5 Kid-Approved, Veggie-Loaded Oatmeal Recipes for Busy Mornings

I have this thing with trying to include vegetables at every meal. Yep, even breakfast. I figure I only have a handful of chances to offer my kiddo the good stuff each day, so why squander an opportunity when he’s often most hungry?

According to ChooseMyPlate.gov, the daily vegetable requirements for children range from 1 to 3 cups, depending on their age.

While that may seem like a daunting quota to meet at first, incorporating veggies at breakfast means we can provide more opportunities for our children to eat a well rounded and varied diet.  

Oatmeal is a kid-friendly vessel for serving up some serious veggie action at the start of the day, and you can even get the kid(s) involved in making it.  From a very early age, my son has helped me make many of the foods we eat.  Not only does this build confidence and trust, but he also has a stake in it.

He’s more likely to try a bite of oatmeal made with cauliflower since he helped make it.  

The cauliflower isn’t a weird ingredient to him, because we added it to the saucepan just as matter-of-factly as we did the oats and milk. Kids of all ages can help make oatmeal. If they’re toddlers, you can pre-measure all of the ingredients and let them dump everything into a saucepan. If they’re a little older, they can help measure, pour and mix.

Here you’ll find a base oatmeal recipe along with five of my go-to, veggie-loaded alterations. These are all in regular rotation in our home and I even try to meal prep a couple batches at a time to store in the freezer for ultra busy mornings.

Oatmeal Base

• 1 15oz. can light coconut milk
• ¾ cup organic rolled oats
• Pinch sea salt
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 scoops collagen peptides, optional

Chocolate Cauliflower

• ½ cup water
• 1 cup riced cauliflower (fresh or frozen)
• 3 tablespoons hemp seeds
• 3 tablespoons cocoa powder

Topping Ideas: raspberries, strawberries, chocolate chips, nut butter

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, oats, sea salt, and chia seeds (from the ‘Oatmeal Base’ portion).  Add ½ cup water, riced cauliflower, hemp seeds, and cocoa powder.  Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until oats are softened and oatmeal has thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup vanilla, and collagen peptides, if using.  If you like, thin with a little more water to reach desired consistency.  Portion into bowls and add toppings.

Pumpkin Pecan

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade)
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Topping Ideas: pecans, pumpkin seeds, banana slices, dried cranberries

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, oats, sea salt, and chia seeds (from the ‘Oatmeal Base’ portion).  Add pumpkin puree, pecans, and pumpkin pie spice.  Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until oats are softened and oatmeal has thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup vanilla, and collagen peptides, if using.  If you like, thin with a little water to reach desired consistency.  Portion into bowls and add toppings.

Blueberry Zucchini

• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• ½ cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
• ¼ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Topping Ideas: more blueberries, walnuts, sliced banana, raisins

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, oats, sea salt, and chia seeds (from the ‘Oatmeal Base’ portion).  Add zucchini, banana, blueberries, walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until oats are softened and oatmeal has thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup vanilla, and collagen peptides, if using.  If you like, thin with a little water to reach desired consistency.  Portion into bowls and add toppings.

Carrot Apple

• ½ cup water
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 cup shredded apple
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Toppings Ideas: chopped apple, raisins, shredded coconut, nut butter

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, oats, sea salt, and chia seeds (from the ‘Oatmeal Base’ portion).  Add ½ cup water, carrot, apple, cinnamon, and cloves.  Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until oats are softened and oatmeal has thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup vanilla, and collagen peptides, if using.  If you like, thin with a little more water to reach desired consistency.  Portion into bowls and add toppings.

Parsnip Pear

• 1 cup shredded parsnip
• 1 ripe pear, chopped
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

Toppings Ideas: more chopped pear, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, chopped dried apricots

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, combine coconut milk, oats, sea salt, and chia seeds (from the ‘Oatmeal Base’ portion).  Add parsnip, pear, cinnamon and cardamom.  Mix well and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until oats are softened and oatmeal has thickened, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in maple syrup vanilla, and collagen peptides, if using.  If you like, thin with a little water to reach desired consistency.  Portion into bowls and add toppings.

Each recipe yields 3-4 servings

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