Healthy Breakfasts for Toddlers

We don't typically have sugar cereals or poptarts in the house on an option, that is Grandma's house. :)

Both my sons hit the picky place. I too followed with food for a bit when they were smaller.
I found a trick -- I made oatmeal raisen cookies or muffins and added a little bit of chopped pecans or walnuts and a banana. It had everything in it and I allowed as much as they wanted. It was a fix during a temporary patch of time.

Yogurt or fruit are always an available option in addition to the usual waffles, french toast, eggs/toast, multigrain cereals, oatmeal and farina.
Cold pizza has worked on a few days too! LOL Good nurishment is our goal -- not particular at what part of the day they choose to get the bulk of it.

My kids aren't always big breakfast eaters but some of their favorite "breakfast" items are cheese slices, rolled up lunch meat, fruit, dry cereal, chewy granola bars, yogurt, raisins, graham crackers, sausage, pancakes, french toast.

My kids will also typically eat one really good meal a day, usually lunch or dinner. If they eat a good amount for lunch, they won't eat much for dinner and vice versa.

A couple things I've done for any meal is to...

offer a small portion of a new or untried food along with one they will eat. My kids will eventually try it.

offer dips or spreads. Will your son eat his waffles with syrup, yogurt, mashed banana, applesauce?

hide food in other food. Maybe make your own waffles with pureed fruit in them.

pretend one food is another. Would you be able to pass off french toast made with multi grain bread as waffles?

let my kids see how much I enjoy a food as I eat it.

If it is any consolation, my kids grew out of this phase around age 3. They are now 3 and 4 and even if they initially balk at trying something, they eventually get curious enough about it to try it. If they don't like it we praise them for at least trying it and don't put them down for not liking it. My dughter is a little less willing than my son to try new things, but I can usually hide the offending food on her fork under another food she likes and she rarely knows the difference. Good luck to you.

M.,
I swear its like you dont know what to do some days. It makes my head hurt trying to figure out what to give my daughter for breakfast everyday. She is almost 3 and this started around 18-20 months. Like you. I sometimes give her chicken noodle soup in the morning. She wont eat any breakfast food,no toast no cheese no eggs no pancakes. The one things she likes is bacon. But I dont always have it in the house. Sometimes chicken nuggets. I can always get her to eat 1/2 of a banana its soft and easily swallowed.If she eats that and drinks her milk then I am satisfied. Then around noon we have soup.
Have you tried cream of wheat or rice with jam in it? Or oatmeal with milk in it? I also tried making pancakes with applesauce......I liked them she didnt.....Hey whatever works it how we try to manage through this picky eating time!

Kids don't starve themeselves, so don't worry. Make sure he's taking a multivitamin, and don't get into a power struggle about food. He will eat when he needs to.

As for breakfast, give him what he'll eat. If he'll eat waffles, stick a little peanut butter (if he's eating that yet) on it for some protein. Or some applesauce on top. I get my son the organic
"pop tarts" in blueberry. They don't have icing, and are whole-grain. Also, look for ways to "sneak" veggies in-- I puree cauliflower and mix it in mac and cheese. Applesauce can be used in place of oil in muffins, etc.