Your Morning Super Starter! Blueberry-Banana Baked Oatmeal

When you have kids, getting through the weekday morning routine can be a real puzzle. Well, our scrumptious make-ahead blueberry-banana baked oatmeal can help you with at least one of those pieces: getting a warm, filling, and nutritious breakfast that your kids will actually eat on the table in a flash. It’s packed with healthful ingredients, but looks like cake. And—drum roll—it only takes about 5 minutes to assemble before you pop it in the oven and ignore it for 40 minutes (full recipe below). Now if only it could also dress your squirming toddler…         

We love that a whole pan of our baked oatmeal is sweetened with nothing more than bananas and a little pure maple syrup. That said, you’re welcome to use honey or brown sugar in place of the syrup. And the recipe’s flexibility doesn’t stop there.

Not a fan of bananas? You can use a cup of applesauce or 3 tablespoons of butter and an extra ½ cup of milk instead. Have a milk allergy in the family? Coconut milk and vanilla almond milk work great, too. You can add chopped nuts or nut butter if you like, and change up the spices or fruit—try swapping the blueberries for peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, cranberries, or raspberries.

Baked oatmeal is delicious right out of the oven, of course, but to make weekday mornings a breeze (well, as much as possible when you’re simultaneously trying to shower, brush your teeth, and put on your shoes), make a pan on the weekend and store it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days. Simply reheat slices in the microwave or toaster oven and you’re ready to go!

In our centers, we embrace family-style eating—encouraging children to serve themselves teaches them important social skills (like passing items, sharing, being patient, and saying “please” and “thank you”) and how to listen to their own hunger cues. Sure, there will likely be some spills when little ones take the lead, but also lots of smiles.

Allowing kiddos to get in on the serving action can also inspire them to try new foods, or to give a second chance to foods they haven’t liked in the past. Not that you’re likely to have any problems with this baked oatmeal… every time we’ve made it, it was scarfed up by both kids and adults lickety-split. 

For breakfast, we suggest serving baked oatmeal warm, ideally with a dollop of unsweetened yogurt and more fresh fruit or in a bowl with warmed milk. It also makes a quick, tasty snack all by itself—it’s even good cold or at room temp. For a slightly healthier dessert, top a slice with a little whipped cream, ice cream, or caramel sauce. No matter how you serve it, grins are guaranteed.