Trying to get your toddler up and out of their bed in the morning can be a challenge, but factor in trying to get them to eat a little bit of breakfast in the morning, and you’ve added another tedious thing to do to your morning to-do list. Moreover, your toddler can be quite fussy in the morning and you may struggle to find a breakfast idea that satisfies their tastebuds and also provides wholesome nutrition to them. But fret not, we’ve got you covered with nine easy Indian breakfast recipes for toddlers, which are flavourful, easy to digest, and ensure that your little one enjoys the most important meal of their day before they head to school.
8 Healthy Indian Breakfast Recipes For Toddlers To Enjoy
Bread Upma
Have leftover bread at home? Why not use it to make bread upma? It’s an easy recipe and can be filled with veggies and condiments that boost your child’s nutritional intake.
Ingredients:
- 4 slices of bread, chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and finely chopped ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- ½ cup of tomatoes and onions
- Few curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon of chopped coriander
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- Salt to taste
How to prepare:
- Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once they pop, add the onions and saute until translucent.
- Add curry leaves and ginger and stir well. Next, add turmeric powder, tomatoes, and salt and mix well.
- Once the spices have cooked, add the bread, and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Transfer the upma into a serving bowl, and garnish with coriander.
Oats Idly
If your child doesn’t like plain oatmeal, then oats idly is a good way to incorporate this nutritious food into their diet. This idly recipe is easily digestible and adds nutritive value to your child’s diet.
Ingredients
- 2 cups of oats
- 1 cup of finely grated carrots
- ½ tablespoon of chana dal
- 1 tablespoon of urad dal (black gram)
- 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander
- ½ litre curd
- ½ tablespoon of oil
- ½ tablespoon of turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
How to prepare:
- Dry roast the oats and blend them in a mixer to form a powder mix.
- Add oil to a pan and add the dals and mustard seeds, and stir till they begin spluttering.
- Next, add coriander, carrots, and turmeric powder, and fry for a minute.
- In a bowl, combine oats, the seasoning mix, and curd, and toss it well to make a batter.
- Use the batter to make idlis and add more curd to the mixture if required.
- Steam the idlis for 15 minutes and serve it hot to your child.
Palak (Spinach) Poori
If your child runs at the very sight of spinach, then palak poori might be a good way to include this nutritious veggie in their diet. Here is a healthy recipe that you can try making for your child.
Ingredients
- 500 gms of spinach
- 2 cups of wheat flour
- 2-3 teaspoons of butter or ghee
- 1 teaspoon of ginger and green chili paste
- ½ teaspoon of cumin seeds
- Salt as per taste
- Water
How to prepare:
- Finely chop the spinach and blanch it in hot water. Drain the water and make a paste with the spinach leaves.
- In a deep dish, add the flour, salt, ginger, green chilli, and spinach paste. Knead it well while adding water to make a soft dough.
- Add butter or ghee and knead the dough into a firm ball. Cover it with a lid and let it sit for 5-10 minutes.
- Make small balls with the dough and on a floured surface, roll the balls into pooris.
- In a pan, heat oil and fry the pooris until golden brown.
- Serve them hot alongside a chutney or dip.
Vegetable Poha
Poha is one of the easiest Indian breakfast recipes for toddlers that you can enrich by adding a variety of veggies and nuts. This recipe will keep your child full for long hours and also level up their nutritional intake.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of flattened rice or poha
- 1 onion, potato, carrot, and green chilli; finely chopped
- A handful of peanuts
- 8-10 curry leaves
- ½ teaspoon of chana and urad dal
- ½ teaspoon of cumin and mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- Salt
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of oil
How to prepare:
- Wash the poha in a strainer, and let it sit for a minute or two until it becomes soft and ready for consump[tion.
- In a pan, heat oil and add the peanuts. After slightly frying them, add the other seasonings: cumin and mustard seeds, and the dals.
- As they start spluttering, add the green chillies, and saute for a minute before adding onions and curry leaves.
- Once the onions are slightly golden, add the veggies, turmeric, and salt, and fry for another minute.
- Next, cover the pan with a lid, and let it cook until the veggies become soft.
- Add the drained poha and mix well. Let it simmer for a minute, and then add lemon juice before taking it off the stove.
- Transfer it to a serving bowl and serve hot.
Uttapam
Uttapam is the Indian version of breakfast pancakes. It tastes excellent when topped with finely chopped veggies, and is easy to make and healthy too.
Ingredients:
- Idly batter
- 1 cup of chopped onions, cilantro, tomatoes, and spinach
- ½ cup of grated carrots
- 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
How to prepare:
- Heat a skillet and spread a teaspoon of oil.
- Spread the batter in the pan, but make sure it isn’t too thin, like a dosa
- Sprinkle a handful of veggies on top and cover with a lid for two minutes.
- Remove the lid and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
- Serve hot with a chutney or sambar.
Chapati Rolls
Chapati rolls are easy to make and save you a lot of cooking time in the morning. Plus, you can fill them with protein-enriched items like paneer to make them more healthy and tasty.
Ingredients:
- 1-2 Chapati
- Finely chopped tomatoes, onions, beans, carrots, and capsicum
- Salt to taste
- Mashed paneer
- 1 ½ teaspoon of coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon of garam masala
How to prepare:
- Heat oil in a pan and fry the veggies. Add salt, paneer, and masala, and cook for a little more.
- Place the paneer and veggie mix in the middle of the chapati and roll it up.
Masala Omelette
An omelette can serve as a protein-packed breakfast for your toddler, and you can also sneak in some vegetables and masala into the recipe to make it extra healthy and nutritious.
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- Finely chopped onion, tomato, and green chilli
- A handful of coriander leaves
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 1 tablespoon of butter and oil
- Salt as per taste
How to prepare:
- Break the eggs and whisk them in a bowl. Add milk, turmeric, and salt, and mix for another minute.
- Add the remaining condiments and veggies into the bowl, and mix again.
- Heat a pan and add butter. Wait till the butter melts and greases the pan entirely.
- Pour the egg mixture and let it spread in the pan. Cook both sides until they turn light brown and transfer it to a serving plate.
- Jazz it up with some cheese and crunchy onions and serve it to your child.
Ragi Dry Fruits Porridge
This recipe is high in nutrition and offers essential vitamins and minerals to your child to keep them healthy and strong.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of powdered ragi
- 2 cups of water
- Milk as required
- Powdered jaggery to taste
- 6-8 walnuts and almonds, roasted
- ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder
- ½ cup of apple
How to prepare:
- Dry roast the ragi on a medium flame for about five minutes to eliminate its raw flavour.
- Add lukewarm water to the ragi flour to make a batter-like mixture.
- Place the mixture on a medium flame again, and cook until the ragi develops a sheen.
- In a small pan, add water and powdered jaggery. Cook until the jaggery melts.
- Filter the jaggery water into the ragi batter and stir until the mixture thickens.
- Sprinkle cardamom powder, give it a quick mix and turn off the heat.
- Add milk, nuts, and fruits, and mix well. Serve it hot.
With these healthy and tasty Indian breakfast recipes for toddlers, you will no longer have to deal with a fussy child in the morning who isn’t satisfied with their breakfast option. The best part is that these recipes are easy to make, yet pack a punch of nutrition and minerals that support the overall health of your kid, and also keep them full for long hours.
Also read:
High fibre foods for toddlers: Want to enhance your little one’s digestive health? Here are some high-fibre foods that can help.
Picky eating: Do you have a picky eater at home? Integrate these helpful tips to overcome your little one’s picky eating habits.
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