Easy, Healthy Breakfast Ideas

While you sleep, your body uses up the energy it has stored from the previous day’s meals. Eating a healthy breakfast replenishes this fuel to provide physical and mental energy to start the day.

The consensus of decades of research is that eating breakfast is a good idea for most people—as long as it’s a healthy breakfast. Fortunately, there are many ways to serve up a satisfying, nourishing meal without a lot of prep time.

Building Breakfast. The best breakfasts are a mix of complex carbohydrates (like whole grains), healthy (unsaturated) fats from foods like plant oils, nuts or seeds, and avocados, and protein. While Americans generally consume more than enough protein (see page 1), research shows it’s best to spread protein out throughout the day, so including some in breakfast (and a bit less at lunch or dinner) is a smart choice.

Typical American breakfast fare often includes processed red meats (like bacon, sausage, and ham), fried potatoes, and a side of refined flour, high-sugar pastries, pancakes, or sugary cereal. These foods are high in calories, saturated fatty acids, sodium, refined carbohydrates, and/or added sugars and low in fiber and unsaturated fatty acids. Regularly eating these foods is associated with higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and weight gain. But breakfast can also serve up healthy choices that tend to be under-consumed, like fiber-rich whole grain breads and cereals, fruit, and naturally calcium-rich low-fat or fat-free dairy.

Don’t let typical American breakfast foods limit you! Expand your definition of breakfast foods to include any healthy choices you like. Last night’s leftovers are ready to warm up and serve! Or get inspired by the savory breakfast soups, beans, curries, and unsweetened yogurt dishes popular in other countries. If breaking tradition is not for you, a bowl of unsweetened whole grain hot or cold cereal topped with fruit, nuts, and low-fat or fat-free milk or yogurt is a quick standard that’s nutritious and satisfying. Need more inspiration? Here are three easy, healthy breakfast ideas to help get you started.

Open-Face Fabulous. You can’t go wrong with a whole grain bread topped with nutritious creamy, crunchy, sweet, and savory ingredients. Whether you’re starting with sliced whole grain bread, whole wheat English muffin, or corn or whole wheat tortillas, make sure the word “whole” appears near the top of the ingredient list. Keep toppings simple, like nut or seed butter and banana or mashed avocado and egg, or get creative, like the Roasted Red Pepper & Avocado Tartine recipe offered here.

Try it! Toast (or not) a slice of whole grain bread, and add toppings of your choice:

Spreads and Toppings

• Hummus or other bean spread, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or nut or seed butters

• Sliced hardboiled egg, poached egg, tuna, or canned or smoked salmon

• Sliced, smashed, or pureed veggies, like avocado, roasted eggplant, sweet potato, or diced or crushed tomatoes

• Pesto

• Vegetables, like sliced cucumber, avocado, zucchini, sprouts, tomato, onion, and bell peppers

• Fruit, like sliced strawberries, apple, banana, and blueberries

• Herbs and spices, like cilantro, parsley, thyme, basil, cinnamon, nutmeg, hot sauce, and red pepper flakes

Eggs. Eggs are a breakfast standard. Even with the current rise in egg prices, they are still a more economical choice than most other animal proteins. Despite some confusion over eggs’ role in diet and health, they remain on the sunny side of nutrition. An average of one egg a day can be part of a healthy dietary pattern for most people. Add lots of veggies and an egg goes a long way. Hard-boiled is a terrific grab-and-go option. An omelet or scramble with veggies is an easy way to prepare a quick meal. Or explore easy egg bites, like in the recipe provided here.

Try it! Combine chopped veggies with a beaten egg in a microwave-safe measuring cup or glass storage container sprayed with cooking spray. Microwave on high for one minute, or until eggs are set. Enjoy as is or on top of a slice of whole grain toast.

To cook ahead or cook for a group, preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray or oil. Divide cooked, diced vegetables (about 2½ cups) into muffin pan cups. In a large mixing bowl, whisk 8 large eggs, ½ cup milk of choice, herbs, spices, and other mix-ins, if desired. Pour evenly into muffin cups. Sprinkle with toppings, if using. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until eggs are set. Cool slightly, remove from pan to enjoy right away or store in the refrigerator or freezer for later.

Mix-ins and Toppings:

• Vegetables (cooked or raw; diced, grated, or finely chopped) like roasted red peppers, green onion, garlic, mushrooms, potato, zucchini, carrot, seeded tomato, spinach, and green chilis

• Herbs and spices, like black pepper, red pepper flakes, oregano, dill, parsley, and hot sauce

Overnight Oats. Oats are a whole grain packed with fiber. Sweet or savory, overnight oats are endlessly customizable, quick and easy to prepare, and can be made the night before for a grab-and-go breakfast—or make enough to last all week. Enjoy chilled or warmed (just one minute in the microwave). They freeze well, too. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat them.

Try it! For the basic recipe, you’ll need a jar or other single-serving covered container, whole rolled oats (also called old fashioned oats) and low-fat or fat-free milk (or plain, unsweetened soymilk, which is the only plant-based milk with a significant amount of protein). Or go fancy, like this recipe for Carrot Cake Overnight Oats.

Put the oats in the jar and stir in an equal amount of liquid (more will result in a wetter texture; less will make it denser and dryer.) Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. Enjoy with fruit or savory mix-ins or toppings.

Mix-ins and Toppings:

• Nuts, seeds, and butters (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, chia seeds, almonds, walnuts, nut butter, sunflower seed butter)

• Fruit, like berries, dried fruit, applesauce, and diced apple

• Vegetables (fresh, frozen, or cooked leftovers, grated or pureed), like carrot, sweet potato, pumpkin, avocado, and spinach

• Spices and extracts, like cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, almond extract, garlic or onion powder, cumin, pepper, turmeric, thyme, and sage

• Extras, like cocoa powder, citrus zest, unsweetened shredded coconut, hot sauce, and salsa.