45 Breakfast Hacks To Help Start The Day Off On The Right Foot

Breakfast should never be skipped because we all know it’s the most important meal of the day. In order not to feel sluggish, everybody needs that morning fuel. If you think about it, how does anyone really function without a daily dose of fruits and veggies, especially right upon waking? Studies have shown that breakfast not only ties you over until lunch, but it also provides you with essential vitamins, increases brain power for the day, and can even lower your risk of catching any unwanted illnesses since it helps to balance out hormones. Too many people skip breakfast because their mornings are already jam packed. But, for the long term, this isn’t a recommended habit. Who says breakfast has to be a time consuming task? Whether you’re a “busy bee” with very little time in the morning, or you’re someone with a little more free time on your hands, here are 45 breakfast hacks to ensure you stay healthy, happy, and full.

One pot breakfast

This is a very easy dish to make, it makes plenty of servings for your whole family. This one is great for any of you mothers out there who are rushing to get everyone ready in the morning. All you have to do is throw the ingredients in a baking tin, throw it in the oven, and voila!

To create this lovely brekkie, you will need chipolatas, bottled passata, smoked paprika, tomato puree, brown sugar, browning sauce, cannellini beans, and dried cured bacon. Serve it with buttered toast, and you and your whole family is good to go.

Freeze bread

This isn’t a new hack, but we’ll mention it anyway for those of you who may be hearing of it for the first time now. Freezing your bread right after you bring it home from the supermarket can help preserve it for longer, making sure you always have fresh bread on hand.

This is a great hack if you’re someone who loves to slap butter on a piece of bread and head out the door with your breakfast in hand. All you have to do in the morning is toast your frozen bread, add some butter, and maybe any jam you like.

Omelet in a mug

If your eyes are rolling thinking about all the fuss it takes to prepare just one omelet in the morning, this hack is for you. That’s right, you can make your eggs in a mug, and your taste buds wouldn’t even know the difference.

Whisk an egg or two in a mug and season to taste. Bacon bits, spinach, grated cheese, or any other topping you like pair exceptionally well with this dish. Make sure you stir the mixture evenly. Then, just put the mug in the microwave on high. Heat it up for one minute then stir, then place it back in the microwave for another minute or so.

No ham, but green eggs

If you’re slowly trying to cut meat out of your diet, then this breakfast dish has your name on it. It’s a classic spin on the old and well-known children’s story by Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham, but without the ham and a whole lotta green. It’s similar to tomato shakshuka, but with a load of greens.

For this dish, you will need loads of veggies like asparagus, spring cabbage, spring onions, garlic, chili, and eggs. The best thing about this is that it’s a one pan situation, which means you can just make one big dish, and place it in the middle of the table for everyone to dig in.

Slow cooker French Toast

This is a decadent breakfast for those lazy Sunday mornings when you have all the time in the world. It’s also amazing if you have some stale bread laying around. Yes, there is another way to make French Toast. And no, toasting it in a pan is not what we will be discussing.

A slow cooker French Toast involves layering triangles of bread combined with a mixture of eggs, milk, cinnamon, and lil’ honey in a slow cooker. Make enough of the mixture to sufficiently coat the bread. On high, let it cook for two hours.

Avo eggs

If you need a quick breakfast but aren’t really feeling like having toast or carbs, then this hearty meal is at the top of the breakfast menu for you. It’s packed full of all the proteins you need. It’s tasty, and honestly, folks find this extremely customizable to their palates.

To make a baked avocado egg, simply scoop out the pit from the avocado, and then crack an egg inside the now empty hole. Season it to taste and add toppings of your choice—onions, peppers, bacon, you name it! Then all that’s left to do is bake for 15 minutes or so.

Breakfast granola pots

Sometimes, you’re so busy, that you have time to make breakfast, but just not time to eat it. Well, who says breakfast can’t be on the go? Put together a granola bowl and serve it in a mason jar instead. You’re able to eat your brekkie at your desk, no problem.

The best thing about granola jars made ahead of time is that they are totally customizable. Mix in any fruits you would like with Greek yogurt or any yogurt of your choice, a healthy sprinkling of granola, and a drizzle of honey. It’s the perfect healthy breakfast for a “busy bee.”

Egg brekkie batch

Some people just want a single ingredient breakfast, and that’s perfectly okay. This one is for the simple folks. You will love this breakfast hack if you’re one of those people. To save time, hard boil a batch of eggs the night before a busy day.

You can eat one the next morning and store the rest in the fridge for all the other mornings in your busy week. They will last a week in the fridge, which is a long time. You can also use the remaining eggs for other dishes like eggs on toast, sandwiches, or even egg salads.

Muffin breakfast batch

Speaking of batch cooking and prepping ahead of time, eggs aren’t the only food you can prepare in batches and refrigerate. You can make breakfast muffins in batches, too! It all depends on how you store them. This hack has the potential to save you so much time.

Store any remaining breakfast muffins in the freezer, just like the bread hack early. Leave a muffin or two to thaw overnight in the fridge before a particularly busy day. And there you have it. Breakfast for the next week is already set.

Smoothie fruit prep

Smoothies may be a quick and easy breakfast, especially when taking them on the go, but preparing them can actually take up a substantial amount of time if your schedule is particularly full. Prepping your smoothies the night before can make a huge difference, and we’re here to help.

The night before you make your smoothie, chop up all the fruits you need and put them in little baggies according to the fruits you desire per smoothie. You can prep multiple smoothies this way. All you need to do is store the bags in the freezer, pulling out each bag whenever you need.

DIY McMuffin

A breakfast McMuffin at the drive thru will set you back anywhere between $2 to $5, and you just started your day. That’s minus the cost of the gas in your car that gets you to work or school. Why spend on a single McMuffin when you can make your own in the comfort of your own home?

When you DIY your breakfast sandwich, you get to do anything you want with it. Extra cheese for no additional cost or an extra egg is just fine. All you need for the most basic egg and sausage McMuffin are English muffins, a fried egg, sausage, and cheese!

The simplest pancakes

Who says pancakes have to be a difficult project to take on? You can actually make pancakes with as little as two ingredients! Celiac people will be thrilled with this recipe because it doesn’t involve any kind of flour, making them gluten free.

To make this simple delight of a breakfast, all you have to do is mash a banana and mix an egg with it. Whisk until everything is incorporated, and scoop them into a pan to fry. Sure, it might not be as structurally sound as a flour and butter-filled pancake, but the taste does not disappoint.

Fruity pancakes

Still on the topic of pancakes and fruits, did you know that you can mix in your leftover fruits into the pancake batter that you already have? The result is some fruity pancakes that make you feel less guilty about having all that gluten for breakfast.

You can use any of the leftover fruits you have in your fridge to mix into your pancake batter. Chop the fruits in tiny pieces and whisk them in with the batter. Add a little bit of chocolate for your fix! However, fruits provide the sugary sweetness that your pancakes need, so you don’t need to add extra sugar into the mix!

Five-minute Turkish poached eggs

Bored of your ol’ regular poached eggs? Here’s a recipe from Gizzi Erskine that adds a Turkish twist to the eggs. It involves using hot paprika, garlic cloves, and Greek yoghurt for a little kick. This dish is best served with sourdough bread or even pita bread.

Poach your eggs as you normally would. While this is happening, go ahead and mix yogurt and garlic in a separate bowl. Then, heat up butter and paprika in a frying pan until it’s a little brown. Drop the poached eggs in the bowl of yogurt and drizzle the butter and paprika mixture over it.

Breakfast pizza

Okay, maybe more like a brunch pizza. If you’re having people over, this is a great dish that everyone can enjoy without much mess. You can adjust the toppings according to everyone’s taste, and it doesn’t have to be such a cheesy or greasy affair like fast food pizza.

Our recommendations for some healthy vegetarian breakfast pizza toppings include spinach, eggs, peppers, and mushrooms. If you want to add some meat on top, you can totally add bacon bits, sausage, or even pepperoni. Whatever it is, your guests are sure to devour it.

Microwaved scramble

As it turns out, an omelet isn’t the only way an egg can be cooked in the microwave. Scrambled eggs easily cook in a microwave as well as a pan! Add just a tiny bit of milk or cream and season your eggs to taste. Microwave for a minute and a half on a high setting.

Halfway through the cooking time, stir your eggs, and then stick it back in. And voila! You can eat your scrambled eggs as is, on toast, with an avocado, with cheese… you name it. It’s such a versatile dish that you can make it every morning and still make sure it’s different every time.

10-minute shakshuka

Earlier, we showed you how to make a green shakshuka. Now, here’s a recipe for a quick and easy 10-minute tomato shakshuka that’s absolutely delicious and comforting. The selling point of this dish? The fact that you can use store cupboard ingredients and it will still taste delightful.

You will need onion, eggs, garlic, parsley, paprika, salt and pepper. You can use canned chopped tomatoes if you don’t have fresh tomatoes on hand. These steps to create this dish is the same as any other shakshuka. Simply cook the eggs in the yummy red sauce.

Sweet potato rösti

This dish takes about an hour of your morning, but is so worth it. So word of warning, don’t attempt this breakfast on a busy day….maybe a chill Saturday morning. Rösti takes about 30 minutes in the oven, and replacing regular potatoes with sweet potatoes gives you that extra crispiness.

Coupling sweet potato rösti with poached eggs and guacamole really does fill you up for the day and sustains your appetite. It’s all the carbs, proteins, and fat you would need to start your day off strong. This is the perfect breakfast that we think everyone has to try.

All in one caffeine fix

Instead of fixing yourself a cup of coffee to go with your breakfast, why not put your daily fix in your breakfast? Don’t know what we mean? Well, a caffeinated banana bread is a great way to have both your breakfast and your coffee to go.

All you have to do to create this dish is add a shot or two of espresso to your banana bread mixture. Bake in the oven as normal. Add chocolates if you desire for that extra sugar kick. Now, you don’t need to take your coffee to-go. It’s already in your bread!

Microwave bacon

This trend of microwaving food is so quick and efficient that we are all here for it. Disclaimer though, it’s not the healthiest option to continue to eat microwaved food, especially every day. But once in a while, you’re allowed to microwave your bacon.

To microwave your bacon, line a plate with paper towels. Place your bacon on the towel, and make sure none of them are touching. Cover the bacon with another paper towel, and heat the bacon in the microwave for 3 minutes on high.

Breakfast burritos

Breakfast wraps aren’t a new thing, but we’ll include it in this list anyways because we love them so much. Just like most of the things on this list, you can adjust the ingredients in your burrito to accommodate your diet and palate, making it as simple or as complicated as you’d like.

A good hack to remember with breakfast burritos is to actually prepare them the night before. They are perfectly fine if they’re stored in the refrigerator or freezer. You can just quickly reheat it in the microwave in the morning.

Dutch Baby pancake

As a society, we are so used to associating pancakes with flipping them over a stove. But, did you know that you can actually make pancakes in the oven in a cast-iron skillet? They’re called Dutch Baby pancakes, but maybe they should be called oven cakes instead.

Dutch Baby pancakes are cute because they inflate in the oven and then immediately deflate as soon as it’s removed from the oven, giving them a life of their own. They take about 30 minutes to cook, which is perfect for a lazy Saturday or Sunday morning.

Jazzed up porridge

Porridge is one of the easier breakfast menu items out there, but it can get really boring really quick if you’re not creative. Even after adding mashed bananas, berries and a drizzle of honey, you still find yourself wanting something new. Here are a few ways to do that.

You can add cocoa powder in your porridge to make a chocolate porridge. Instead of the regular fruit toppings that you have become accustomed to, you can get fancy with some poached pears. And instead of honey, you can use condensed milk for that decadent sweetness.

Haddock kedgeree

If those two words sound alien to you, it’s probably because it’s a very unique dish. It is said that having fish for breakfast helps to boost brain power. This next dish requires cooking fish in whole milk and a variety of spices, and serving it on a bed of basmati rice, or known as Kedgeree.

This particular breakfast is a little out of the ordinary and definitely heavy on the stomach, but it’s extremely hearty. However, the light, aromatic freshness of it is bound to spice up the rest of your day and your stomach while also helping you to reach sufficient Omega-3 levels.

Veggie smoothies

This isn’t a very new hack as people have been doing this for decades. It’s how mothers ensure that their babies reach their required vegetable intake levels for the day. But, if you’re really not a veggie eating person, this will help sneak veggies into your smoothie.

Mix up the fruits with the veggies in order to get all the vitamins and nutrients you need for your day. Kale, spinach, blueberries, kiwi, you name it and add it to your smoothie. Mix in with a little bit of yoghurt or milk and maybe some honey.

Breakfast crumble

Here’s something a little different than a granola bowl. Get your fiber fix for the day with only one bowl full of healthy grains. This dish works exceptionally well with roasted fruits such as peaches, plums, and apricots mixed in with granola.

Top the bowl off with a dollop of fresh Greek yoghurt and a drizzle of honey or date syrup. It’s the perfect sweet and healthy treat to start your day, making sure you reach your daily levels of fiber intake. It’s simple, quick, and easy. Great for any kind of morning you’re having.

Baked bacon

Bacon isn’t just for the frying pan, or even the microwave like we mentioned before. It can also be cooked in the oven. This is actually a healthier option compared to the previous two cooking methods in this list, as it involves a lot less grease and oil.

To bake your bacon, place it on a baking tray that has been lined with tin foil. Bake in the oven at 200° Celsius for about 15 minutes, or to your desired texture. Make sure to check constantly in case they burn or get crispier than you would like.

Overnight oats

Meal prepping is the number one solution for the “busy bee” that always has something going on. Having everything prepared the night before means less fuss and confusion in the morning. Overnight oats is one of those breakfast dishes you can prep ahead of time.

All you have to do is to soak your oats – jumbo oats recommended – in water and yogurt. Refrigerate the mix overnight. In the morning, you can just sprinkle some fruits and a drizzle honey or peanut butter on top. You can also sprinkle some cinnamon on top!

Egg parcels

No, these aren’t eggs in a parcel. Well, not quite. They are eggs cooked in a bacon cup! How fun and delicious does that sound? These little treats are extremely savory and filling. It’s the best thing you can consume for a morning pick-me-up.

To get the bacon to stay in a cup shape, use a muffin tray and line the hollows with pieces of pancetta. Crack an egg inside, and top it with sautéed spinach and garlic if you’d like. You can even grate some cheese over it. Leave them to bake in the oven for about 10 minutes.

Cookie cutter pancakes

Sometimes, using a utensil for the wrong purpose actually gives you something new and exciting to eat and create. For example, not limiting cookie cutters to just cookies can give you wonderfully shaped pancakes that your kids will love!

Shaped cookie cutters can help mold your pancakes into the perfect shape or whatever you desire. Whether it’s just a simple circle, hearts, or more intricate shapes like dinosaurs, there’s something out there for everyone. This is a great way to make breakfast fun for the kids.

Breakfast bars

You can find protein bars and breakfast bars in your nearest grocery store, for sure. But why purchase them when you can make your own batch to store for multiple breakfasts throughout the week? It’s more cost-efficient and you can create any flavor you’d like.

The base of any breakfast bar is oats, flour, milk, and baking powder. Any flavors you would like to add to them is entirely up to you. We love adding dried fruits. You can also use bananas, chocolates, peanut butter, berries, or raisins – you name it!

A+ soft-boiled eggs

Soft-boiled eggs are a hit and miss. Sometimes, if you get the temperature and timing just right, you come out with a perfect, soft egg white with a little bit of a runny yolk. Other times, you just end up with a rock solid egg with an unpleasant texture.

For the perfect soft-boiled eggs, make sure your eggs are at room temperature when you put them in the boiling water. Boiling them straight from the fridge is usually not recommended. Stir the eggs while they boil for exactly six minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, and place them in ice water to stop the cooking process.

Empty the cupboard with egg muffins

If you have ingredients that are starting to go bad, you can still put them to good use. Egg muffins are a great way to empty the cupboard without anything going to waste. You can put your leftover ham or even a single piece of sausage in the muffins.

Quickly stir fry whatever ingredients you have left – ham, onions, or mushrooms – and place them in a greased muffin tin. Whisk together eggs and milk, pour the mixture in the tin over your already cooked ingredients, then bake for 20-25 minutes.

Easy hollandaise

Seeing a dish with hollandaise sauce can be rather intimidating. You probably have this idea that it’s a difficult dish to make, and the sauce takes a lot of work. But, there are plenty of ways to cheat a hollandaise sauce and have it turn out just as delicious as the fancy stuff.

Mix two egg yolks in a glass bowl, followed by some white wine vinegar, tarragon, a dash of salt and ice water. Place the bowl over a small pan on the stove over low heat and keep whisking constantly until the mixture is thick. Remove the bowl, and little by little, add your butter. Mix until you have yourself a creamy hollandaise sauce!

DIY chocolate pastries

You don’t have to go to your nearest overpriced chain café to have a scrumptious chocolate pastry for breakfast. You can make your own at home with store bought puff pastry and some chocolate chips! That simple, really. The results are easy, cheap, and equally as tasty.

Roll out your pastry, then cut them into even rectangles. Next, cut those into half in triangles and stuff each one with some chocolate. Roll the pastry until you have little croissant-shaped nuggets. Brush over them with an egg wash and bake in the oven for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

Waffle cinnamon rolls

If you’re looking to switch things up, why not make cinnamon rolls in a waffle maker instead of the oven? It’s actually way easier and less mess. We bet you’ve never thought about this! All you need is store-bought cinnamon roll dough and your waffle iron.

Spray the waffle maker with some cooking spray to ensure they don’t stick all over the place. Then, take a few rolls and arrange them evenly in the middle of the waffle iron. This is so that they don’t pour out over the sides of the waffle maker when pressed. Once they’re done, drizzle with some icing sugar, and enjoy!

Pancakes in a jar

Tired of boring old flapjacks wishing you could have your pancakes on the go? Then look no further than this recipe for pancakes in a jar. Yep, you read that right! Instead of frying your batter in a pan, add some baking powder and dump the mix in a jar.

You can line the bottom of the jar with blueberries for tangy blueberry pancakes. Put the jar in the microwave for about 1 minute, depending on the size of the jar. The dough rises during this process. This is something you can even eat during your morning commute.

Breakfast popsicles

Now, this is a genius breakfast treat for a hot Summer’s day. Perfect timing seeing as the skies are getting clearer and the heat is setting in all around the world! All you need for this recipe is yogurt and some fruits of your choice.

Place yogurt in a popsicle mold, then evenly place your little fruit pieces in the yogurt. Cover with an extra spoonful of yogurt, and put the mold in the freezer. That’s it! You can prepare these the night before and wake up to a fridge full of fresh, fruity popsicles.

No-bake energy bites

It’s amazing how many things that traditionally require baking can actually be achieved without putting them in the oven at all. Cheesecakes, tiramisus, and brownies are just some of these sweet things. Breakfast energy bites can also be prepared ahead of time without the help of an oven.

Mix chia seeds or dates, honey, cocoa powder, toasted coconuts, oats, vanilla extract, flax, and peanut butter or almond butter in a bowl. Put the mixture in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes, then roll them up into bite-sized balls, and they are ready…simple as that!

Waffle iron hash browns

Hash browns are a great guilty pleasure breakfast. Unfortunately, they require so much oil and grease—things that are generally not recommended for a hearty and healthy breakfast in the morning. But with this next hack, you can make a healthy version at home.

You can even use frozen shredded hash browns instead of grating potatoes yourself to save yourself some time and energy. Grease up the waffle iron with cooking spray and place scoops of the hash browns onto the griddle and press down. You’re pretty much done!

Waffle brownies

We are quickly learning that you can basically do anything with a waffle iron. Where have we been for all of these amazing ideas for waffles? If you’re in the mood for both a brownie and a waffle at the same time in the morning, there’s no reason why you can’t have both.

To make waffle brownies like the ones pictured above, all you have to do is prepare a brownie batter like you usually would if you were to make regular brownies. Only, instead of putting them in the oven, pour the batter straight into your waffle maker. Add a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Pancake batter container

Got leftover pancake batter from breakfast? Or even brownie batter? You can always store it. Multiple Internet sources have said that the ideal place to put pancake batter is in an empty ketchup bottle. This may seem a little weird, but it actually works and is very convenient.

Next time you want to make pancakes, all you have to do is squeeze the batter right out of the bottle. It’s a lot less hassle than ladling the batter into the pan and making a mess each time or coming out with inconsistent pancakes. This is a truly useful breakfast hack.

Apple ring pancakes

Well, this recipe will blow your minds because it certainly blew ours. Remember the fruity pancakes we mentioned earlier? Well, this is another version of that, except it uses apple rings as the main attraction. You can make rings using a cutting mandolin or by cutting the apples in rings.

Prepare your pancake batter, preheat, and pre-grease your pan. Then, dip each ring into the pancake batter before placing them on the hot pan. And there you have it – that easy. Healthy, tasty apple ring pancakes. You can drizzle them with maple syrup or sprinkle icing sugar…

Eggs in leftovers

If you want something different for breakfast, but are bored of plain old eggs, here’s a hack for you. Simmer your eggs in leftovers from dinner. Say you had soup, or some leftover Bolognese sauce. They don’t have to go to waste.

Heat up the soup or sauce in a pan, then crack in your eggs. Wait until your eggs are your desired amount of cooked. And that’s pretty much it. A new and easy way to sauce up your breakfast.

DIY cereal bars

Cereals are great and always taste good. We can eat them for every meal. But sometimes, you just don’t have time to sit down and eat milk and cereal out of a bowl in the morning. The solution to this is to make your own cereal bars.

Mix together toasted oats cereal, peanuts, and dried berries. Then, mix honey and peanut butter over medium heat. Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture until everything is covered in glaze. Pack the mixture onto a greased square pan and refrigerate for a few hours. When ready, they can be cut into bars!