Easy & Elegant Mother’s Day Brunch Ideas to Share (Kid-Friendly + Make-Ahead)

Plan the perfect Mother’s Day Brunch with these easy, family-approved, and elegant ideas, including a few you can prepare ahead of your celebrations! Whether you’re a partner planning a surprise, a friend helping organize a celebration, or a mom passing along a gentle nudge, this guide is packed with simple, elegant, & delicious Mother’s Day brunch recipes that kids can help with, from strawberry shortcake and mini frittatas to spa water and smoothies. These simple yet beautiful dishes are designed to make Mom feel special while keeping things stress-free for the whole family. Plus, we’ve included tips on how to involve kids safely in the kitchen, ideas for presentation, and thoughtful ways to turn brunch into a heartfelt celebration. Pin it, share it, or send it to someone you love, these recipes are made for creating the best memories.

Kid-Friendly Strawberry Shortcake Recipe 🍓

If you’re looking for a sweet & simple seasonal idea to celebrate Mother’s Day, share this easy strawberry shortcake recipe with your partner & kids for them to make for a fun elegant Mother’s Day brunch! You’ll need kid-safe knives, fresh strawberries, biscuits, and whipped cream. You can either buy the whipped cream and biscuits pre-made or make them from scratch. To get young children involved, have the kids help wash the strawberries, and then you have the option to teach them how to slice the strawberries with the kid-friendly knives. Perfect for this time of year, and fun for everyone to enjoy! To go next-level, you can also cut the roses into the shape of roses.  

Ingredients:

• Fresh strawberries
• Biscuits (store-bought or homemade)
• Whipped cream
• Optional: Fresh mint or edible flowers for garnish

Steps:

• Wash strawberries
• Slice strawberries
• Sprinkle sugar over sliced strawberries
• Keep biscuits at room temperature so that you don’t liquify your whipped cream
• Assemble by splitting the biscuit in half, adding strawberries on the bottom, spooning whipped cream on top of the berries, and placing the biscuit top on like a sandwich
• Add more whipped cream and strawberries on top, if you like!
• Serve on a pretty plate or cake stand for that “elegant brunch” feel

Simple Sides: Roasted Rosemary Potatoes Recipe 🥔

Roasted fingerling potatoes with fresh rosemary and minced garlic make a delicious and sophisticated side dish for brunch that’s surprisingly simple to prepare. There’s almost no chopping involved; just wash the potatoes, get a tube of pre-minced garlic, and pluck off a few sprigs of fresh rosemary. Toss everything with olive oil, season to taste, roast in the oven, and you’re off to the races. It looks and tastes sophisticated, but it’s easy enough for even the busiest families to pull off for a homemade Mother’s Day meal.

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of fingerling or baby potatoes
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon of pre-minced garlic (from a tube or jar)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher Salt & Pepper

Steps:

• Rest potatoes in heavy salted pot of room temp water for 1 hour, effectively brining them (pour out the water)
• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Place potatoes in a large bowl
• Add olive oil, minced garlic, and rosemary leaves (pull them off the stems first!)
• Sprinkle with Kosher salt and pepper.
• Mix everything together until potatoes evenly coated
• Spread on a baking sheet in a single layer
• Roast 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden & crispy on edges
• Serve warm as a brunch side that pairs beautifully with frittatas

Another great option: healthy mini frittatas baked in cupcake tins for a balanced brunch. These are ideal for a healthier protein option for a Mother’s Day brunch recipe that can be made ahead of time, then set out for everyone to enjoy. They’re also a great idea to send to a partner as a subtle nudge to get cooking with the kids on Mother’s Day, or for young adults who want to surprise their moms with something homemade and heartfelt. 

Don’t forget the drinks!

Brew up (or pick up) Mom’s favorite coffee or tea with their regular milk/sugar preferences and ask in advance if you’re unsure!

Another great start to the morning is a refreshing smoothie. One easy option: blend a banana with some orange juice—it’s a simple, old family recipe that’s always a hit. Another easy smoothie option is to get fresh or frozen berries and blend them with orange juice for a vibrant, delicious morning smoothie. It’s a quick and thoughtful treat for Mom to start her day with. If noise is a concern, her favorite fresh fruits in sections on a platter is always a great brunch addition.

For a refreshing and thoughtful touch that’s also easy for kids, make spa water at home. All you need is fresh mint, sliced cucumbers, and cold water. It’s incredibly easy to put together, and it looks beautiful served in a pitcher. You can have littles pull the washed mint leaves from the stem and use kid-safe knives so they can help slice the cucumbers—making it a perfect activity for dads and young kids to do together. It’s also a great option if you’re hosting a Mother’s Day brunch or gathering at your home. Simple, elegant, and relaxing—just like Mom deserves.

Having people over on a holiday can be hard enough, but creating a simple menu that still looks elegant is the perfect way to celebrate Mother’s Day. Focus on dishes that are easy to prepare and allow kids to help, especially with safe tasks like cutting soft foods using kid-safe knives. It’s a thoughtful way to get the whole family involved, without making things complicated.

Don’t get caught up in the pressure to bake everything from scratch or plan a picture-perfect day.

The heart of Mother’s Day is all about celebrating together as a family and making sure the moms in our lives feel seen, appreciated, and loved. Every family celebrates differently, and every year might look a little different—and that’s perfectly okay. Women are behind making all of this happen for the women in their lives, and it’s a beautiful time to recognize how women show up for one another—not just as mothers, but as sisters, friends, daughters, and chosen family. Whether you’re cooking up a full brunch or just spending a few quiet moments together, the love behind it is what matters most. If you’re looking for catering options to make hosting Mother’s Day or other celebrations easier, less stressful, and even more delicious, contact Made by Meg Catering – we are here to help with all of your food and beverage service needs!