Receive weekly encouragement, freebies, and blog content straight to your inbox. Join the Stepmomming Club!
A few weeks ago, we made the move from a house precisely one block from our daughter K’s elementary school to this beautiful home in a gorgeous neighborhood and a whopping 25-minute commute to her school. Because we refuse to put her to bed a half an hour early (we really do enjoy hanging out with our kiddo!), we’ve decided she should start eating breakfast to go, en route to school instead. Sounds brilliant, right? Except I really had no idea where to start…
After a bit of web browsing and a lot of creative thinking in the kitchen, I’ve developed a solid list of 18 breakfasts to go that can provide your little ones with a hearty meal with minimal mess on the road.
Before I forget, you’re not allowed to be intimidated by the time in the kitchen some of these may require! We’ve already given you tons of resources to learn how to cook, so do not fear, Mama!
*This article may contain affiliate links. For more info, check out our disclosure. Our families thank you for your support!
18 Child Commuter Breakfasts
1. Drinkable Yogurt
K loooooves Danimals drinkable yogurt, so I started our breakfast on the go routine with a drinkable yogurt and a banana. Easy enough, and clean-up was a breeze. There was exactly zero prep time, so that was another major plus. The only real downside I found is that I’m not certain the Danimals yogurt is the most nutritious option out there… Fun packaging, but so packed full of sugar it’s probably not the best for her. I’ll continue to shop around!
2. Drinkable Applesauce
Applesauce pouches are slightly more expensive than cups, so I tend to purchase cups instead of pouches. I’ve found that by sticking a straw in the cup lid, it reduces the mess and makes for a really easy commuter breakfast. You can see how switching to a straw in the cup “changed K’s life” in this post.
3. Smoothies
Throw some fruit into a blender and call it a day! Smoothies can be made with frozen fruit, water, and spinach or kale; fresh fruit and ice; or frozen fruit and yogurt. Pick your goodies and blend them up for your kiddos to take on the road!
4. Dry Cereal
Granted, this probably isn’t nutritious for most kiddos because they love sugary cereals, but Daddy has a rule in our house that if the cereal box looks fun, you can’t buy that one. No colorful photos, no freebie toys in the box, and definitely no cartoons. So, a quick meal for us is throwing some (nutritious) cereal in a baggie and heading out the door!
5. Fruit
There are SO many commute-friendly fruits out there. Apples, oranges, and bananas require only a trash bag. You could pick grapes and put them in a baggie before you head out the door! I usually prefer to pair a protein with carbs in the morning, but carb/fruit-only breakfasts are all right occasionally.
6. Pancakes
Sounds counterintuitive because pancakes normally require syrup, right? But I LOVE Kodiak Cakes. I make them with just a few dark chocolate chips, banana slices, or pecan bits, and they’re so tasty you don’t even need syrup or butter. PLUS, they’re packed with protein. Such a great way to start the day!
If you want to make your morning treat extra special, add a message to it with these amazing pancake molds we reviewed earler this year.
7. Waffles
A little more time-intensive but equally as delicious: waffles! You could even make waffles stuffed with fruit, mmm. As long as it doesn’t require syrup, it’s a breakfast to go win in my book!
PS: You can still use Kodiak Cakes to make protein-packed waffles!
What a fun treat to take on the go! Obviously this would also have to be a non-syrupy treat, but I think my little one would love it just the same without syrup. Jayme said it takes her 20 minutes and she gets 10 breakfasts out of them. I’m game!
9. Scones
Sticky Fingers scones (Raspberry white chocolate are my fave!) are a breakfast staple in my house (especially when we have guests over!). They’re so easy to make, and they’re delicious! Just pick up a piece and you’re out the door! They can be a little crumbly, so I’d recommend taking a napkin with you or eating it out of a baggie, but they’re so yummy it’s worth a little mess.
10. Muffins
Whether store-bought, “just add water,” or made from scratch, muffins are a quick, delectable treat in the morning. They’re like cupcakes without the icing, unless you bake your own healthy muffins! There are so many recipes you can find with a quick search on Pinterest!
You can get Pop-Tarts for a really reasonable price in bulk at Amazon, but I know that Amanda and K have made homemade pastries before, and K goes bananas over them! Plus, when you make you’re own, it’s easy to make them vegan or gluten free! Their favorite recipe is one from It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken.
12. Granola Bars
You can certainly pick up hearty granola bars at the grocery store, but there are a plethora of recipes on Pinterest that are really easy. Some don’t even require baking! Prepping these could be some really fun mommy-kiddo bonding time!
13. Mini Egg Casseroles
Mmmm these are so yummy AND easy AND less than 40 calories! I took a container of egg whites, 1/2 cup of turkey sausage crumbles, and 1/4 cup of shredded cheese. This made 11 egg “muffins” when I poured the egg whites into the muffin pan and evenly distributed the sausage and cheese. I cooked on 350 for about 15 minutes. If you cook them in muffin liners, it makes for a very easy breakfast to go. Nutritious + delicious.
14. Greek Yogurt Breakfast Bark
by Go Eat & Repeat
I’ve made peppermint, peanut butter, and chocolate barks for dessert during the holidays, but I had never thought of making a breakfast bark with Greek yogurt until I ran across this beauty from Go Eat & Repeat! So good, and so commuter-friendly!
Wouldn’t you be the coolest mom on the block if you let your little ones eat cookies for breakfast? It can stay our little secret that they’re actually nutritious! Though there might be a slight crumbling, these definitely seem like a suitable breakfast to-go option.
16. Kolaches
Kolaches are a delicious warm breakfast sandwich; typically there are goodies like sausage or ham and cheese baked inside the buttery bread. You can pick them up at a donut shop, or you can make some at home! We love making pocket ham and cheese sandwiches with Pillsbury Crescent Sheets, mmmm.
17. Breakfast Sandwiches
I love the idea of meal prep on the weekends for the entire week (month?!) and it’s so easy to freeze breakfast sandwiches. Just grab one from the freezer and pop it in the microwave for a few minutes before you head out and voila! a delicious fit breakfast to go.
18. Breakfast Tacos
K loves breakfast tacos; in fact, it’s a regular dinner staple in our house. Prepping these to take in the car before school is genius. We just add hashbrowns, eggs, turkey sausage, and cheese; package it in a tortilla and wrap it tight in plastic wrap. Stick those babies in a freezer bag, and you’re good to go! We wrap ours in paper towels and microwave for a minutes in the morning before we hit the road.
Breakfasts on the go
Breakfast to Go
Even if You’re Not a Morning Person
If your little one is not a morning person and moves at a snail’s pace in the morning like mine, these commuter breakfast items will save you both time and frustration in the wee hours of the morning. PS: If you want tips on becoming a morning person, I share some here.
Am I missing your favorite breakfast to go?! I love comments! Tell me your suggestion below!
Kristen is a Certified Stepparent Coach, founder of Stepmomming.com, and host of the chart-topping podcast, Stepmomming Made Easy. She is passionate about providing guidance and validation to stepmoms everywhere, empowering them to overcome discontentment and genuinely love their stepfamilies.
Kristen is married with a 13-year-old stepdaughter. She has overcome insecurities as her husband’s second wife, learned a million lessons the hard way as a stepparent, and been on a roller coaster ride with shared parenting. Kristen grew up as a stepchild with a strict and very involved stepdad, a long-distance dad, and a few different stepmoms over the years. Couple that experience with the fact she was business partners and lived with her stepdaughter’s mom for a season, and it’s safe to say, she offers a unique perspective!
She has been featured on TODAY, The Atlantic, Newsweek, The Boston Globe, Texas Today, and Scary Mommy.
7 thoughts on “Meals on the Bus: 18 Kid Friendly Breakfasts to Go”
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.Cookie Settings Read MoreCookie Settings Reject AllAccept
Manage consent
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Great list!!
Thanks so much, Jayme!
This is a great list! I’m always looking for quick breakfast ideas for all my kiddos!
Pinned! Amazing and delicious ideas. I`m thinking about making them for myself 🙂
The breakfast bark fascinates me. What a great idea.
Isn’t it amazing?! I just had to contact the creator and ask to include it!!