To get where we are today, humans have eaten a veritable cornucopia of foods, many of which have been integral in our evolution and development. However, we have come to a point in our technological advancements where we can rely less on animal protein, and instead utilize plant-based protein. This has prompted countless people, including parents, to start finding ways to introduce nutrient rich plant-based diet foods into their family meals.

Kids are notoriously picky eaters, but simultaneously they often have the least reason out of anyone to be picky about what they eat. Often it isn’t the food they dislike, but the association, a common example being kids forced to eat broccoli will generally come to hate it. By introducing plant-based diet foods to them in a fun way while they’re young, they will be more likely to eat healthier food throughout their life. 

Here is a look at how you can make a kid-friendly vegan big breakfast to enjoy with the whole family on the weekend.

Common Misconception

When one thinks of a vegan breakfast for kids, often what comes to mind is rather plain and uninspired. A go-to vegan breakfast for kids is often simply fruit and cereal with a non-dairy milk, which while the sugar in the fruit may be exciting, not much else in the dish is. 

When it comes to feeding kids anything new, it’s important to incorporate familiar elements, as well as some fun elements which are visually appealing.

Why the ‘Big’ Breakfast?

Our breakfast culture is generally regimented to suit those in the house who are making the breakfast. When it comes to kids' breakfasts, parents will generally look for something which they can throw together quickly before sending the children off to school. 

However, on the weekend, you may wish to have a big breakfast to bring everyone together, and to set them up with plenty of energy for the busy day ahead. Having a big breakfast in my house growing up meant that we kids could talk about the highlights of our school week, something which I still carry on with my own family today.

Make it Easy to Take it Easy

Thanks to modern means of production, we aren’t forced to procure each individual ingredient and build each separate element of a dish like a sort of savant chef. Instead, we’re able to find high quality frozen vegan foods in the freezer section of most supermarkets.

Dr Praeger’s

After seeing them on the shelves for some time now, I decided to give Dr Praeger’s frozen plant-based diet foods a go, as they are incredibly transparent about the ingredients they use. Many Dr Praeger’s products are vegan, soy free, gluten free, and non-GMO, which makes them safe for almost anybody. On top of that all of their products can be easily incorporated into a huge variety of meals, as seen in the recipe section of their website. 

The following products from Dr Praeger’s will make a great addition to your vegan breakfast for kids:

• Hash Browns - kids love hash browns, but they’re typically made of white potatoes which can be low in nutrients. By baking these sweet potato hash browns or four potato hash browns you can be sure the kids will love them and they’re getting the nutrients they need, without all the grease that they typically come with.
• Cakes - as with hash browns, these are easily baked and are high in plant-based protein. To make these more exciting, you may want to come up with a fun condiment that your kids will love dipping into.
• Veggie burgers and Plant based burgers - while burger patties may not be a typical breakfast food, plant-based burger patties can take your vegan breakfast for kids to the next level. Incorporate these in place of sausages and bacon and your kids won’t know what they’re missing. 
• Puffs - perfect for little hands, Dr Prager’s puffs are bite-sized plant-based protein bites which may quickly become a part of your routine breakfast.

Of course, these products alone can only make up for so much of a big breakfast, so being inventive is a must. Scrambled tofu is a popular egg replacement, and spinach and mushrooms always go well with breakfast foods. Don’t be afraid to experiment, and if you’re ever unsure about a combination, trying Googling it!