Healthy Toddler Breakfast With a No-Cook Pumpkin Recipe

This week’s healthy toddler breakfast recipe is inspired by my son’s love for pumpkin pie! On more than one occasion, he has awoken in the middle of the night screaming, “pumpkin pie!”. He just loves it so much.

So while we have intermittently made a pumpkin pie to satisfy his cravings, I wanted to find an alternative pumpkin recipe that wasn’t packed with sugar.

A Super Easy Healthy Toddler Breakfast: Pumpkin Parfait!

This pumpkin yogurt parfait has been the perfect solution. I’m all for easy toddler meals, and this is an incredibly simple recipe full of nutritious ingredients. 

There’s no cook time and it’s easy to throw together on busy mornings for a quick breakfast. It makes for a great snack at any time of the day too!

Plus, this pumpkin parfait can be turned into a great vegan breakfast for kids! Just substitute a dairy-free yogurt like cashew yogurt or coconut yogurt in for plain yogurt. This recipe is also gluten-free (as long as you are using a gluten-free granola mix, which most are).

Please note that babies and toddlers require certain ingredients like dried fruit and granola to be prepared in a certain way (finely grinding or rehydrating and mincing) to prevent choking risks. Allergies should also be kept in mind when serving any recipe. This post is for informational purposes only and all questions regarding individual concerns should be directed to a medical professional. Thank you!

Ingredients For This No Cook Toddler Breakfast

• 1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree (make sure it’s 100% pumpkin so there is no added sugar) or fresh pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt (Choose a dairy free yogurt like cashew or coconut yogurt for a dairy free option)
• Small handful of granola (finely ground for babies and toddlers and make sure the granola does not contain honey as an ingredient for babies under 12 months) 
• Drizzle of maple syrup (optional)
• Sprinkle of nutmeg, cinnamon, or pumpkin pie spice
• A small handful of fruit or dried fruit (rehydrated and minced as needed)

Pumpkin Puree

You can use canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree during pumpkin season. If using canned, just be sure you are getting ‘100% pumpkin puree’ and not ‘pumpkin pie mix puree’. I like to use O Organics Pumpkin Puree. 

Taste of Home explains that canned pumpkin has been steamed and is safe to eat without further prep. Additionally, leftover pumpkin puree can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days after you have opened a can. 

Whole Plain Yogurt or Dairy-Free Plain Yogurt

While plain yogurt is hard to eat by itself, adding some sweet pumpkin flavor makes it taste delicious. Use Greek, whole, or dairy-free plain yogurt for this parfait. A good Greek yogurt especially gives the parfait a nice thick creamy texture, similar to pumpkin pie filling! 

Granola 

Watch out for granola mixes that have large chunks and nuts as they are choking hazards for babies and toddlers. Be sure to chop or ground the granola and any nuts up finely. Additionally, be aware of any potential allergies as many store-bought granola mixes contain a wide variety of ingredients.

Also note, babies under 12 months old are not supposed to eat honey, which is often an ingredient in granola mixes.

Maple Syrup or Almond Butter

My toddler will eat this parfait just as well with or without sweeteners like maple syrup or almond butter.

If I’m eating it, I like to add a bit of maple syrup for extra sweetness! Almond butter is also a great natural sweetener and will provide some additional nutrients.

If you want to turn this parfait into a nutritious dessert and your child is ready for chocolate chips, just add a few on top! It’s amazing how a little chocolate can motivate kids to try a new food.

Dried Fruit & Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice

My toddler loves sprinkling cinnamon onto his parfait along with some chopped raisins, dried cranberries, or dried apricots.

Please note that dried fruit like raisins are a choking hazard for babies and young toddlers. BabyCenter explains that dried fruit can usually be given to toddlers around 18 months old after they have learned how to chew different foods properly.

Solid Starts provides some pointers on when and how to serve raisins for babies and young toddlers to reduce choking risks. They recommend rehydrating and mincing raisins so little ones can consume them safely.

A Gluten-Free Healthy Toddler Breakfast

As long as you are using granloa that does not contain any gluten, this recipe is gluten-free! For those with a gluten-allergy, it’s important to make sure even naturally gluten-free granolas have not been processed in a facility that also processes gluten along with their oats.

This can lead to cross-contamination. Beyond Celiac explains that uncontaminated oats should be labeled “gluten-free” on the packaging.

Make it a Vegan Breakfast For Kids

To make this recipe vegan, simply substitute a cashew or coconut plain yogurt for dairy yogurt. My toddler has a cow’s milk allergy, so I make this with cashew yogurt and she loves it!

Pumpkin Yogurt Parfait Directions

Add equal parts pumpkin puree and yogurt (about 1/4 cup of yogurt and 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree) to a bowl and mix it all up. Your yogurt-pumpkin mixture will be a beautiful bright orange color!

Next, add a thin layer of granola over the top.

Sprinkle on some cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice (a pinch of nutmeg enhances the flavor even more) and throw on some raisins.

Add a drizzle of maple syrup if you want to sweeten it. I usually leave it out for my toddler.

I often end up making my toddler a second bowl, because he loves it so much!

Pumpkin: Nutrition & Benefits

Pumpkin is a nutritious fruit (yes, it’s technically a fruit, not a vegetable! It’s often referenced as a vegetable though because it is lower in sugar than other fruits) and offers some great health benefits. 

Perhaps the most impressive nutrient in pumpkin puree in terms of quantity is vitamin A. Healthline explains that vitamin A is important for vision, reproductive and skin health, a strong immune system, and healthy cell division.

Nutrients in O Organics Pure Pumpkin puree (1/2 cup serving size);

• Fiber: 3 grams
• Vitamin A: 930 mcg
• Iron 1.7 mg
• Vitamin C: 5mg
• Potassium: 250 mg
• Protein: 1 g
• Total Sugars: 4g
• Sodium: 5mg
• Low in sugar and sodium

Low in sugar and sodium and high in vitamins and minerals like vitamin A and iron, pumpkin is a wonderful food to give growing toddlers!   Find other Good Sources of Iron for Babies and Toddlers here. 

More Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Kids!

Does your toddler love this pumpkin yogurt parfait? Say hi and let me know in the comments!