Why breakfast matters for children
Children who eat a proper breakfast usually concentrate better in the morning and are less likely to fill up on sweets and crisps at break time. The best school breakfasts combine something filling (bread, roti, oats, dalia, semolina) with some protein (eggs, milk, yogurt, cheese, lentils) and, where possible, a piece of fruit. That mix keeps a child going until lunch far better than a sugary cereal or a cup of sweet tea with a biscuit.
Quick (10 minutes or less)
- Cheese omelette roll: egg cooked onto a roti, rolled with cheese.
- French toast, sweet or savoury.
- Corn cheese sandwich, toasted on the tawa.
- Fruit and yogurt parfait, with granola made ahead.
- A desi omelette with roti, or an egg sando.
Make the night before
- Overnight oats: kheer-style oats that wait in the fridge.
- Egg muffins: a tray on Sunday covers three mornings.
- Banana pancakes: batter keeps overnight, and cooked pancakes freeze and toast in 2 minutes.
- Banana oat muffins: grab-and-go breakfast with a glass of milk.
Warm and desi
On cold winter mornings, try savoury namkeen dalia or sweet meetha dalia, suji cheela or besan cheela, an anda paratha or aloo paratha at the weekend, or South Indian idli, poha and upma.
Tips for rushed mornings
- Prepare the night before. Lay out bowls, soak oats, mix batter, chop fruit.
- Batch and freeze. Pancakes, muffins and parathas freeze well and reheat in minutes.
- Offer a choice of two. Children are more willing to eat something they picked.
- Go easy on sugar. Use ripe fruit, dates or a little honey instead of lots of sugar, and don’t give honey to babies under one year.
- Make a drink count. A glass of milk, a banana shake or badam doodh adds protein and calcium for children who don’t eat much in the morning.
For packed lunches, see our school lunch box collection.