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!

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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!

8. French Toast Sticks

by Mom Saves Money

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!

11. Pastries

by It Doesn’t Taste Like Chicken

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!

15. Breakfast Cookies

by Lovely Little Kitchen

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.

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!

-xoxo-