I’ve written a fair amount about healthy lunches, but what about quick and healthy breakfast ideas?
Eating a fresh and clean breakfast is often something you’ll thank yourself for later because it really starts the day off on the right foot. But mornings can also be a flurry of activity, pushing breakfast further down the priority list.
I wanted to create a list of fast and easy breakfasts that are (mostly) great for kids, too.
Here are my five picks.
01. Smoothies
If you’ve been around here, you know I swear by morning smoothies. They’re one of the most versatile quick and healthy breakfast options. If you’re not already on the smoothie train, hear me out.
Back before I picked up my Magic Bullet, making smoothies involved a big blender, a mess, and lots of cleaning by hand. Once I got my Magic Bullet (similar to a NutriBullet, which is also a great choice), things changed. Now, my husband and I can make individual servings based on what kind of smoothie we want, drink them straight out of the cup we blended them in, then pop them into the dishwasher after. It’s infinitely easier and a total game changer when it comes to morning smoothies.
Better yet, frozen fruit and greens are the key ingredients here, so you won’t need to worry about your fresh produce going bad.
Here’s a Wild Blueberry Banana Power Smoothie from Ambitious Kitchen, a more filling blueberry smoothie using raw oats, and my own tried-and-true Favorite Morning Smoothie.
02. Avocado Toast
I know what you’re thinking: carbs.
Most people don’t realize just how essential carbohydrates are for fueling you through your day, so why not get them with a food that’s also high in protein? Do this by upgrading your toast game using Ezekiel Bread, the sprouted super bread made with whole grains like millet, barley, and lentils (it doesn’t taste like it though!).
Spread avocado on top, sprinkle with sesame seeds, hemp seeds, and salt, and you’ve got a clean, healthy, high protein breakfast.
Just make sure you store the bread frozen, since it’ll go bad quickly if it’s left out.
03. Banana + Almond Butter
It doesn’t get much simpler than this. Grab a banana and a jar of natural almond butter, then spoon a little almond butter on the banana before you take each bite.
It’s an easy way to get protein, fiber, and nutrients to improve your skin and digestion, all while fueling you for the day ahead.
04. Overnight Oats
Rolled oats are much more nutritious than the 1-minute microwave quick oats. But if you’re like me, the idea of cooking rolled oats on the stovetop on a weekday sounds way too involved.
These overnight oats are a brilliant no-cook alternative.
Instead of cooking them, you simply put rolled oats and almond milk (or oat milk) in a tupperware, add any flavor additions, and leave them in the fridge for 2-12 hours or overnight.
Over time, the oats soak up the liquid, creating oatmeal. You can either eat it cold, straight out of the fridge, or put it in the microwave for a minute to heat it up.
Overnight oats are infinitely customizable, too. You could stir in vanilla extract and put berries on top to make vanilla oatmeal. You could stir in a little raspberry jam for a fruit oatmeal. Or how about stirring in peanut butter with sliced banana on top? You could make lemon poppy seed oatmeal, too. The list goes on…
Here are a few great variations of Overnight Oats to start with.
05. Breakfast Burritos
Who doesn’t love a good breakfast burrito? We’ve taken the hash brown and bacon version and turned it healthier, adding sweet potatoes, eggs, beans, and bell peppers. If the idea of cooking all this food isn’t appealing, consider this:
You can make a big batch, individually wrap them, and freeze them.
So you could make 24 burritos on a weekend, freeze them, and reheat them one by one when you’re ready. This is the kind of meal prep I think everyone can get behind!
Eating a quick and healthy breakfast will give you the nutrients your body needs first thing in the morning, fueling you to tackle the day ahead. Who knows, you might feel more even tempered, happier, and more productive as a result.
