If the idea of dessert for breakfast entices you, you’ve gotta try my delectable Banana Split Parfait with Cool Whip “Ice Cream.” Packed with creamy yogurt, crunchy cereal, salty nuts, tons of fruit, a big scoop of frozen whipped topping as your low-cal ice cream, and Fruity Pebbles for sprinkles, this loaded breakfast banana split bowl is a gee-dang party for your mouth!

When it comes to breakfast, I’m all for make-ahead meals or recipes that take 10 minutes (or less!). TBH, I generally don’t eat my first meal until well into the afternoon (restaurant habits die HARD, y’all). So, if there’s even a chance that I’ll have a nibble with my coffee, it better be EASY.

I also sport a pretty hefty sweet tooth, which doesn’t always align with my intentions for healthy living. The solution? All 👏 the 👏 fruit! Seriously, y’all. This banana and Greek yogurt banana split is so dadgum tasty and indulgent that it often shows up as Joe and my dessert during the week. 

Between protein-packed Greek yogurt and nuts plus 3-4 kinds of in-season fruit, the base of this healthy* banana split is both filling and nutritious. By the time you add your pretend Cool Whip “ice cream” and the fun sugary cereal (hellooooo Honey Grahams and Fruity Pebbles!), there’s already so much goodness on your plate you don’t even have to feel bad about it.

^{*Healthy is one of those subjective terms that means all kinds of things to all kinds of people. I’m not a nutritional professional, so please don’t take what I think as gospel! But, for the record, I’m of the belief that both fruit and yogurt are two of the best kinds of fuel for my body. And, even sugary cereal has some redeeming properties.}

Jump to:

• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make A Breakfast Banana Split With Yogurt & Cool Whip Ice Cream
• Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations
• Expert Tips
• Frequently Asked Questions
• More Healthy Banana Breakfast Ideas
• Healthy-ish Breakfast Banana Split Bowls
• 💬 Reviews

Why You’ll Love This Banana Split Breakfast Recipe

If merely saying “banana split yogurt cereal dessert” isn’t enough to get you running to the kitchen to make one, you should also know that this recipe is:

• Quick & Easy - All you have to do is slice your fruit and pile everything in a bowl. Making this breakfast banana split takes just 5 minutes or less!
• Customizable - Between peaches & berries in the summer, citrus, pomegranates, & persimmons in the winter, plus all the year-round bananas and frozen fruits, there are tons of naturally sweet, actually good-for-you ways to scratch that sugar itch. There are also about a gazillion types of cereals and yogurt flavors to choose from, so you can easily make this yogurt banana split exactly to spec.
• Versatile - While it’s definitely nutritious enough for me to chow down at breakfast, this banana split with yogurt is also sweet enough to enjoy as dessert. I’ve also consumed it for dinner on a few occasions when Joe is out of town — because dessert for dinner may be one of my favorite kinds of self-care. 😂
• Hearty & Filling - This banana split parfait is certain to crush even the gnarliest hunger. We’re talking 4 servings of fruit plus yogurt and cereal, all loaded into one bowl. This is a MEAL, people. But, since everything is nice and cold, it’s also super refreshing so it’s perfect for warm weather.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Before you go balking at the long ingredient list, note that literally ANY of the ingredients below can be omitted or swapped out for something else. There’s no cooking going on here, just adding tasty things to a bowl, so there are no “must haves” to make this banana split parfait.

Here's what to grab:

• Greek Yogurt - I like to use plain because everything else is sweet enough, but feel free to swap in the flavor of your choice! Regular, non-Greek yogurt works too.
• Cereal of Choice - My faves include Honey Grahams, Cinnamon Life, or Bran Flakes, but literally anything in your pantry will do. I often mix and match depending on what we have open!
• Banana - Okay, if anything were to be considered essential to a banana split, the banana is definitely it lol. I personally like to cut mine into quarter-sized rounds for easier scoop-ability, but you can also go traditional and split it lengthwise instead.
• Blueberries, Strawberries, & Peaches - Our farmer’s market has been poppin’ with some seriously crave-worthy fruit. Feel free to swap in any of your favorites to equal about 1 ½ cups of fruit. You’re welcome to use fresh, frozen, or even canned fruit that’s been packed in juice.
• Kosher Salt & Cinnamon - Weirdly enough, both of these ingredients make sweet things taste sweeter. A touch of kosher salt on your fruit is about to blow your mind!
• Frozen Whipped Topping - This is your "ice cream," so make it a big scoop! Two tablespoons is just 20 calories, so I typically go for about ⅓ of a cup. Also, don’t feel like you have to use Cool Whip brand. 
• Squirtable Whipped Cream - This is another way to introduce some of that fun dessert for breakfast vibe without totally killing your calorie count. (2 tablespoons is just 15 calories, so I usually use 3 tablespoons total.) Feel free to omit it if you prefer.
• Grape Nuts - Call me weird if you wanna, but Joe and I are obsessed with the crunchy, nutty-tasting, fiber-packed yumminess of Grape Nuts. Feel free to swap in granola for a sweeter option, or omit it.
• Peanuts - For added crunch and saltiness, plus extra protein. Feel free to swap in the nuts or seeds of your choice, or omit them altogether.
• Fruity Pebbles - Y’all, I have an undying love of these cheerful little rice flakes. I know they’re fake AF. I don’t care. They make perfect sprinkles on this fruit yogurt bowl, and are probably a little better for you than actual sprinkles, too.

How To Make A Breakfast Banana Split With Yogurt & Cool Whip Ice Cream

Y’all can assemble your yogurt fruit bowl however you like. Below is how I typically make mine, but you can also neatly line up the fruits in ROYGBIV order (like the photos), or stir everything together into a mess. All that matters is you get all that good-good in the bowl. 🤤

Step 1: Swirl the yogurt over the bottom of a shallow pasta bowl using the back of a spoon.

Step 2: Crunch up your cereal of choice and scatter it over the yogurt.

Step 3: Add fruit. Top the cereal with thin slices of banana. Scatter the remaining fruit around.

Step 4: Sprinkle on the Grape Nuts & peanuts. Sprinkle the bowl with salt and cinnamon.

Step 5: Top the fruit with a scoop or two of whipped topping. Squirt the whipped cream decoratively around.

Step 6: Garnish. Use the Fruity Pebbles as your "sprinkles." Dig in!

Optional Variations & Dietary Adaptations

The great thing about making these healthy-ish banana split bowls for breakfast is you can basically take them in any direction you like. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Dairy-Free/Vegan - Simply swap in the plant-based yogurt and whipped toppings of your choice. Double check the labels on your cereal, too. 
• Gluten-Free - Use all gluten-free cereal to make this safe for celiacs. In case you didn’t know, Fruity Pebbles make the cut!
• Banana Split Trifle - Rather than using cereal as a layer, try using chunks of your favorite quick-breads, muffins, pancakes, or even some of my protein donuts. Also, layer everything in a clear glass for the true trifle effect.
• Swap Your Fruits & Cereals - Don’t like peaches? Swap them in for kiwi or pineapple or any other fruit you prefer. Not a fan of berries? Weird, but okay! Use whatever fruits you DO like. You can also experiment with as many types of breakfast cereal as you like. I, for one, always have 3-4 types of cereal on hand at any given time, so you’ll hear no judgement from me!
• Use Real Ice Cream - Obviously this will make things more caloric by adding extra fat and sugar to the mix, but if you’re eating it for dessert anyway, why the heck not?!? 

Expert Tips

• Salt from about 12-18 inches above your plate. This helps for more even distribution of the salt crystals, so every bit of fruit gets a little extra pop of flavor. 😉
• If you prefer your cereal to be less crunchy, I suggest placing it directly on top of the yogurt, then topping it with your fruit. The moisture will help to soften it up a bit!
• Save your fruit scraps like strawberry hulls and clingstone peach pits to make a pitcher of free fruit-infused water. You can also turn the banana peel into pulled pork!
• Go generic for cereals, yogurts, and whipped topping to save a few bucks.
• If fresh fruit options are sparse, turn to frozen fruit or canned fruit packed in juice!

Frequently Asked Questions

More Healthy Banana Breakfast Ideas

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