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Home » Nutrition

tips for quick weekday breakfasts
June 27, 2019 (Updated October 19, 2020)

Quick & Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

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Hi friends! As you know, I’m a fan of food that’s easy and fast to make – especially in the morning. So I’m sharing some tips and recipe inspiration for quick & healthy breakfast ideas!

I like to keep my morning meals quick (and I’m guessing most of you do, too). But even when you’re in a rush, it’s important to actually eat something for breakfast. Preferably something that will keep you full and energized until lunch!

quick and healthy breakfast ideas

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Tips for Quick & Healthy Breakfasts

I’ve worked with so many nutrition clients who skip breakfast because they say they don’t have time, but skipping breakfast can actually set you up for overeating and sugar cravings later in the day. (See also: How to Get Rid of Sugar Cravings.) Plus, making a healthy breakfast doesn’t have to take all morning – or even more than a few minutes. So, I present to you: my best tips for fast weekday breakfasts!

1. Let the Microwave Do the Work

You guys know utilizing the microwave is my favorite way to make fast weekday breakfasts! Here are some healthy breakfast ideas & tips for prepping them:

  • Poach eggs in the microwave (that’s right!) – here’s what to do: Add 1/2 cup water to a microwave-safe bowl or mug. Crack an egg into the bowl and make sure it’s completely submerged. Cover the top with a small plate and microwave for 1 minute on high. Check it and continue cooking in 15 second increments if you like it firmer! Remove using a slotted spoon or fork and you’re good to go! I love the runny yolk on avocado toast – here are some of my favorite avocado toast recipes. 🙂
  • Another egg idea is a microwave egg sandwich: whisk 2 eggs in a bowl and microwave until fully cooked through (about 1 minute or so), then toss the egg patty onto a sandwich or into a wrap with avocado, salsa, and baby spinach!
  • Make my Flour Free High Protein Pancake in the microwave. I recently discovered that this recipe works really well in the microwave – just combine all of the ingredients in a shallow, wide bowl, microwave until firm (about 3 minutes), then add your favorite toppings! It’s a huge time saver for one of my favorite filling breakfasts. I usually top mine with berries and nuts, and occasionally yogurt for added staying power.

healthy breakfast idea: microwave protein pancake

  • Or: make my Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal, of course. 🙂 My #1 favorite quick microwave morning meal!

fast easy breakfast microwave oatmeal

2. Meal Prep: Make a Healthy Breakfast in Advance

Doing a little prep work in advance can go a long way for making slightly more elaborate breakfasts as quick and easy as possible! Here are some tips for prepping in advance to make your morning routine go faster than ever:

  • Chop extra veggies when you’re making dinner. Save the pre-chopped veggies in the fridge to easily add to omelets in the morning.
  • Make your own oatmeal packets by measuring out 1/2 cup dry oatmeal into bags with a dash of cinnamon and a tablespoon or two of flax or chia seeds for healthy fat and staying power. Or, there’s always instant oatmeal – just make it with milk to give it more staying power, and add some healthy fat like nut butter or flax/chia seeds!
  • Hard boil a bunch of eggs. Then, enjoy the eggs all week as a portable protein source! Pair a couple eggs with a banana, a handful of nuts, and a whole milk latte for a more filling but still easily on-the-go feast!
  • Make smoothie packets to keep in the freezer. Add frozen fruit, greens, nuts, seeds, and protein powder (optional) into bags or reusable containers so that you can just add them into the blender with liquid in the morning. If you make several packets at once, you can mix & match ingredients so that you don’t end up with the same smoothie every day. Check out my Mix & Match Healthy Smoothie Recipes post for flavor ideas – then portion out those ingredients ahead of time!

fast easy breakfast green smoothie

3. Let Your Breakfast Make Itself: Overnight Breakfast Ideas

You can also skip out on the cooking all-together by letting your fridge do the work for you while you sleep! Overnight oatmeal and chia pudding thicken up overnight to create a filling breakfast that gives you plenty of room for creativity. Try mixing together a few days worth of different flavors options and keeping them in the fridge so that it doesn’t feel like you’re eating the same thing every day for breakfast! Check out my Overnight Oatmeal Six Ways post for the perfect base overnight oatmeal recipe and some of my favorite variations. I also love layering fruit and yogurt in jars for grab-and-go breakfasts; just add a handful of nuts to the jar before heading out the door to make sure they keep their satisfying crunch.

healthy breakfast ideas: overnight oats

4. Cook Breakfast Once, Eat All Week

Just like you can do the prep in advance for smoothies and omelets, you can cook your whole breakfast in advance for the fastest grab and go meal ever! Here are some of my favorite make-ahead breakfast recipes already here on the blog:

  • Scrambled Egg Muffins

fast easy breakfast egg muffins

  • Hard Boiled Egg & Cheddar Muffins (gluten free)

fast easy breakfast egg filled muffins

  • Red Lentil Granola Bars (vegan)

fast easy breakfast lentil granola bars

  • Baked Oatmeal (gluten free)

fast easy breakfast baked oatmeal

I hope you find these tips and healthy breakfast ideas helpful!

What are your tips for making fast weekday breakfasts? Have you tried any of these ideas? 

Related posts you might enjoy:

  • How to make a quick and healthy weeknight dinner (oldie but goodie!)
  • 7 Common Nutrition Myths (that you shouldn’t be fooled by!)
Breakfast + Brunch
- anne
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you might also like:

Easy Overnight Oats Recipes – Six Ways

6 Sweet Potato Breakfast Recipes

banana spinach smoothie

How to Build a Satisfying Breakfast

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10 comments
  • Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy
    June 27, 2017 · 10:34AM:
    I've been a fan of overnight oats for years, but lately I have found myself wanting eggs in the morning and have been sad there's not enough time. I'm DEFININTELY trying your egg sandwich suggestion! I bet that would be fabulous on my oatmeal English Muffins!
    Reply
    • Anne
      June 27, 2017 · 10:43AM:
      Definitely! Microwave egg sandwiches are awesome - enjoy!
      Reply
  • Diane C June 27, 2017 · 11:49AM:
    I love your scrambled egg muffin recipe! Even my spinach averse husband likes them. I need to try the protein pancakes soon - we tried the "pickup" grocery option from HT this week and accidentally ended up with about nine bananas for a two-person household, yikes! As far as smoothies go, do you have a protein powder you like that isn't too noticeable flavor-wise? I finally found one without artificial sweetener, but I find that it still feels like the most prominent flavor in the mix.
    Reply
    • Anne
      June 27, 2017 · 1:49PM:
      Yay, so glad you love the scrambled egg muffins! For protein powder, if you want one without any flavor at all (or sweetener, artificial or not), Cabot has a good one that's literally just plain whey protein.
      Reply
  • Carrie (This Fit Chick)
    June 27, 2017 · 2:13PM:
    Oh wow the egg IN the muffin looks incredible. I'm all about fast breakfasts, too! I do hard boiled eggs and nut butter everyday!
    Reply
  • Emily @ Pizza & Pull-ups
    June 27, 2017 · 4:31PM:
    I have got to try that protein pancake in the microwave. Looks delicious!
    Reply
    • Anne
      June 27, 2017 · 4:37PM:
      It doesn't look as pretty as the stovetop version but it tastes just as good! :)
      Reply
  • Kris S June 28, 2017 · 10:41AM:
    Currently living in a place with no microwave.. womp womp.. Europe fail.. but I always eat breakfast, if I don't I get hangry and overeat later! Plus I love coffee in the morning but can't handle it on an empty stomach, makes me queasy (and even more hangry!). So I never skip, even if it's just a yogurt while I'm getting dressed, there is always 30 seconds for breakfast! What are your thoughts on juice in the morning? Since I'm not a fan of fruit really for years I was having fruit juice in the morning (vitamin C anyone?) but I'm concerned it's a sugar spike. Here in Europe people either a) have about a shot glass worth in volume, which is what I do, or b) combine a tiny bit of juice with water, which is what my boyfriend does but I find kind of watery and gross (no pun intended) so I feel like that's different from a US pint glass of OJ. I am really enjoying my shot glass of OJ/carrot juice with no added sugar in the morning, should I give it up to keep my blood sugar more even?? : /
    Reply
    • Anne
      June 28, 2017 · 11:27AM:
      Ah, I remember my European no microwave apartment days! Glad to hear you are still making breakfast work regardless :) I'd definitely keep enjoying a small glass of juice in the morning - there's lots of nutrients in juice - just make sure it's 100% fruit juice, and pair it with something that has protein/fat to help buffer/slow down the blood sugar spike. Something easy like a handful of nuts would be a good pair with juice!
      Reply
      • Kris S June 28, 2017 · 11:30AM:
        Cool! thanks for the tip! :)
        Reply
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anne mauney fannetastic food
Hi, I’m Anne! I'm a Washington D.C. based Registered Dietitian, mother, runner, and lover of travel, adventure, and the great outdoors. I've been blogging since 2009, sharing a mix of lifestyle content, recipes, and fitness tips. Come for the recipes – stay for the fun!
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anne mauney

I’m Anne, a Registered Dietitian and mother. I've been blogging since 2009 and love showing others that eating nutritious foods and staying active can actually be fun rather than overwhelming!

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