Organic Fruit And Veg Guide: Piccolo's Top Baby Friendly Breakfasts

Alice Fotheringham, infant nutrition expert at Piccolo, the new organic baby food brand, talks to Planet Organic about great breakfast ideas to start off the day for you and your little one.
Despite our best efforts to change it up, most of us stick to the same breakfast routine in the scramble to get up and out of the house. For parents, the added factor of getting young children up and ready means that breakfast is often overlooked. But by spending an extra couple of minutes on breakfast for you and your family the night before, or in the morning, you can quickly make a delicious range of filling, slow release breakfasts, that make a great start to the day.

Breakfast is a meal where change often goes out the window, but getting a wide variety of foods into your baby’s diet is so important in the first few years of their life; not only to give them the range of nutrients they need, but also to help broaden their taste palette. At Piccolo we draw inspiration from the Mediterranean approach to lifestyle and nutrition which encourages a way of eating which is varied, and introduces children to a variety of delicious ingredients in early years.

So try mixing it up with a few ideas from Piccolo:

Oaty Breakfasts

Porridge has been proven to have many health benefits and is a brilliant way to start the day. Oats, whether soaked overnight or cooked, make a brilliant breakfast for babies. There is no need to buy special baby cereal - you can make a lovely smooth porridge using normal rolled oats whizzed up in a blender before cooking or soaking.

Zesty Porridge: Stir in half a small finely grated carrot, ½ tsp orange zest, a squeeze of orange juice, and a scattering of raisins. Top with ground seeds.
Banana & Cinnamon Porridge: Mash a ripe banana and stir it into the porridge with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Add a dollop of a nut or seed butter for added protein.
Apple Soaked oats: Grate half and apple and some chopped ripe pear and top dry oats with a little apple juice and leave in the fridge overnight for bircher muesli. Sprinkle over a mix of toasted seeds or ground seeds for your baby for an added protein boost. Make a big batch of this to last a few days in the fridge.

Anything Eggy
(Babies can have eggs from 6 months, but they must be cooked through thoroughly. Runny yolk should not be given to any baby under 1).

Scrambled egg: This is brilliant mixed with mashed avocado. For grown-ups put this on toast with a sprinkling of chilli flakes and freshly ground pepper.
Eggy Bread: Whisk 2 eggs and a splash of milk (optional) in a bowl and dip fingers of bread into the egg mix. Heat a little butter in a frying pan and when hot add the eggy bread. Serve with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Other Breakfast Ideas

From 6 months, toast sticks make great finger food. Try spreading nut butters, any purées you have made or cream cheese for them to eat themselves. Flattening bread with a rolling pin and makes it a bit more manageable for younger babies.
Chia Pudding: Soak 3 tbsp of chia seeds in 1 cup or ¼ of a tin of coconut milk and a handful of frozen berries. Stir the mixture and put it in the fridge over night or for a few hours. You can also mix in our Piccolo purées like Peach, Apple & Basil or Blueberry, Banana & Vanilla.
Stuffed mushroom: Take a portobello mushroom and sprinkle on top any veg you have handy such as spinach, chopped tomato or red pepper. Top with either some breadcrumbs, grated cheddar or parmesan and place under the grill for a few minutes until golden and soft.
Yoghurt: Full fat natural yoghurt is a great breakfast for you and your little ones. Add a little fruit compote or one our purees, some fresh fruit and for older children or adults add a sprinkling of toasted seeds or muesli on top. Avoid low fat or fruit yoghurts that tend to be high in sugar. Babies need full fat dairy products in the first year.