Get out of your breakfast rut with these delicious ideas that will actually get you excited for your morning meal.
By now, we know that starting your day off with a solid meal has tons of benefits, both physical and mental. Recent research out of the University of Leeds found that teens who regularly have breakfast do better on standardized tests than those who skip the morning meal. Unfortunately, most Americans still fall into the latter category. Survey results from earlier this year show that most adults manage to eat breakfast only three times a week, and 13% almost never do.
We get it—when you're still bleary-eyed and rushing to get out the door, what to feed yourself is one of the last things on your mind. It can be easy to grab a protein bar and call it a day. And that's how breakfast ruts are made.
These 8 tasty ideas for easy breakfasts will bust you out of that rut. We thought outside of the cereal box to come up with creative—and delicious—shortcuts for all your breakfast needs: sweet, savory, portable, you name it. You'll never want to miss a morning meal again.
1. Meal-prep a batch of egg muffins
Carving out a little time over the weekend to meal-prep a batch of tasty egg muffins means breakfast is ready in just minutes on a busy weekday. A quick reheat in the microwave and top it with a little salsa or sandwich it in an English muffin and there you have it. If you don't have time to make these on your own, opt for a just-as-quick ready-made breakfast item, like Jimmy Dean Delights Egg'wich. There's no excuse to skip out on breakfasts when it’s easy and tasty.
2. Whip up a smoothie bowl
Smoothies are great but if you need something to sink your teeth into, a smoothie bowl is the way to go. The contrast of crunchy toppings with a sweet, creamy fruit base is as delicious as it is nutrient-filled. Top one with granola and coconut, almonds and raspberries or banana and peanut butter for a fun and interesting take on your morning meal.
3. Make some overnight oats
Oatmeal has been a classic breakfast item for ages. Making it ahead of time, so it's all ready to grab and go in the morning, means you really have no excuse to skip breakfast—enter overnight oats. An added bonus of overnight oats is that there's no cooking involved—apart from a quick reheat in the microwave. Simply combine the ingredients and by the time you wake, whatever liquid you added will have been absorbed by the oats. Try flavors like Pumpkin Overnight Oats and Creamy Blueberry-Pecan Overnight Oatmeal or go for something more savory like our Peanut Butter, Banana & Bacon Overnight Oats
4. Top off your waffles
A frozen waffle can be topped with more than just maple syrup. Change up your waffle game by topping it with yummy combos, like cream cheese, granola and plums (like in the above recipe). Or go for a smear of nut butter and layer with banana slices, or top with crispy bacon and a fried egg. You can keep changing up the topping combos for endless variations to help avoid getting stuck in another breakfast rut.
5. Try toast with a twist
Everyone loves avocado toast and the classic peanut butter and banana-topped toast but why stop there? As long as you start with a base for the toppings to stick to, like cream cheese, ricotta cheese, nut butter or something entirely different, you can essentially top with anything. Mix it up with Smoked Salmon & Everything Bagel Toast, Mascarpone & Berries Toast or Goat Cheese, Blackberry & Almond Toast. Or for a gluten-free spin on this popular breakfast trend, top a rice cake or even a slice of sweet potato with the toppings of your choice.
6. Mix up a pot of chia pudding
Mix chia seeds with milk or an alternative, maple syrup, plus any mix-ins you choose, and the chia will absorb the liquid while you sleep and be ready to consume by the time your alarm goes off. Yummy chia pudding flavors include our Chai Chia Pudding, Cocoa-Chia Pudding with Raspberries and the Berry Chia Pudding that also includes a few layers of Greek yogurt for extra creaminess.
7. Build a fruity parfait
To paraphrase Shrek, parfait may be the most delicious food on the whole planet. And it can be super filling when you start with high-protein, quality yogurt, then top it with granola and fruit and maybe a drizzle of honey for an extra kick of sweetness. Combinations like Peach-Blueberry Parfaits, Lemon Honey Parfaits with Blueberries and even our Ricotta & Yogurt Parfait can make getting out of bed in the morning enjoyable.
8. Freeze a batch of breakfast popsicles
If you really want to shake up your breakfast game, go for these creative Granola & Yogurt Breakfast Popsicles, which are a fun way for kids and adults alike to enjoy breakfast. Try changing up the flavors, like doing a tropical-inspired one with vanilla yogurt, pineapple and coconut flakes.
This article was written by Jill Waldbieser from EatingWell and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
