10 CLEAN Make-ahead Breakfast Options to Always Have on Hand
Breakfast. The time of day where time is rushed and patience is thin.
If you have small kids, you know how dreadful the morning can be. I personally HATE rushing, and I feel so guilty asking my preschooler to “Hurry up!”.
"Mommy, Why?"
{Insert guilt}
It makes me sad that we are living such a rushed life these days. I try really hard to preserve the ‘just us’ quiet morning (the hubby & 1yr old still upstairs) … but man, it’s tough. And the last thing I want to do is sit for 5 long, excruciating minutes until my sweetie decides what she wants for breakfast, and then make it. And then clean it up.
Nope. Not doing it anymore. And you don’t have to either. You've got to be prepared, and I’m here to share the healthy make-ahead breakfast recipes that have made this part of my day WAY more bearable, because we all know that you eat healthier when you’re prepared!
I will be re-sharing this before school starts, but I think this is just as useful for the summer. Who wants to spend the morning making and cleaning up breakfast? I want to get the heck outside!
So, to help you, here are my
1. Waffles
These are usually made as a double batch on weekends, and whatever I have leftover is what goes into the freezer. All you have to do is heat them up, add syrup and some fresh fruit (our usual is blueberries, strawberries, or bananas) and you’re good to go. If you like having protein, consider adding a hard-boiled egg to eat along with it. (you could always do scrambled, but again, this is for quick, no clean-up options). Heck, if you’re really in a bind, they could even eat them plain on the way to school.
2. Overnight Oats
If you’ve never tried these, you must. They are so delicious, and keep for a few days. I make up about 6 early in the week (this recipe fits perfect in a small pint mason jar, and sometimes Knox will eat 2 of them). Or make them up the night before. All you have to do is grab it out of the fridge, stir and eat it straight out of the jar. Some like it warmed up, say, on a chilly morning, and that’s fine too.
3. Yogurt
My kids LOVE yogurt, but remember, it isn’t just for kids – I love having yogurt made up to snack on, too. Plus, if you make it my way and add quinoa, flax & chia, you and your kids will stay satisfied a lot longer with the added fiber and protein. Banana is my favorite fruit to add to make up in my Little Green Pouches , because all I have to do is smash. Other fruits, like blueberries, strawberries, etc, have to be chopped finely or pureed, then added to pouch, or else it’ll block the yogurt from coming out. Or, if you don’t use pouches, use storage containers (glass preferred) so you don’t have to worry about that issue! Pouches are nice because if they don’t finish their breakfast before you leave, they can be easily eaten in the car without a mess. Just something to keep in mind.
Here's the simple way I make it:
Ingredients:
*Whole Milk Plain Yogurt (usually Stonyfield brand)
*cooked quinoa
*raw honey or syrup (I prefer honey to make yogurt - syrup is good to mix with yogurt for a quick veggie dip!)
*Chia/Flax seeds
*1-2 bananas, smashed or other fresh fruit (pureed or chopped finely if putting into pouch)
*optional - children's probiotic (we use Garden of Life brand powder and mix in about 1/2 tsp)
Combine all ingredients and mix. That's it!
The above pic is Elle's "Purple Yogurt", where I mix in frozen blueberries straight from the freezer. Obviously, the blueberries here won't work in a pouch, but this is still a quick way to make it up!
HERE'S A TIP: Make a big batch of plain yogurt (all ingredients above EXCEPT fruit) in a large bowl. Keep it in the fridge and add fruit as needed/wanted. This is especially good if you have kids who have different tastes.
4. Hard-boiled Eggs
Eggs are just about the perfect food, so I love when my kids choose eggs in the morning. Protein is so important for kids & adults alike to give them energy throughout the day (or at least until lunch!). It keeps them alert and active. These, paired with a muffin or toast, come close to the perfect breakfast. So easy to make-ahead, and they keep in the fridge all week. If you're like me, you want things to have their own place. So consider getting a holder like this (I got mine at TJ Maxx - isn't it adorable?! Who knew it would be so much fun to accessorize your fridge!). Buy a dozen eggs just for boiling, and you'll be good all week.
HOW TO HARD-BOIL EGGS My method is simply put all eggs into a large pot, fill with water until it is about an inch above the eggs. Bring water to boil. Once the water is boiling, I set my timer for 20 minutes. Once my timer goes off, I immediately remove eggs from boiling water and run under cold water. They come out perfect every time.
5. Smoothies
If you prepare smoothie bags, these are a great super-healthy option to have. And let’s be honest, you’re more likely to make them if you’re prepared! There are so many recipes you can make, but I’ve included a couple ‘starter’ recipes to help out. These are awesome because you can make-and-take with you. And according to the Simple Green Smoothies recipe book, you CAN make smoothies ahead of time. I just prefer not to. They really don’t take any longer than reheating some of the above options, so the fresher the better in my book. But just know that is an option and you store it in an air-tight container, like a mason jar, for up to 48 hours. You can also add in a protein powder if you really need a hearty breakfast.
OUR FAVORITE SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS:
Smoothie 1:
*Kale or spinach (we keep ours in the freezer)
*Water
*Frozen blueberries
*Banana
*Flax & Chia seeds
Smoothie 2:
*Kale or spinach
*Water
*Frozen Tropical Fruit Medley (usually bagged, and contains pineapple, mango and strawberries)
*Banana
*Flax & Chia seeds
6. Quinoa ‘cereal’
If you’re starting the Clean Eating way, you’re more than likely beginning to make ahead some whole grains and pastas to have on hand, and quinoa is one that is made every.single.week in our house. It’s a staple, like ketchup is in some kitchens. Same goes for raw honey and Whole Milk yogurt. So if you have these items available every week, it’s super simple to make this up in the morning. Quinoa, like oatmeal, is also a great way to start your day if you’re trying to lose weight.
Here's the simple way I make it:
I take about 3/4 cup cooked quinoa and desired amount of milk - enough to make it like a cereal.
I then add 100% pure maple syrup (warm quinoa/milk for about 30 seconds if using honey or it won't mix well), add in about a 1/2 tsp each of flax & chia seeds, then add fruit. My favorite is sliced bananas. Strawberry and bananas is good, my daughter loves blueberries and bananas. Whatever you have on hand works. I've also added nuts to it for a healthy protein punch.
That's it! If you have the cooked quinoa on hand in the fridge, it's a super quick breakfast!
7. Oatmeal
If you’re still buying store-bought flavored oatmeal, do your body good and stop. If you read the labels on most of these, you’ll find that those strawberries you think you are eating are actually dehydrated apple flakes. Who the heck should trust a company that pulls that crap? And for what reason? It’s sad, and I unfortunately used to buy into it. My favorite was Maple & Brown sugar, and although it already contained a butt-load of added sugar, I had to still ADD sugar to make it taste good. That’s a lot of sugar in the morning - or any time of day for that matter! Homemade oatmeal takes about 10 minutes to make, and if you make a big batch, it can store in the fridge for a few days. I usually make a big batch (4 cups water/2 cups oatmeal) on Monday morning and save the rest for another day in the week.
Here's the simple way I make it:
To make enough for me and my 2 kids WITH leftovers, I boil 4 cups water. Once boiling, I add 2 cups quick rolled oats, bring it back to a boil, then cover and turn heat to LOW for about 10 minutes. I then add pure maple syrup to taste and flax & chia seeds (have you noticed I add them EVERYTHING? Easy fiber and protein additions!)
That's a good base, if you want to store it if you have kids, again, with different tastes. My kids love raisins and cinnamon, so I usually just make a big one like that. I'll add in some walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc. to mine for an extra boost. Pumpkin puree and cinnamon is also a yummy combo for the fall/winter months!
8. Breakfast cookies
These are a huge hit in the house, and they are a super quick breakfast which is nice. They store nicely in the fridge, and let’s be honest – the kids think they’re eating cookies. What kid is going to say no to that?
There are a ton of recipes out there, here is a super-simple one that my kids and I love:
INGREDIENTS:
2 bananas, smashed
1 cup quick-rolled oats
1/4 cup choc chips (I like the Enjoy Life brand)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine smashed bananas and oats, then fold in chocolate chips.
Spoon out a tablespoon at a time onto a greased baking sheet. This recipe made me 12 cookies.
Bake for 15 minutes.
I have saved the leftovers in the fridge for a day, reheated them, and they were great. I'm not sure how long they last, but trust me, your kids won't let these stick around too long to have to worry about it :)
9. Muffins
My all-time favorite breakfast addition. Muffins are so easily personalized for taste, and the addition of flax seeds adds fiber to help keep hunger quiet. They freeze amazing, and taste so yummy after being heated up. Sometimes, especially on my Pumpkin muffins, I’ll cut it in half and add cream cheese and make it a sandwich. D-LISH. Muffins are so nice because they can quickly be added to any breakfast listed above.
Smoothie & muffin!
Egg cup & muffin!
Hard-boiled egg & muffin!
Yogurt & muffin!
10. Donuts
Yes, I said donuts. Homemade, good-for-you donuts. They CAN be done!
This will obviously call for the purchase of a donut maker, if you don't have one, but let me tell you - it's SO worth it! Drip some chocolate sauce on top (recipe in link), let dry, then place in a single layer in a ziplock bag and freeze. When you're ready, pop them in the mic for about 20 seconds and you're on your way. Your kids will LOVE these!
I hope this give you some clarity and motivation to eat cleaner. This is what works for us, and is a quick snapshot into our daily routine. It’s what we like, but of course, make it your own. That’s the beauty of Clean Eating. It’s not restrictive – it’s simply choosing healthier options that you actually like.
Good luck with your Clean Eating & Be on the lookout for my top 10 Clean Eating lunches, coming soon!
-Jodi
