Let’s be honest: No mom wants to wake up hours before her kids on a weekday morning to make them their daily homemade breakfast. Chances are you’ve been up before the sun to get yourself and your kids out the door, to school, and to work on time (or at least not) That late). So having some school breakfast ideas—ones you can make ahead and reheat, or that only take a few minutes to prepare—are everything. Typically, your child’s breakfast needs to be portable enough to eat in the car. These recipes cover all your bases, and most of them can be made ahead of time so you don’t have to cook them first thing in the morning.
If your kids have something to eat on a busy morning, then packaged foods like BelVita cookies and bottled protein shakes are absolutely fine. But if you’re looking for a way to save some money (the ingredients are certainly cheaper than prepared foods), making a big batch of breakfast cookies or granola bars on a Sunday afternoon can serve the same purpose. Or, if your kids report that they’re always hungry at lunchtime, maybe you’re looking to get in more fat and protein in the morning—that’s where some cheesy egg and sausage muffins come in handy. So no matter what you’re hoping to achieve with breakfast on a school morning, these recipes can help.
01Make Ahead Breakfast Cookie Sandwiches
Need something you can pull out of the freezer, reheat and run? These make-ahead cookie sammies from Damn Delicious will do the trick. The homemade cookies are crispy and delicious, and everything piled in the center will keep you and your kids satisfied until lunch arrives.
02Chocolate Melon Muffins
A Cookie Named Desire’s Chocolate Zucchini Muffins look absolutely delicious, and if you have a picky eater, you know your food has to look tempting for them to bite into it. They get bonus points for having veggies hidden inside and making them easy to eat on the go. Make a big batch, freeze in an airtight container, and reheat for 10 seconds to enjoy whenever needed.
03Baked Oatmeal Bars
These baked granola bars from Desire Cookies are once again a delicious breakfast to eat with your hands on the drive to school. They’re loaded with peanut butter and chocolate chips to satisfy the taste. The recipe takes about 10 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes in the oven, then you can leave them on the counter for up to three days or store in the refrigerator.
04Make-Ahead Freezer Breakfast Burritos
These breakfast burritos from Diabetes Digital are a delicious make-ahead option that you can keep in the freezer and look delicious. They’re high in fiber, protein, and greens, and you can easily customize the flavor by adding meat or other vegetables. Easily reheated and gobbled up by hungry teenagers.
05Cheese Sausage and Egg Waffles
Well, think cookie sandwich, but easier to eat on the run: Meet the Cheesy Sausage and Egg Waffle. This recipe from Averie Cooks takes just 30 minutes to prepare and keeps in the refrigerator for months, so parents and kids who love Starbucks egg bites can have their own eggs in seconds on busy mornings.
06Simple Overnight Oats
If the idea of making a bunch of Tupperware or jars of overnight oats sounds good, but you’re not sure what to put on them, Damn Delicious has six different versions of the recipe to inspire you. They don’t require a ton of ingredients, all you have to do is pour them all together into a container and you’re ready to eat in the morning. Time to make Pumpkin Pie Oats…
07Ham Breakfast Casserole
Ham, cheese, potatoes, bell peppers, onions—this breakfast casserole recipe from All The Healthy Things sounds like a hit. Prep for 15 minutes and bake in the oven for 1 hour to make 12 servings, which you can slice and store individually. Just reheat them for 30 seconds while everyone gets ready.
08Strawberry Baked Oatmeal
When you’re looking for something nutritious to bring to the breakfast table, you can’t go wrong with old-fashioned oats. All the Healthy Things’ Strawberry Baked Oatmeal recipe balances oats with a hint of sweetness from dark brown sugar and vanilla extract, the warmth of cinnamon, the delicious flavor of sliced almonds, and the star of the show, sliced strawberries, for health benefits. It’s delicious, quick, easy and ideal for progress.
09Blueberry Superfood Smoothie
You prepare for nothing, five minutes, overripe bananas and hungry children. That calls for smoothies. This smoothie recipe from Dude That Cookz only calls for blueberries, banana, spinach, Greek yogurt, peanut butter, and juice. What you get: A delicious, nutritious smoothie with enough healthy protein and fat to keep everyone feeling full (and more refreshed).
10Easy Blueberry Muffins
Everyone loves them and they’re another handheld breakfast treat that’s perfect for throwing in the backseat when you get into the car. Simply LaKita can be made with frozen blueberries (prefer a budget-friendly fruit option) and stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
11breakfast biscuits
breakfast cookie? No more to say. These little ones from Jessica in the Kitchen are packed with nutrients like oatmeal, bananas, flaxseeds, raisins, and peanut butter (you can add other seeds or fruit if you like). But they do look and taste like cookies, thanks to the addition of chocolate chips, cinnamon and nutmeg, and maple syrup. Unlike some of the other recipes on this list, you can reheat it from frozen).
12Easy Blueberry Banana Bread
If muffins aren’t enough to satisfy your hungry kids, blueberry banana bread will do just fine. This recipe from Dude That Cookz takes a little over an hour to prepare and will keep in the refrigerator for up to three days. It’s delicious enough that you don’t have to worry about waste.
13avocado toast
You can’t make it ahead of time, but avocado toast only takes a few minutes to prep and serve. Jessica in the Kitchen tops hers with all the seasonings and pickled onions, but you can also swap it out for eggs, cheese, smoked salmon, and red onions—whatever your heart desires, really.
Whether you serve the kids a sit-down homemade breakfast at the kitchen table or throw Frisbee pies to the kids as they wait in line at the car, what really matters is that they arrive at class with full bellies. But if you’re looking for ways to make it easier to eat a hearty, nutritious breakfast on weekday mornings, these recipes can definitely help.
