Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day for a reason – it kickstarts your metabolism, boosts energy levels, and provides you with key nutrients and fuel to go about your day.
Yet, around one-fifth of us skip breakfast and don’t eat our first meal until lunchtime, which can leave us feeling sluggish and more likely to eat unhealthy food later in the day.
Even if you’re always in a rush in the morning, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a delicious and healthy breakfast. There’s a tasty recipe for every palate, schedule, budget, and diet.
To get you inspired, here are nine healthy breakfast ideas to kickstart your day.
1. Breakfast burrito
If you’ve time in the morning and want to cook up a healthy yet delicious breakfast, why not make a breakfast burrito?
The beauty of breakfast burritos is that they’re incredibly versatile, and you can use up whatever ingredients you have in your fridge: potatoes, eggs, rice, cheese, beans, tomatoes, sausages, avocados, spinach…the list goes on.
Ideally, a breakfast burrito should contain a mix of protein, good fats, and carbs – and for maximum health points, why not choose a wholemeal tortilla to wrap it in?
Breakfast burritos can also be easily adapted for all dietary requirements. These 12 different breakfast burrito recipes by Self show just how diverse this dish can be.
While more indulgent breakfast burritos are packed with eggs, cheese, and meats – these aren’t always that healthy due to the amount of fat they contain. But you can make many healthier alternatives, like this tasty breakfast burrito from Love and Lemons, which is packed with eggs and plenty of fresh veggies. If you’re plant-based, simply swap eggs for scrambled tofu or another protein-packed vegan alternative.
To see what goes into three very different breakfast burritos, have a watch of the video below.
2. Chia pudding
If you’re pushed for time in the mornings, you might want to think about preparing your breakfast the night before – and if you have a sweet tooth, chia pudding might be for you.
Because chia seeds are packed with protein, fibre, and health-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, they’re a great way to start your day – and they also contain plenty of essential minerals and antioxidants.
Plus, studies show that eating chia seeds can boost digestive health and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. You can read more about these perks in our article; 7 health benefits of chia seeds and different ways to use them.
Although chia puddings are a healthy choice, they’re surprisingly indulgent, incredibly simple to make, and taste delicious. All you have to do is mix chia seeds with your choice of milk, and after an hour or so the liquid will start to thicken and form a rich, creamy pudding.
You can add various other ingredients to your chia pudding to give it a boost, but berries and nut butter work especially well. Why not check out these tasty chia seed pudding ideas from Greatist for inspiration?
Or, to see five different chia puddings being made, watch the video below.
3. Easy scrambled tofu
Scrambled tofu is the perfect breakfast for people who want to enjoy a healthy, cooked breakfast in minutes.
Tofu has numerous health benefits. Not only is it high in protein and low in carbohydrates, but it also contains powerful antioxidants (isoflavones) which can protect cells from unstable, harmful atoms known as free radicals. Research also suggests that it may support heart health by reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.
The reason that many people don’t like tofu is that they see it as dull and lacking in flavour – but tofu will quickly take on the flavour of anything you add to it.
This easy scrambled tofu recipe from Thinly Spread is delicious. It combines firm tofu (as it’s easy to crumble, yet still keeps its texture) with onion, fresh garlic, soy sauce, parsley, and ground turmeric. Nutritional yeast is also mixed in, which is loaded with vitamin B12 and adds a cheesy, nutty flavour to your scramble.
For an extra health kick – and more colour and flavour – you could also add some veggies to your meal. Peppers, tomatoes, and peas all work well.
Scrambled tofu is tasty eaten alone or served on wholegrain toast. To see how quick and easy this recipe can be, have a watch of the video below.
4. Breakfast smoothie
For some of us, eating a filling meal in the morning isn’t always that appealing – especially if we have to get up really early. But not being in the mood for a meal shouldn’t mean you have to miss out on a healthy breakfast and fueling up for the day.
If you’re usually not very hungry in the morning, why not make yourself a breakfast smoothie? Not only are these healthy and delicious, but they’re also quick, easy to make, and can be eaten on the go.
Whether you like fresh, fruity flavours or the rich, creamy taste of nuts and chocolate, there’s a breakfast smoothie recipe out there that’ll suit you. This breakfast smoothie by Fit Foodie Finds contains fruit, oats, almond milk, and peanut butter – and with 12g of protein and 6g of fibre, it’ll hopefully keep you full until lunch.
For more breakfast smoothie recipes and delicious flavour combinations, check out our article; 7 tasty and nutritious smoothie recipes to kick-start your day. Or, to see 12 different smoothies being made, you might like to watch the video below.
5. Nut butter and fruit on toast
Peanut butter and banana on toast (or in a sandwich) is a breakfast favourite – and for good reason!
Peanut butter is high in many important nutrients like copper, which is good for bone health, and oleic fatty acids which can help maintain healthy blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
Bananas also contain plenty of vitamins, fibre, potassium, magnesium, and copper, and can improve both digestion and heart health. When eaten with healthy wholemeal bread, this simple breakfast supplies plenty of protein, fibre, vitamins, and good fats – so it’s a great way to start your day.
Nut butter and fruit on toast is also a highly customisable breakfast. Why not try swapping peanut butter for almond butter or cashew butter? Both are very high in zinc, which plays an essential role in memory and cognition. You could also swap bananas for berries, or try adding shredded coconut or a handful of goji berries.
Alternatively, why not skip the bread altogether and make this sweet potato toast with nut butter and fruit recipe from Tasty? Sweet potatoes are packed with vitamins and can help protect your body from free radicals that are linked to health conditions like cancer and heart disease.
If you fancy having a go at making your own nut butter, why not watch the video below?
6. Rye bread open sandwich
If you enjoy eating bread in the morning but don’t fancy nut butter on toast, you might want to think about making a rye bread open sandwich.
Rye bread is considered more nutritious than wheat bread, and studies suggest that it can help you feel fuller for longer and regulate your blood sugar levels. Research also shows that people who eat whole grain rye bread produce significantly less insulin – and having too much insulin in your blood is associated with obesity and may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.
This poached egg, asparagus, and avocado on rye bread from Tasting Table is a great breakfast for the weekend. The rich egg and creamy avocado are deliciously offset by fresh asparagus and peppery watercress.
Or, why not try this Scandinavian-inspired recipe from Olive Magazine, which features smoked mackerel with punchy horseradish cream and pickled radish? Alternatively, you can keep things veggie with these avocado hummus rye toasts from Yakult.
If you love avocado on toast, check out Jamie Oliver’s video below, where he shows you four different ways to make avocado toast on rye bread.
7. Sweet or savoury breakfast muffins
If you enjoy baking, why not try making some breakfast muffins at the weekend and eating them throughout the week? The great thing about breakfast muffins is how adaptable they are.
You can make them savoury and fill them with eggs and veggies like tomatoes and spinach, or keep them sweet by packing them with fruits like bananas and blueberries, and your choice of nuts. Plus, you can easily make them gluten-free or vegan, depending on your dietary requirements.
If you’d like to make savoury breakfast muffins, head over to Taste to check out their recipes for 50 different savoury muffins. From courgette, carrot, and honey muffins to pumpkin, polenta, and chilli muffins, hopefully there’s something for everyone here.
For something sweet, you could try making these banana and apple sauce muffins from BBC Good Food, which also contain rolled oats and yoghurt. Or, for a plant-based alternative, these vegan cinnamon muffins from The Worktop could be tempting. These healthy carrot and apple muffins from Minimalist Baker are also a good gluten-free alternative.
For more inspiration, check out Jamie Oliver’s breakfast muffins in the video below.
8. Protein bars
Another great breakfast option if you’re in a rush in the morning and need to eat on the go is protein bars. They’re quick and simple to make – and you can even bake a batch for the week ahead over the weekend.
You can make protein bars based on your own taste preferences, but they typically contain nuts, protein powder, a natural syrup like maple or agave, and dates, seeds, or oats.
These five-ingredient peanut butter and chocolate protein bars from Minimalist Baker are salty, naturally sweet, and take only 20 minutes to make. Plus, because they contain chia seeds as well as hemp seeds, they pack a nutritious punch.
If you’re not a fan of peanuts, there are dozens of other tasty protein bars you can make: try these cranberry and almond protein bars, or these no-bake apple pie protein bars from Eat This Not That. For more inspiration, check out Daily Burn’s 11 healthy homemade protein bar recipes.
Alternatively, to see how to make some superfood protein bars, have a watch of the video below.
9. Banana and oat pancakes
Pancakes are a popular breakfast dish, particularly on the weekends, or if you’re going out for breakfast or brunch. But because pancakes are high in refined flour, they can be unhealthy and increase the risk of conditions like insulin resistance and obesity – and when they’re doused in syrup or sugar, they lose even more health points.
The good news is that you can easily make healthy pancakes at home – ones that are tasty, high in protein, and ready in just a few minutes.
There are dozens of delicious pancake recipes that use rolled oats instead of flour. All you need to do is blend the oats until they’re ground into a flour-like consistency, then mix them with bananas, eggs, and baking powder to make the batter. Why not try this pancake recipe from Simply Delicious, which is packed with protein, fibre, potassium, and lots of other essential vitamins?
If you follow a plant-based diet, you don’t have to miss out. These super quick vegan banana oat pancakes from Minimalist Baker are delicious – and are a good choice if you’re watching your cholesterol levels.
To see how easy it is to make banana pancakes, why not watch the video below?
Final thoughts…
Whether you’ve always made time for breakfast or tend to skip or rush it, we hope these recipes have stirred your appetite. Having a healthy breakfast doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on taste.
Some of these breakfasts require a bit of cooking and will be great to enjoy on the weekend, while others can be made in a matter on minutes – or even be prepared days in advance.
For further breakfast inspiration, check out our articles; 10 best bread recipes to bake at home and 12 high-protein meal ideas. Or, head over to the food and drink section of our website.
Do you have a ‘go-to’ breakfast that you make most mornings? Or are you tempted by any of these healthy breakfast ideas? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!