Who Wants Seconds?
Baked beans, anyone?
March 17 falls on a Sunday this year, so while your kids may have a party at school the Friday before, the actual holiday will happen while they’re home with you. If you’re looking for ways to celebrate and make the day feel special, you could start it off with one of these St. Patrick’s Day breakfast ideas. From traditional corned beef hash to vibrant green pancakes or rainbow waffles, there’s a meal here to suit every family member’s palate.
St. Patrick’s Day isn’t one most kids go crazy over — there are no baskets of candy and trinkets from the Easter bunny, and leprechauns are nothing like Santa Claus and the bounty of presents he leaves behind. So, on a Sunday St. Patrick’s Day, it’s kind of up to you to make the holiday feel festive. You could always go to a St. Patty’s parade, curl up and watch some festive movies together, or try your hand at making some crafts. But even if you do nothing else, making a green frittata and smoothie breakfast or baking a big batch of green muffins together is a fun way to celebrate. It doesn’t take much to make even a minor holiday feel magical for kids.
1St. Patrick’s Day Cinnamon Rolls
Homemade cinnamon rolls automatically make any day feel special. Roll them up with rainbow sprinkles inside and top them with a green frosting drizzle and there you have it: St. Patrick’s day cinnamon rolls.
2A Bright Green Smoothie Bowl
If your kids are into smoothies, serving them a bright green one for St. Patty’s Day feels festive, while also making you feel like Parent of the Year for getting some fruits and veggies in them. Serve it in a cup or as a bowl with fun toppings.
3Cheese Toasties
Cheese toasties — which is toast with cheese and sometimes herbs or mustard on top — is a popular breakfast or snack in the U.K. This recipe explains how to make them using Irish aged cheddar (uh, yum!).
4Rainbow Waffles
Honestly, if the rainbow led to a steaming hot plate of waffles, who would be mad? This stack of colorful homemade waffles will undoubtedly bring a smile to your kids’ faces. All you need is food coloring and cake mix, eggs, water, and vegetable oil.
5Baked Eggs With Mushrooms & Spinach
Don’t these baked eggs with spinach look like little pots of gold? They’ll be so creamy and flavorful thanks to the parmesan cheese, mushrooms, and garlic. Maybe this isn’t the most kid-friendly breakfast, but if you’re not up for cake mix waffles first thing in the morning, make some baked eggs for yourself.
6Green Machine Muffins
Bright green muffins will delight your kids before school, and the ingredient list for these ones will please you, too: they’re made with Greek yogurt, spinach, banana, and plenty of cinnamon and vanilla for flavor. Throw in some chocolate chips, why don’t you?
7A Green Veggie Frittata
This frittata recipe calls for sweet potato and kale, but if you’re planning a special St. Patrick’s Day breakfast, you could load it up with green veggies instead. Broccoli, asparagus, bell peppers, and green onion would all taste great with eggs and cheese.
8Easy Irish Soda Bread
This recipe includes whiskey-soaked raisins, which you can take or leave, but a quick homemade soda bread is perfect to use for toast on St. Patrick’s Day morning.
9Classic Corned Beef Hash
Whether or not your kids will eat corned beef hash depends on them of course, but if you want an Irish classic on March 17, this recipe won’t disappoint.
10Green Pancakes
These pancakes are supposed to be Grinch-inspired, but change up those hearts for shamrock sprinkles or Lucky Charms marshmallows — which you can buy in bulk on Amazon — and you now have leprechaun pancakes instead.
11Sausage & Biscuit Skillet With Guinness
This hearty breakfast feels like something you might be served in a pub, so it’s a shoe-in for a St. Patty’s Day breakfast. The potatoes, carrots, and onions all simmer in a bit of Guinness for flavor before joining up with flavorful sausage and having a fluffy homemade biscuit plopped on top.
12Baked Beans, a la a Full Irish breakfast
A traditional full Irish breakfast consists of eggs, soda bread toast, sausage, bubble and squeak (a potato and cabbage patty of sorts), and yes, baked beans. Your kids will be very amused to see one of their backyard barbecue faves show up for breakfast, and it’s a fun way to teach them about how dishes can be enjoyed differently around the world.
Since St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, whatever you serve, it’ll be a nice way to spend the morning together as a family.