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Creative ideas for a memorable Mother's Day Brunch

While traditional brunch fare is always appreciated on Mother’s Day, why not add a new recipe or two to your repertoire? These easy meal ideas for an at-home Mother’s Day are suitable for all skill levels, are endlessly customizable and call for ingredients you probably already have available in your fridge, freezer or pantry.



General suggestions for a Mother’s Day meal to remember.

Set the table using your best dishware, stemware and cutlery. Don’t worry about matching everything together. You can create an elegant place setting using a combination of colors and textures. A pretty tablecloth and cloth napkins will help draw the finished look together.

Find inspiration in nature. Freshly cut flowers (from a shop or your own garden), potted succulents, crystals or other visually appealing rocks and flowering tree branches in water are beautiful additions to a special table.

Have fun with beverage pairings. Herbal or black tea, mimosas, flavored water, sangria and piping hot (or ice cold) coffee pair well with breakfast and brunch dishes.



1. Design a snack plate with your mom in mind.

Social media is full of images of snack plates, and there’s a good reason why (other than the fact that they’re beautiful to look at): they can be made using ingredients you likely already have in your fridge or pantry. When building a snack plate, it’s important to think of both flavor and texture; look for foods that are salty, sweet, crunchy, smooth, soft and crumbly. If you want to serve up a truly special plate, these simple guidelines will help you put together an attractive, well-balanced snack board:

  • Arrange the snacks on a large dinner or serving plate, cutting board or shallow bowl. If you don’t have a large serving space, you can also spread the food out over several plates.
  • Wash and carefully dry fruit and vegetables before adding them to the plate. This will prevent water-logged cheese and soggy bread or crackers.
  • Cheese-heavy boards should be removed from the fridge an hour before serving for the best flavor.
  • Use unconventional fridge and pantry finds such as salsa, jam, marinated vegetables, pickles, spicy peppers, sliced lunch meat, hard-boiled eggs, chutney, and tapenade.
  • Finish the board with sprigs of aromatic herbs such as sages, rosemary or thyme.


2. Create a stunning yet simple fruit crisp.

Whether made from berries, apples, pears, peaches or rhubarb, a freshly baked fruit crisp is a thoughtful and delicious way to show someone you love them. The best part about this comforting dessert? Homemade fruit crisp can be successfully made by complete beginners as well as those who don’t care for baking — recipes for fruit crisp lack the need for precision called for in many other baking projects. If your fruit bowl looks less than inspired in terms of selection, you can always substitute frozen or canned fruit in place of fresh. Keep these serving suggestions in mind when it comes time for the big presentation:

  • Serve fruit crisp with a splash of dairy or non-dairy milk (oat milk or almond and work well) or a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or ice cream.
  • Sprinkle the fruit crisp with finely chopped candied ginger or citrus peel, dried food-grade rose petals or grated dark chocolate.
  • Make individual fruit crisps using ramekins or a set of small oven-safe skillets. Crack open the crumble topping and add a small amount of cream just before serving.


3. Make a flavorful frittata.

A homemade frittata requires only two things: a half dozen eggs (or more) and a good imagination. Unlike an omelet, which requires a fair amount of culinary dexterity, a frittata is practically foolproof, making it an ideal recipe for even the most novice home cook. These tips and tricks will help ensure your frittata is a crowd-pleasing success:

  • Use the following ratio when making an improvised frittata: 2 cups of cooked vegetables and/or meat, 1 cup of shredded or crumbled cheese and ¼ cup of dairy (regular or non-dairy milk or yogurt) for every 6 eggs.
  • Drain watery ingredients such as tomatoes, frozen vegetables and blanched greens in a colander before adding to the egg mixture.
  • Got leftovers? Add them to a frittata! Use leftover roasted or grilled veggies, crumbled sausage or cold bacon, diced potatoes, stuffing, cubed cornbread and chopped olives for a delicious and cost-effective Mother’s Day frittata the whole family will enjoy.
  • Grated cheddar, cubed brie or camembert, gouda, Asiago, or Swiss cheese, and crumbled fresh goat cheese or feta are frittata-friendly cheeses.


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