Kid-Friendly New Year’s Day Brunch Ideas
This New Year’s Day, take away the stress of going out to brunch by preparing a delicious home-cooked meal — one the entire family will enjoy.
Truth be told, the restaurant dining experience loses a lot of its luster when small kids are involved. I know this in a big way, as I’m mother to a 4-year-old and an 8-month-old.
Now that I’m a mom, those days of long, leisurely brunches are a thing of the past, at least maybe until the kids have grown a bit. Heck, even quick meals out aren’t that fun at most restaurants, unless there’s space for kiddos to play instead of being made to sit still at the table. Add in the whole pandemic angle, where there are huge concerns about being in an enclosed public space with other people, and you have even more reason to stay home to eat.
This New Year’s Day, take away the stress of going out to brunch by preparing a delicious home-cooked meal — one the entire family will enjoy. Once you’ve finished eating you can send the kids to watch a movie, do an art project, or play outside. Then perhaps that will give you and your partner the chance to enjoy some quiet time, sitting together and sipping a mimosa or bloody Mary.
If you’re looking for family-friendly New Year’s Day brunch ideas, you’ve come to the right place. Oh, and no matter which of the below brunch paths you choose to travel, take your New Year’s Day up a notch with fresh-squeezed juice, coffee and/or brunch cocktails for the adults, fresh fruit, and perhaps some toast, sausage, bacon, etc. to enjoy on the side.
1. Waffle Bar
Whether you make your own from scratch, whip up a batch using a store-bought mix (we love Birch Benders brand at our house), or start with frozen waffles (no harsh judgement from me – we especially love the Van’s version), you can greatly enhance a waffle brunch by putting together a waffle bar. What kiddo isn’t a fan of waffles? This is sure to please.
Each family member will be able to customize their waffles by adding the toppings of their choice, making for a happy crew. A few topping suggestions include bananas, blueberries, sprinkles, almond butter or peanut butter, unsweetened shredded coconut, walnuts, syrup, and whipped cream.
2. Loaded Bagels
To put together this New Year’s Day brunch together, you can either grab bagels from your family’s favorite spot (ours is The Bagel Station in our hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina) or, if you’re a sourdough bread maker, you can make your own bagels from scratch using your starter. Making your own is definitely more involved, but it’s not hard and it results in delicious bagels, so you might want to consider going that route. Serve the bagels (toasted, of course) with topping options like lox, capers, and lemon slices, jelly and cheese (they pair SO well – trust me), cream cheese, and fried eggs.
3. tofu or egg scramble
A scramble is far easier to put together than an omelet, and it allows you to easily use either eggs or tofu as the main ingredient, to honor each diner’s individual dietary preferences and/or allergies. Scrambles are definitely a go-to savory brunch idea at our house. Chop up your family’s favorite veggies (bell peppers, onions, kalamata olives, spinach, and cherry tomatoes) and sauté them in a skillet with the tofu or eggs. At the very end of the cooking process, sprinkle the scramble with grated cheese, and then top it with salt and pepper, or even hot sauce (Cholula brand, if you’re like me) for those who enjoy a bit of a kick.
4. croissant breakfast sandwiches
Swing by your favorite bakery for this New Year’s Day brunch and grab enough croissants for everyone in your family. Keep this one simple and classic: slice the croissants, then top and toast (open faced, in an oven or toaster oven) with cheese, ham, and perhaps some sliced tomato. For picky kids, just cheese will do nicely.
