Easy Breakfast and Lunch Ideas Kids Can Make Themselves

Earlier this week on Instagram, someone asked what I do for breakfast and lunch during homeschool days and I shared that my kids largely make their own meals without any help from me. My DMs exploded with questions asking what my kids eat, how I manage it with seven kids, and how to get kids cooking on their own.

Why I love My Kids’ Kitchen Independence

I have seven kids, and I cannot reasonably respond to every single one of them the second they say they’re hungry. I also don’t believe that kids should feel like they have instant access to their parents’ time for things they are perfectly capable of doing on their own.

Growing up I loved being in the kitchen so teaching my kids how to cook and prepare food was just something I shared with them from the beginning. Helping them learn to cook on their own does two things: It takes a big chunk of the day off my plate. And it teaches my kids that they’re capable. If they’re hungry, they can get something to eat. If they want a peanut butter sandwich, they don’t have to wait for me to make it, they can make it themselves.

The Kitchen Tools That Help Kids Make Meals Themselves

I don’t have some elaborate kid-kitchen system. I teach my kids to use the things we already have. But a handful of items make it noticeably easier, and this is where I’d start if you’re setting up your own kitchen for meals kids can make themselves. Many of these you probably already have!

Non-slip cutting board
Kid-safe chop knives
Small spatulas
Spreading knives (great for younger kids)
Meal prep + storage containers
Cheese Shredder
Corelle dinnerware (it survives our house, which says a lot)
A toaster they can use on their own

Breakfasts Ideas for Kids to Make Themselves

I really don’t do any elaborate meal planning here, just a rotating list of things that are easy and filling.
These are my kids’ favorites to make.

Bagels with cream cheese, butter, or peanut butter
Salami, usually piled on the bagel
Scrambled eggs
Biscuits
Pancakes (more on this below)
Yogurt and granola
Sourdough toast
Breakfast burritos or bowls

The trick that makes this actually work is batch cooking. Sunday mornings I’ll make a large batch of pancakes and save most of them in the freezer for the week. (A griddle makes this easier. I love my Blackstone for this.) Anyone who wants pancakes on a weekday just pulls a couple out and reheats them in the toaster.

Lunch Ideas for Kids to Make Themselves

Sandwiches and wraps (turkey, chicken, ham, PB&J)
Ramen noodles
Nachos
Quesadillas
Grilled cheese
Salads
Soups
Snack plate (nuts, crackers, cheese)
Chicken nuggets, or chicken nugget sliders
Dinner leftovers, portioned into meal prep containers the night before so lunch is just grab and reheat

Popcorn shows up a lot too. It’s more of a snack than a lunch, but for a kid who isn’t that hungry, it’s a popular choice.

Snack Ideas

We keep snacks very light in our house and rotate through options instead of buying everything every week.
Here are a few easy ones that are go-to choices in our home.

Cheese
Meat sticks
Veggies + dip
Fruit
Granola bars
Toast
Pretzels + hummus
Popcorn
Small sandwiches

How This Actually Runs, Day to Day

The question I got most: how do you stop them from eating chips or sugary cereal for every meal? Simple. I don’t buy it. My kids might make their own lunches, but I’m still the one grocery shopping, so I control the options.

Before I shop, we talk as a family about what sounds good. I take suggestions and buy what will make the easiest, best meals for them to make themselves. It shifts a little through the year, but mostly stays the same short list. It also allows me to keep the options limited each week. They don’t have 10+ lunch options available to them, I might buy 1 or 2 to have on hand.

A few more things that keep this from turning into chaos:

Group decisions are encouraged, and required for some meals like chicken nuggets, so we’re not running five different meals and five sinks of dishes at once. Most days the kids end up eating the same thing together.
My youngest two kids are 3 and 5 and are supervised or receive full assistance.
Everyone cleans up after themselves, they can’t leave it for someone else.
The kitchen closes for lunch around 1:00-1:30pm. Anyone hungry after that grabs a snack instead.

Tips for Starting This in Your Own Home

Including your kids in the kitchen when you’re cooking meals is the best way to prep for their kitchen independence. When you’re making dinner, let them help. Guide them in learning how to cut veggies, use appliances, understand safety. The more prep work you do here, the easier them doing it all on their own becomes. Every one of my kids has had to demonstrate consistent, proper use of knives, appliances, and the stove/oven with my help and then supervision before getting to use it on their own.

The assemble only breakfasts and lunches that are a great place to start if you’re worried about using heat or appliances.

There’s no one right way to do this. If something isn’t working, change it. What matters is that you start and include your kids in this necessary life skill so they can develop the skills they need to do it on their own.

And let me tell you the first time your kid makes their meal start to finish on their own, it’s the best bittersweet feeling.