Quick Breakfast Ideas To Make Mornings Easy

While Grandma may insist breakfast is the most important meal, how many of us have the time (or the energy) to prep something every morning?

It’s tempting to hit the snooze button and skip breakfast or grab a coffee on the commute. Quick breakfast ideas are the perfect compromise – you eat well to prepare for the day ahead without spending half the morning in the kitchen.

Breakfast skippers might be surprised to learn that science tends to agree with Grandma. One recent study showed that people who ate breakfast daily had a lower risk of health issues such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Another study indicated children and adolescents who eat breakfast tend to perform better academically.

A healthy breakfast is indeed a great way to start the day. The trick is to keep things simple so you make a habit of it.

Easy, Nutritious, and Quick Breakfast Ideas

No gourmet recipes are required here – just simple, nutritious, and quick breakfast ideas. You can easily prep the night before, grab something handy on your way out the door, or supercharge your tired old breakfast routine.

Making a few changes can transform the morning meal into something you can look forward to (no matter how cozy your bed is).

Eggs – The Ultimate Fast Food

When it comes to fresh, fast food, the humble egg is the place to start. In 2020, a study showed that eggs for breakfast help you feel fuller for longer – which could help minimize mid-morning snacking and help with weight management.

Scrambled Eggs

The joy of scrambled eggs is that they are quick, easy, tasty, and adaptable, putting them on top of the leaderboard for super fast breakfast ideas.

Simply raid the refrigerator and then, in a large pan, whisk up some eggs, a dash of milk, and whatever you can find. They are great with leftover veggies, cold meats, fresh salad, or herbs. Toast some bread, pita, or a tortilla wrap, and in 5 minutes, you will have a fantastic hot breakfast.

Egg Muffins

All you need to make egg muffins is a muffin (or cupcake) pan. No flour is required, making these an ideal gluten-free breakfast. Simply whisk some eggs, add some pepper to taste, pour a small amount into each space, add some toppings, then pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes until set and golden.

The possibilities for toppings will depend on your tastes and what you have available. Popular choices include chopped tomato and cheese, bacon and mushroom, spinach and feta, broccoli, and sundried tomatoes. Save some vegetables from dinner to throw into the next morning’s egg muffins.

These can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, but they are so quick to cook, why not have them hot?

French Toast

While French toast may feel like an indulgent weekend breakfast option, it can also be one of the best quick breakfast ideas in a hurry, especially if you pop it in the oven rather than cook it in a pan. Set your oven timer while you prepare for the day ahead, and return to hot, perfectly golden French toast.

Dip half-slices of bread into a whisked egg mix and then place in a non-stick oven dish and bake for 12-15 minutes. For a savory option, top your French toast with a drizzle of syrup, some cinnamon, or some fresh greens.

No-cook Quick Breakfast Ideas

You’re not alone if you don’t want to cook in the morning. For many people, the thought of cooking is enough to make them skip the meal entirely and head out the door on an empty stomach. Fortunately, some simple, heat-free breakfast options are easy with some prep the night before.

Smoothies

If the last thing you want to do in the morning is cook, then smoothies are your best friend. Packed with nutrition, they are the ideal no-cook breakfast option. Either blend it fresh in the morning or make your smoothie the night before and grab it and go.

First, decide the base for your smoothie: milk (or dairy alternatives such as oat, soy, or almond milk) or juice. Then add veggies for a green smoothie and fruits for a fruity flavor. You can add bananas, fine oats, yogurt, or protein powder to thicken the smoothie.

Why not try:

• Carrot, orange juice, and ginger
• Spinach, kale, and apple juice
• Oat milk, banana, yogurt, and peanut butter
• Coconut water, mango, berries, and chia seeds

Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a revelation for anyone who wants a tasty and nutritious breakfast with zero hassle in the morning. It is the breakfast that ‘cooks’ itself! In the morning, you will have oats ready to eat.

Simply add rolled oats to a cup, add your choice of milk, then refrigerate. It will work with dairy or non-dairy milk. Adding yogurt helps boost the creaminess, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup sweetens the deal. Of course, the joy of overnight oats is in the variety of toppings you can add. Try berries, nuts, seeds, sliced fresh fruit, peanut butter (or other nut butter), dried fruit, and even spices such as cinnamon or ginger.

Yogurt Parfaits

A yogurt parfait is an easy breakfast option if you are pressed for time. To prepare a yogurt parfait, you need only three ingredients: yogurt, granola, and fresh or frozen fruits. You then layer each option to prepare your parfait. In five minutes, you can have a healthy and nutritious breakfast option.

Supercharge Boring Breakfasts

If you are tired of the same old breakfast routine of grabbing a slice of toast or pouring a bowl of cereal, then with minimal extra effort, why not shake it up and supercharge your boring breakfast?

Avocado on Toast

There’s a reason why avocado on toast is the calling card of the Millennial; it is delicious, nutritious, and easy to prepare in a hurry. Upgrade your toast by choosing thick, sourdough bread, buttering it, and layering it with finely sliced avocado. Enjoy it as it is, or top it with whatever you have available. Why not try topping your avocado toast with some of the following:

• Bacon and pea shoots
• Poached egg and baby spinach
• Chopped tomato and cheddar cheese
• Mixed nuts and sriracha

Cereal

Cereal is the go-to breakfast for millions of us, but often it is packed with sugar and artificial ingredients and heavy on carbs. Whether for taste or convenience, you can transform your breakfast routine with a few simple tweaks if you are a cereal lover. Swap your milk for yogurt, or add berries, sliced fruit, dried fruit, nuts, or seeds.

Breakfast To Go

Suppose you are perpetually in a hurry or regularly need to get out of the house very early in the morning. In that case, breakfast on the go might be the best choice.

Instead of skipping the first meal of the day or stopping off for an expensive croissant or high-fat pastry, opt for a nutritionally dense breakfast made in advance. Just grab it and eat it on the commute or later in the morning. These are ideal for people who don’t have much of an appetite when they first wake up and prefer to postpone breakfast for a few hours.

Berry Muffins

Muffins can be as easy or complicated as you want them to be. Once you have a good basic muffin recipe, you can add all kinds of ingredients to boost the nutrition and add your favorite flavors.

Mix a cup of all-purpose flour, ¼ cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and a generous pinch of salt in a large bowl for a batch of six great breakfast muffins. Add 1 egg, ¼ cup of vegetable oil, and ¼ cup of milk and mix well. Drop large spoonfuls of the mixture into a muffin pan and bake at medium heat until golden brown (15-20 mins). Experiment with adding nuts, seeds, dried fruit, berries, and spices.

British Flapjacks

British flapjacks are packed with ingredients to keep you fuller for longer. A flapjack is a different way to enjoy oats. Traditionally, they only require four ingredients:

• Oats (fine or chunky – the choice is yours)
• Butter (or a dairy-free alternative such as coconut oil, etc.)
• Brown sugar
• Syrup (honey, maple syrup, or agave are all great)

However, adding nuts, seeds, dried fruit, and other flavors, such as spices, gives you much scope to create your perfect recipe.

Melt the ingredients together on the stove, pour into a lined pan, and bake at medium heat for 15 minutes. When golden brown, cut into bars and allow to cool. Flapjacks store really well and make a great grab-and-go breakfast or mid-morning snack.

Finding quick breakfast ideas to make mornings easier can also seriously improve your nutrition, help keep you fuller for longer, and fuel you for the day ahead.

Whether you are a breakfast skipper or a foodie, your mornings can become infinitely better with just a few simple changes. Stock up on convenient ingredients to add to egg muffins, oats, and smoothies. Consider a regular batch cooking session so you have a ready supply of muffins or flapjacks for those mornings when nothing is going to plan.

With a bit of planning, you can start the day the right way with a simple, nutritious meal.

This article originally appeared on Wealth of Geeks.