Now this last recipe is actually part of a round-up post that Grace has over on her website. I really like the idea of the roll-ups, as it makes it easier for smaller babies to grab and munch away. I haven’t found a tortilla brand which has quality ingredients in it and eventually low sugar and salt, so make sure to pay attention to the ingredients when you buy them. Or make them yourself.
32. Blueberry galette
BONUS RECIPE: just added on the blog a new recipe for blueberry galette! Hope you like it as much as I liked cooking it and watching my toddler eat it! 🙂
33. Another bonus! My baby-friendly bread and butter pudding, yours for the cooking!
34. Bonus number 3 – my banana and apple pancakes with only 5 ingredients in total!
35. The 3 ingredient pancake recipe
This is probably the only pancake recipe that yields such fluffy pancakes with minimum ingredients. And yes, no sugar, no banana, just flour, milk and egg. Serve them with anything you want really.
I hope this list will help you plan ahead a bit and satisfy the pickiest of eaters, with both sweet and savoury options.
Remember to pin it on Pinterest for later reference and to share it on social media! Sharing is caring, especially for us busy moms!
I would love to read in the comments any recipe ideas that you have come up with and maybe increase this list with other delicious creations!
