When it comes to cooking breakfast for her 5-year-old daughter, Victoria’s Secret supermodel Alessandra Ambrosio follows a simple philosophy: “I try to give her a little of whatever I eat. If I eat eggs, she eats eggs.”

It might sound basic, but it turns out that the Brazilian beauty is onto something! A recent UK study found this is actually one of the best ways of ensuring children eat nutritious foods. By tracking the diets of more than 2,000 children in Scotland, researchers learned that kids who primarily ate the same foods as their parents ultimately had the healthiest and most nutritionally complete diets.

It makes sense if you think about a typical children’s menu: hot dogs, burgers, and fries are fun dishes kids rarely turn down, but they’re not always nutritionally sound. This is unfortunate because, while adults need food for energy, children need it to continue the growing and development process.

While these foods can be lifesavers on days when your kids are particularly particular, if they start to become the everyday choice instead of the treat, you and your kids will miss out on an amazing teaching opportunity.

Instead of giving in, turn eating healthy foods into a game! Serve kids portions of what you’re eating and encourage them to try at least one bite of everything. If you’re eating it, they have to try it, too. They’ll likely complain a bit, but that’s OK; keep pushing them to try new things and you just might be amazed by what they end up loving.

Not willing to shake up the whole dinnertime routine yet? Then start small—even a minor change will help. And what better place to start than with breakfast?

My personal favorite weekday breakfasts are egg muffins, which are essentially a frittata that is baked in a muffin tin to create individual (and portable!) portions. They can be made in advance (I usually bake a up a big batch on Sunday evening), and then kept in the fridge for quick grab-and-go breakfasts all week long. It’s the perfect way to introduce new vegetables and meats to your child’s diet, because you can mix up the ingredients each week.

This recipe for Breakfast Burrito Egg Muffins brings together all the flavors of a classic burrito in a healthy and super convenient package. Made with black beans, turkey, vegetables, and even a little bit of cheese, they are a great source of protein and vegetables that will keep everyone in your family—yes, everyone!—fueled throughout the morning.

Kid-Friendly Breakfast Burrito Egg Muffins

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil plus extra for greasing the muffin cups
  • 10 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 cup raw zucchini, diced into 1/2" pieces
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

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