There’s nothing better than surprising that special mom in your life with a special breakfast in bed…and nothing like her walking into the kitchen and wondering if a tornado made of flour just blew through. This Mother’s Day, opt for simple breakfasts so mom can enjoy tasty dishes without feeling the need to scrub dried jam on the floor during her special vacation to rest.
Breakfast in bed not mom’s favorite? Carefree! I also have some dinner ideas that are not only easy to clean up, but also require minimal ingredients and prep, so the kids can help make their Mother’s Day meal.
If you need some simple ideas to change up Mother’s Day brunch or dinner this year, try these:
1. Yogurt bar
Breakfast in bed seems nice until you spill orange juice on the freshly laundered sheets or have syrup stuck to your pajamas. You don’t want Mom’s party to start off so complicated, so make things a little less chaotic by making her a yogurt bar. All you need is a tub of her favorite yogurt (although traditional vanilla works best for a yogurt bar) and lots of fun toppings.
In separate dishes, include plenty of toppings. Choose from items such as:
-granola
-oat flakes
-fruits: strawberries, blueberries, banana slices
-nuts: walnuts, pecans, almonds, pistachios
-cookie crumble
-Honey
-coconut flakes
-dark chocolate chips
-maple syrup
– brown sugar
-traditional sugar
The preparation of the subjects involves the children, without crazy clean-up.
2. Classic pancakes and eggs
If you want to go the more traditional route, you can serve classic pancakes and eggs for breakfast. Our family has found several organic, clean pancake mixes at our local grocery store, or you can make a homemade batter. (It’s not as difficult as you might think, with plenty of simple recipes online.)
Add some scrambled eggs on the side and that’s it. (Bonus points if you can buy fresh local eggs, as they taste creamier and have a much longer shelf life.)
But if you want to entertain the kids and change things up, have them decorate mom’s pancakes with whipped cream, chocolate chips and fresh fruit. Just a warning: this can be a complicated undertaking, but make sure you not only prepare breakfast/brunch, but also do all the cleaning. This way, mom can enjoy sweet memories with her children without having to do the cleaning afterwards.
(Want to make things even more fun? Find fun pancake recipes that include a cheesecake filling, jams, or even cereal!)
3. Favorite Fun Drink and Treat
One of the sweetest ways my husband surprises me is when he stops at my favorite coffee shop and orders a refreshing pink strawberry drink with two chocolate chip cookies. It’s more than a good pick-me-up; it’s also a way for him to show me that he remembers the little details of who I am and what brings me simple joy.
For Mother’s Day, why not treat her to some of her favorite snacks? If their favorite place to buy treats isn’t open on Sunday, buy them the day before and keep them as a surprise! (If she likes frozen drinks, ask her not to pour the drink over ice. That way you can store it in the refrigerator without it getting diluted.)
4. Fruit bouquet
Does the mom in your life like fresh fruit? Surprise her this Mother’s Day morning with a personally made fruit bouquet. Creatively decorate the wooden skewers with her favorite fruits to look like flowers. This is a fun, mess-free and easy breakfast or brunch idea that can easily get the kids involved too!
(To take it a step further, you can ask the children to decorate a vase in which the fruit flowers will be displayed.)
5. Chicken, steak and shrimp skewers
I like breakfast, but I don’t like breakfast. For Mother’s Day, I’m much more concerned with the dinner menu! If your mom is in the same situation, make sure you prepare a fun party dish that she can enjoy. One of the simplest, healthiest, and tastiest meals you can make is chicken, steak, and/or shrimp skewers. You know which meats your mother prefers, so cut them into small pieces and layer them on metal skewers between fresh red, green and orange peppers.
Cook them on the grill until the meat is done (note that shrimp cook much faster) and serve them on a bed of white jasmine rice with your choice of green vegetable (grilled asparagus is excellent) or a fresh salad.
It’s a hearty but light meal, a little colorful and fun, perfect for welcoming spring and celebrating mom!
6. Pink pasta
Want to prepare a delicious pink pasta dish for mom? Mix the marinara and Alfredo sauces, heat them in a pan with butter and salt and pour them over the cooked bowtie pasta. (Add ground beef or chicken strips if you want meaty.)
This is a lovely, fun dish that is easy to prepare and will definitely add a pop of color to your table!
7. Mesquite Pork Tenderloin
No one loves a one-pan dinner like a mom who doesn’t want to worry about a messy kitchen, so why not introduce her to this recipe? I discovered my first mesquite pork tenderloin recipe when a friend in my life group brought it as part of my postpartum meal plan. It’s nothing more than fresh pork tenderloin, patted dry, coated in olive oil and seasoned evenly with smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. Some people also like to add chili powder.
You cook this with chopped squash and zucchini for about 20 to 30 minutes at 400 to 425 degrees, and you’re ready to go! This can also be served with white rice and salad, depending on mom’s preference.
It’s an easy prep that allows kids to add the spices and cut the veggies, but it doesn’t leave the kitchen looking like a construction zone!
Mother’s Day made simple
In today’s culture, motherhood is never easy. There are too many voices, both digital and in person, that make a mother feel like a failure. Whether she doesn’t prepare enough organic meals or gives her kids too much screen time, doesn’t read them a devotional every morning or lets them skip brushing their teeth every once in a while, she’s always counting the ways she’s not doing things right.
Motherhood seems complicated, like we’re always learning. And motherhood is complicated because we learn something new every day. We learn to apologize to our children when we are wrong and show them how to accept and extend the mercy and grace that God extends to us.
These are difficult lessons that we learn and then extend to our children. They can seem complicated and heavy, so why not make this Mother’s Day a little simple? Treat her to a special breakfast, brunch, or dinner and let her know that she is deeply loved, both by you and by her father.
Happy Mother’s Day to all moms! May you feel so loved and seen this holiday!
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Andersen Ross Photography Inc
