You may not be wanting, ready, or able to patronize a restaurant right now, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an amazing Mother’s Day breakfast or brunch right in your own home! Not sure you’re capable of pulling off a restaurant-worthy meal for the occasion? No problem. When the small fries help make said meal, it’s automatically the best Mother’s Day brunch. They are responsible for making the woman in your life a mother, after all.
What to make mom for breakfast
What do moms like to eat for breakfast? Anything they don’t have to cook themselves! Here are a few Mother’s Day brunch menu ideas that are easy for kid cooks to make with their adults.
Breakfast: A continental breakfast will make mom feel like she’s on vacation. Eggs, oatmeal, pancakes, muffins, waffles, bacon, sausage, yogurt, and fresh cut fruit are just a few thoughts.
Casseroles: Casseroles make great all-in-one meals and are often a great marriage between breakfast and lunch: Favorites like eggs, macaroni, French toast, chicken pot pie, hash browns, tacos, and noodles can all be made into casserole dishes.
Appetizers: An assortment of appetizers allows mom to try all sorts of dishes such as pigs in a blanket, meatballs, spinach artichoke dip, shrimp cocktail, bruschetta, and quesadillas.
Pizza: Try traditional pizza with sauce and cheese, fruit pizza on crescent roll or sugar cookie dough, or cold veggie pizza with a cream cheese spread.
Sandwiches: Sandwiches can suit any ambiance ranging from simple like lunchmeat, egg salad, and grilled cheese to complex like avocado toast, pulled chicken, and portabella panini. Bread and condiments can majorly up your sandwich game.
Specialty beverages: Since the bartender is underage, fruit-infused water, punch, and mocktails (non-alcoholic mixed drinks) are ideal.
Dessert: Dessert tends to be the highlight of special occasions. Cookies, bars, dessert dips, chocolate fondue, and no-bake pie will keep you on mom’s good side.
Choose one or choose many of these Mother’s Day brunch ideas.
Mother’s Day brunch theme ideas
Why not go the extra mile and add a theme to your Mother’s Day meal? It’s a thoughtful touch that mom will truly appreciate.
Breakfast bar: Breakfast bars add color, variety, and choice to mom’s breakfast. Surround your main course with small dishes filled with toppings to add. Try oatmeal or yogurt with toppings like fresh fruit, raisins, brown sugar, granola, chocolate chips, and nuts.
Floral freshness: Pull out the flower-painted china. Arrange food in the shape of flowers. Brighten the table with potted flowers and let the kids paint or decorate the pots.
Tea party: Make it traditional or make it wonder-full for the queen of your hearts. She’ll love a teapot-inspired Mother’s Day brunch invitation from the kids and crustless sandwiches and mini pastries to compliment her favorite tea. Don’t forget to invite your family’s favorite stuffed animals!
Camp momma – No need to pack a tent but, if mom’s a nature lover, head outside for a Mother’s Day Campfire. Make mountain pies (sandwiches cooked over the fire) and s’mores, share laughs, and relax in the great outdoors.
Mother’s Day recipes to make together
Still not sure what to make for Mother’s Day? Or even how to make it? To help you get started, here are 4 Mother’s Day brunch recipes that you and the kids can make together.
The first is a breakfast food popular at international houses, but can easily be made at your own house. Use your favorite pancake box mix or make them from scratch with this tasty pancake recipe.
Breakfast pancakes
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 3 tsps baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups milk
- 3 Tbsps butter melted
- 1 egg
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add milk, melted butter, and egg to dry ingredients and stir until there aren’t any lumps.
- Pour batter ¼ cup at a time into a greased pan. Cook on medium heat. Pancakes are ready to flip (kids' favorite part) when bubbles form across top and edges begin to brown (about 2-3 minutes). Cook for 1-2 minutes more after flipping to brown opposite side.
Notes
Moving onto appetizers, kids will love getting to use a toothpick or mini fork to eat the next recipe.
Sweet and savory meatballs
Ingredients
- 1-12 oz bottle chili sauce
- 1 ½ cups jelly your preferred flavor
- 32 oz package frozen meatballs turkey, beef, pork, or vegetarian
Instructions
- In a medium pot, stir chili sauce and jelly together with frozen meatballs until the sauce covers the meatballs.
- Cover and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 15-18 minutes until sauce thins and bubbles vigorously and meatballs are cooked through.
Notes
If you’re nervous about what to cook for Mother’s Day with a young child, pizza is a good way to test the waters. Prepare the toppings ahead of time and allow your child to decorate the pizza on parchment, foil, or a baking pan for easy cleanup.
Puff pastry pizza
Ingredients
- prepared puff pastry found near the biscuits or in the frozen food aisle
- ⅛ tsp garlic salt
- 2 Tbsps olive oil
- 2 cups mozzarella cheese
- toppings see ideas below
Topping ideas
- meats pepperoni, sausage, ham, meatballs, chicken, and bacon
- fruits and veggies mushrooms, pineapple, spinach, broccoli, onions, peppers, olives, and tomatoes
- other toppings feta cheese, ranch dressing, barbeque sauce and hot sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Cut pastry dough into 8 rectangular slices.
- In a small dish, stir garlic salt into oil to season.
- Using a pastry brush, brush a thin layer of the seasoned oil onto the dough.
- Sprinkle a layer of cheese evenly on each slice.
- Next is the fun part. Let the kids top their pizzas. Will they make a face or other creative design? Be sure to encourage your child to make slices that mom will like, even if that means using toppings your child doesn’t care to eat.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
For a super easy and tasty dessert, that the kids will fawn over and Mom can indulge in try this Chocolate chip cheesecake dip.
Chocolate chip cheesecake dip
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter
- 1 – 8 oz package cream cheese
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, cream cheese, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla and salt and mix until well combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- You’ll want to use any food as an excuse to eat this dip, but our favorites to dunk are fruit, graham crackers, and pretzels.
Have fun in the kitchen and remember that it gets easier to cook together the more you do it. Happy Mother’s Day to the special moms in your life.
What’s your best (or worst) mother’s day brunch memory? We’d love to hear it in the comments below.
