Budget friendly creative breakfast ideas for kids - easy and affordable

1.Breakfast smoothie bowls

Smoothie bowls are a fun and creative way to increase fibre and fruit intake for kids! They are perfect for warm summer days and you could even make a toppings station and let the kids get creative! 

Some ideas for decor include:

• Animals with fruit
• Rainbow bowl: stripes of fruit, nuts and coconut 

Total cost of recipe (without toppings, serving 4 small servings): £2.75

Ingredients

• 25g porridge oats
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 2 bananas
• 300ml greek yoghurt
• 150g frozen berries
• toppings of choice (nuts, dried fruit, muesli, nut butter)

Method

1. Add banana, oats and cinnamon into a blender, blend until smooth
2. Blend in yoghurt and berries
3. Divide and add toppings

2. Overnight oats

Overnight oats are the perfect and easy way to make breakfast time fun and creative! They can be made the night before, once you have nailed the basic recipe, add in many toppings to make them fun and tasty!

Basic recipe to serve 1: cost: 36p per serving

• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup greek yoghurt
• 2 tsp chia seeds

Ingredients to add in

1. Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

• 2 tbsp finely grated carrot
• 1 tsp honey/maple syrup
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Small handful raisins

2. Chocolate Brownie Overnight Oats

• 1 tsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp honey/maple syrup
• Few chocolate chips

3. Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats

• 2–3 chopped strawberries
• 1 tsp honey
• Crushed biscuit (digestive or shortbread)

5. Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats

• Handful blueberries
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp honey

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

• 2 tbsp grated apple
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp honey

3.Banana sushi 

Banana sushi is a fun way for kids to experiment with using chopsticks and be creative! It simply requires 2 crepes, some chocolate spread and bananas, simple! You can make your own, but to keep it simple, we suggest buying pre-made crepes!

Total cost of recipe (makes 2 rolls which are cut up into sushi pieces): £2.50

Ingredients

• 2 crêpes (store-bought or homemade)
• 2 bananas
• 3–4 tbsp Nutella
• Optional: strawberries, crushed nuts, or sprinkles

Instructions

1. Lay out a crêpe flat on a plate.
2. Spread Nutella evenly over the crêpe (leave a small border at the edges).
3. Place a banana along one edge.
4. Roll it tightly like a sushi roll.
5. Slice into pieces (about 1–2 inch thick).
6. Optional: top with sliced strawberries, powdered sugar, or drizzle more Nutella.

4.Scrambled egg chicks

Getting protein in the morning is essential to make the most out of your day. But we know, sometimes something sweet takes preference with kids! Why not make eggs fun, by making scrambled egg chicks. This is perfect for Easter too! For more Easter guides, why not head to our seasonal hub, from crafts to recipes and days out!

Cost for recipe: £3.85 for four servings

Ingredients

• 8 large eggs
• 80ml milk (optional, for creaminess)
• 40g butter
• 4 slices bread (toast)
• Salt & pepper
• 8 blueberries (eyes)
• 1 carrot (cut into beaks, wings & feet)

Method

1. Crack eggs into a bowl, add milk, salt & pepper, and whisk.
2. Melt butter in a pan on low heat.
3. Add eggs and stir gently and slowly.
4. Cook until soft and slightly creamy (don’t overcook — they keep cooking after heat).
5. Toast the bread.
6. Assemble the “chick” - Spoon eggs onto toast in a round “fluffy blob” shape and add:

• Blueberries → eyes
• Triangle carrot → beak
• Small carrot pieces → wings & feet

5. Minion pancakes 

Who doesn't love a minion? These minion pancakes are perfect for a Sunday morning, to add a smile to the kids face! Why not put the movie on too and make a day of it? 

Total cost of recipe: £2.50-3.00

Ingredients

• 200g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 300ml milk
• Butter or oil (for cooking)

Method

1. Mix dry ingredients
   In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sugar.
2. Add wet ingredients
   Crack in the egg and gradually whisk in the milk until you get a smooth batter (similar to thick cream).
3. Heat the pan
   Lightly grease a non-stick frying pan and heat on medium.
4. Cook the scones
   Drop spoonfuls of batter into the pan (about 2–3 tbsp each).
   Cook for 1–2 minutes until bubbles appear on top.
5. Flip and finish
   Turn over and cook another 1 minute until golden.
6. Decorating goggles and smiles

• Slice bananas into rounds
• Add a blueberry in the centre
• Use chocolate sauce or Nutella to draw circles around them
• Use melted chocolate or Nutella in a piping bag (or spoon)
• Draw smiles, lines, or “glasses straps”

6. Granola bars

This recipe inspired by the classic breakfast bar is perfect for kids on the go! Simply prepare with the kids the day/weekend before, wrap up individually and enjoy in the car on the way to clubs or School!

Cost for recipe: £3.90 without additional ingredients to the bars

Ingredients

• 200g porridge oats
• 100g mixed nuts (e.g. almonds, hazelnuts), roughly chopped
• 100g dried fruit or berries (e.g. raisins or dried cranberries)
• 75g butter or margarine
• 75g honey or golden syrup
• 50g soft brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• Pinch of salt

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line a baking tin.
2. In a saucepan, gently melt the butter, honey, and sugar together until smooth.
3. In a bowl, combine the oats, nuts, fruit, cinnamon, and salt.
4. Pour the melted mixture over the dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Press the mixture firmly into the tin.
6. Bake for 20–25 minutes until lightly golden.
7. Allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.

Tips

• Swap nuts for seeds to make it nut-free
• Add chocolate chips for a sweeter version
• Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days

7. Banana bread bear slices

Banana bread is both delicious and fun way to start the day! Making it with honey makes it a good recipe for breakfast! With extra time, you can glam up each slice, making bears out of spread, chocolate chips and bananas/ blueberries!

 Cost per loaf (without toppings): £3/4

Ingredients

• 225g (1 ¾ cups) plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda (extra ¼ tsp to balance honey acidity)
• ½ tsp salt
• 2–3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 250–300g)
• 75g (3 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
• 180ml (¾ cup) honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: 50–75g chopped nuts or chocolate chips

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan and grease a loaf tin.
2. Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Combine wet ingredients: In another bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in melted butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
4. Fold together: Gently mix wet ingredients into dry ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixing. Fold in nuts or chocolate if using.
5. Bake: Pour batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Cool: Leave in the tin for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8.Crab croissant animals

Crab croissants are a fun and summery way to make family breakfast fun again. These are a perfect end of term or School holiday breakfast idea, and can serve 6-8 people depending on the amount of croissants in a pack! Shop at budget friendly stores like Tesco, Aldi and Morrisons for cost effective options. For more end of term breakfast ideas, check out our guide!

Total recipe cost for 8 (average) £7.30

Ingredients

• Pack of Croissants
• Punnet of Strawberries & blueberries
• Bananas (3)

Method:

1. Warm Croissants
2. Using toothpicks, add sliced banana to croissant for eyes, perch a blueberry in front
3. Cut 'claws' from Strawberries and a slice for tongue (add toothpick or cut croissant in half to secure)
4. Optional: dust with icing sugar and serve

9.Animal toasts

Animal toasts are a fun, easy and affordable way to make breakfast exciting again! While these are our favourite ideas, depending on age and preference, there are so many creative ways to make animal toasts! All you need is a few basic ingredients, some imagination and the world is your oyster!

Basic ingredients:

1. Bananas (2/3)
2. Strawberries
3. Blueberries
4. Bread 
5. Jam

Total cost for recipe £2 (£7.30 to make up to 20)

Method

1. Make toast
2. Spread on peanut butter
3. For butterfly: cut half a banana and strawberries for body, half toast and add jam and sliced banana and blueberries to 'wings', place either side of banana
4. For Bluey: Add banana for nose and eyes, blueberries on top. Cut triangles out of bread and banana for ears
5. For bear: place 3 slices of banana on toast (ears and nose) add blueberries for eyes and nose
6. Other ideas: Miffy toast (with bananas) Dogs and cats, Monkeys...

10. Baked custard toast

In recent years, Custard toast has become a popular, high protein breakfast option that is not only appealing to the eye and affordable, but incredibly delicious! Using frozen fruit, you can make many patterns and pictures, making this a creative option too!

Total recipe cost (serves 4): £3.10

Ingredients

• 4 slices Brioche bread/Brown/White/Sourdough can also be used
• 2 eggs
• 6tbsp yoghurt
• 4tsp honey/maple syrup 
• 75g frozen berries

Method

1. Whisk together eggs, yoghurt and honey
2. Flatten down the centre of the bread slices
3. Fill with custard mixture and decorate with fruit
4. Air fry for 8 mins on 175c/ oven cook 180c Fan for 15 mins