Breakfast is a bit of a challenge around here. Our son isn’t a super selective eater (at least today!), but we’re selective about how we want him starting his day. In short, he rarely consumes grains (read more about his diet here) and had an early allergic reaction to egg yolk, so we’re holding off on eggs a little while longer. Our son is happy with a whole avocado, steamed apples with cinnamon and coconut oil, or even squash and ghee with some salt. Like all parents, we’re not looking to cook up a whole situation first thing in the morning and want something quick and easy that we know he’ll love. Enter the Superfood Jigglers, so far the best breakfast we’ve tried for our toddler.
The Ultimate Toddler Breakfast Should Be:
Rich in brain-fueling fats
High in protein for satiation and stabilizing blood sugar
Fibre-rich for super poops
Easy for them to eat themselves with minimal mess hitting the floors, ceiling, cabinets, you etc.
Easy variations available to keep it fresh and fun
Deeeelicious!
I kind of want to add “fun” to the above list, but we try not to play that game. Mealtime is for eating, not for having fun (though with parents like us, obviously, every meal is a laugh a minute). We’re trying to avoid the food as an entertainment thing. Next thing you know, he may be asking for fun Goldfish crackers.
I know there are some parents that are able to get their little ones to down fish roe, sardines, liver and the like for breakfast. We remember those days. As our son gets older, he is becoming slightly more selective. For now, sardines are out. Sadly, they are not out for my husband so I still have to smell them.
I also know there are more parents reading the above paragraph laughing their faces off at the thought of even trying to get their child to touch a little ball of roe or slup back a sardine. Or maybe you’re thinking, what is fish roe? It’s caviar with a less 1980’s Lifestyles Of The Rich and Famous name. That’s all.
Why The Superfood Jigglers Are The Best Breakfast
They follow the guidelines outlined above
Can be made in advance and frozen
Can be batch prepped with different fruits or other variations
Requires no prep time and minimal clean up time at breakfast
Your baby can feed him/herself with minimal supervision
A relatively tidy meal for them to practice fork/spoon skills
On to the main event. If you’re reading this, you’re likely a mom or dad, or a caregiver who is frustrated by breakfast time. Just know that you are not alone in the mealtime challenges. Some days are easy. Some days are not so easy. It’s all about experimenting and seeing what will work – today! And what won’t stick to the cupboards when it’s flung across the kitchen. Let’s just be happy when things work today.
Hopefully, you’re ready to give this one a try.
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A simple, grain-free, dairy-free snack or breakfast for toddlers
Ingredients
Scale
1 mango (about 2 cups coarsely chopped)
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 Tbsp ground chia
3 Tbsp grass-fed gelatin (I use Great Lakes)
2 medjool dates (see notes)
3/4 cup water or coconut milk
Instructions
Add mango, coconut oil, ground chia, gelatin and dates to blender. Add 1/4 cup of the water/coconut milk.
Blend until smooth, adding more water/coconut milk as needed to get a smooth and creamy consistency. You don’t want it too thin or it won’t gel. Scrape down the sides as needed.
Once thoroughly mixed, transfer to silicone ice cube maker (see my photo in post) or 125 ml mason jars and fill to about 1 inch thick.
Place in the fridge and chill for 6 hours, or until set.
Pop Jigglers out of the mold and transfer to a freezer friendly container. If using jars, allow Jigglers to set in the fridge before freezing
Notes
I have not tried a vegan version of this, so I cannot comment on how it would work. I have tried this recipe with mango, 2 cups of blueberries, and mixed berries with great success. Aim to use a fruit that is flavourful and without a high water concentration. If you want to use just 1 Tbsp of chia, cut water back to 1/2 cup. If your little one is used to sweeten foods, you may want to start with three or four dates and use less each batch.
Prep Time:10 mins
Category:Breakfast, Snack
I trust there may be many questions about various substitution options. I cannot comment on any substitutions as I have not tried or tested them. If you try a variation, I’d be grateful if you could share what you did and the results in the comments section below.
Wow, this sounds like an AMAZING recipe and I don’t even have kids! I use Great Lakes gelatin in my own breakfast though, so this recipe sounds like a keeper for when I do have a family! Thanks for sharing this.
I made these for my 9 month old. She loves them. I used a different date (not medjool) and they were a little dry so I soaked them first. Worked perfect. Mine don’t look as pretty as yours but they do the job anyway! Thank you :)
This recipe sounds amazing! I bought the great lakes gelatin and this will be my first time using any kind of gelatin. Could you tell me whether I should be blending the powder in with the ingredients you mentioned in the first step, or blooming the gelatin first with water? Thanks!
Reading Time: 3 minutes 
On to the main event. If you’re reading this, you’re likely a mom or dad, or a caregiver who is frustrated by breakfast time. Just know that you are not alone in the mealtime challenges. Some days are easy. Some days are not so easy. It’s all about experimenting and seeing what will work – today! And what won’t stick to the cupboards when it’s flung across the kitchen. Let’s just be happy when things work today.
Hopefully, you’re ready to give this one a try.
Print
Neat idea! Have you calculate the protein content? It seems high in natural sugar and low in protein.
Wow, this sounds like an AMAZING recipe and I don’t even have kids! I use Great Lakes gelatin in my own breakfast though, so this recipe sounds like a keeper for when I do have a family! Thanks for sharing this.
Do you give it to them frozen?
I made these for my 9 month old. She loves them. I used a different date (not medjool) and they were a little dry so I soaked them first. Worked perfect. Mine don’t look as pretty as yours but they do the job anyway! Thank you :)
These look great… I am interested in testing out a vegan alternative. Do you know of any health concerns with agar agar?
my little boy is allergic to coconut ( i know….very rare) is there an alternative to use instead of the milk and oil?
desperate to give a different option to yoghurt and Sweet potatoe pancakes.
many thanks :)
This recipe sounds amazing! I bought the great lakes gelatin and this will be my first time using any kind of gelatin. Could you tell me whether I should be blending the powder in with the ingredients you mentioned in the first step, or blooming the gelatin first with water? Thanks!