They say it’s the most important meal of the day, but most of us are out of time and patience before breakfast even starts. We’re prone to popping in a toaster pastry or grabbing a breakfast-in-a-bar just to get some calories in our kids’ hungry bodies and get them out the door. Instead, try one of these healthy and tasty options. Some don’t need any dressing up, while others present as treats but pack the hidden power of stealth veggies or fruits.

The best part about them is that, while you’ll love these for yourself, your kids won’t even know they’re getting the good stuff.

1. Green Smoothie

Who doesn’t love a drinkable breakfast? Smoothies made of berries, bananas, stone fruit, yogurt, and ice, all blended up, are always a good option. But there’s an easy way to make them better and healthier. Try adding ground flax seeds for an undetectable serving of Omega-3s. Then experiment with one crisp leaf of raw kale or spinach (the color will turn slightly brownish, but don’t mention it and they’ll never know). You can also layer in a nut protein like peanut or almond butter, as well as almond or soy milk. These smoothies become a complete meal that goes down easy as a spoonful of sugar.

2. Eggs and Greens

That’s right: a little sautéed spinach, kale or beet greens tucked into some scrambled eggs can give a kid (and her parents) fuel all day long. Chop them very fine so they’re easy to munch and cook quickly. If your kid has a more adventurous palate, try sautéing the greens in a bit of butter and garlic, then throwing in the eggs and a little salt and pepper right in the pan.

3. Homemade Egg McMuffins

Two fried eggs, a toasted English muffin, a pat of butter, a slice of tomato and a slice of cheese: that ought to keep them going. While you’re toasting the muffin, fry the eggs, and make thin slices of cheese (we recommend something sharp like cheddar) and tomato. When the eggs are done, place them on the toasted muffin and layer the cheese and tomato on top, then pop them in a warm toaster oven for about three minutes, making the cheese meltier and warming the tomato.

4. Medley of Fruit

Cantaloupe and papaya are among the healthiest fruits, loaded with beta carotene and vitamins A and C. Papaya can have an intense flavor, so calming it down with the more neutral taste of cantaloupe or the tangy sweetness of honeydew can make it more appealing.

5. Granny’s Morning Grub

We all know yogurt is great for a growing body, with all those healthy live bacteria and a good dose of calcium. But often yogurt for kids is chock full of sugar. So start with plain yogurt and dress it up with natural sweetness. We recommend diced granny smith apples, walnuts, raisins, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, but the old favorite of granola and berries is just as appealing. Try a parfait, layering yogurt, granola and then fruit in a clear glass so it reads like a sundae.

6. Huevos Rancheros

Eggs, beans, cheese, tortilla, salsa: make, put together on a plate, eat. This is a filling breakfast without being too heavy. It's packed with protein, the punch of salsa, and the salty goodness of cheese. You can also roll all the ingredients into a flour or soft corn tortilla to make a breakfast burrito, a more portable option. If you have time, cook the beans with garlic, onion, and cumin. You can also make a big batch and save the extra for tacos at dinner.

7. BLT+A

If you’ve got the craving for bacon, a breakfast BLT is packed with fuel to start the day off with a bang. We recommend adding a few slices of ripe avocado to get a serving of veggies, the good kind of fat, and vitamins C and K. Put the sandwich on tasted whole grain bread for extra nutrition.

8. Hot Quinoa

Rather than cream-of-wheat or oatmeal, try dressing up the perfect protein of the grain quinoa. Rinse first to prevent a bitter taste, but once cleaned and cooked it has a fairly neutral flavor. Try a bit of cream, some maple syrup, and dried fruit (add the latter to the grain as it cooks so it’s soft and supple) and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Here's a recipe for cooking basic quinoa.

9. Healthy Pancakes

You can sneak some cool secret ingredients into pancakes: applesauce, sweet potatoes, grated carrots, and of course the good old standbys of antioxidant-rich blueberries or potassium-packed bananas work well, too. That way, you can skip the maple syrup and still have something sweet to eat.

10. Veggie Muffins

Before you scrunch up your nose at such a thought, remember how much you love zucchini bread and carrot cake. Now transform those concepts into muffin-sized miracles of breakfast, with hidden healthy additions such as ground flax seed. You can use a variety of pureed vegetables, including broccoli and cauliflower, hidden in the batter.