3 Easy Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas

    

Would you believe that with all the back-to-school craziness on the horizon, one of my biggest anxiety-inducers is actually….breakfast! Not my child’s teacher, not selecting the proper school supplies, not even getting the perfect first-day photo, but literally what food I am putting into my kids’ mouths. During the summer months, I don’t stress about the morning meal as much; a Pop-Tart and banana seem to work fine (with a vitamin thrown in to make up for that donut when we were late for swimming lessons). But now that the school year is upon us, it’s time to break out the brain foods that will help my first grader and preschooler tackle the day (and help ease my mom-guilt about our junky summer eating!).

My husband and I both leave for our jobs before 8 AM, each of us toting a kid to drop at school or daycare, so make-ahead breakfasts are a necessity. Here are some of my boys’ favorite breakfasts that can be assembled the night before. 

Overnight Oats 

This is one of my go-to breakfasts, especially on busy school mornings. I love the endless combinations of ingredients that can be used in overnight oats. I will often toss in whatever is in my pantry. This is a base recipe via The Food Network that can modified to your tastes. Our favorite adds are blueberries and honey! Mix all your ingredients together in a mason jar and store in the refrigerator overnight. 

Breakfast Balls

No baking involved with these simple little bites disguised as treats. Quick to put together the night before and easy to grab on your way out the door! They are surprisingly filling. Sometimes we eat them for after-school snacks, too. There are tons of recipes for breakfast balls or energy balls on Pinterest, so you’re sure to find one that your family will enjoy.

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • ¼ cup ground flaxseed
  • ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup almond butter
  • ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (not packed) grated apple (about 1 medium)
After stirring together the oats, flaxseed and cinnamon, coat with the almond butter, honey, vanilla and pinch of salt mixture. Stir in the apples, form the mixture into balls and store in the refrigerator in a container.
 

Egg Muffins

My children like anything muffin-shaped (meatloaf muffins, anyone?) and egg muffins are no exception. I like the fact that my kids are receiving the vitamins, minerals, proteins and healthy fats found in eggs, so these are a win-win. They can easily be made ahead of time and then reheated. Like the recipes above, this one is a snap to adjust with your family’s favorite ingredients. 

  • 7 eggs
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk
  • Ingredients of your choice  (spinach, mushrooms, sweet peas, peppers, ham and cheese)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees after oiling your muffin tin. Whisk your eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture in the muffin tin after adding any final ingredients. We like to add turkey sausage and cheese to ours! Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes, then freeze or refrigerate afterwards to save time in the morning. 

What are your favorite make-ahead breakfasts for busy mornings?

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Lauren Davis
Lauren and her husband Dan live in El Dorado with their two boys (born 2011 and 2014). They have added a goldendoodle, a hedgehog and two cats to their family in recent years and are expecting a daughter to join their crew at the end of 2020! She is an elementary school secretary, a member of the Junior League of Wichita and the Tri-County CASA Board of Directors. Lauren spent much of her childhood in Lawrence, Kansas and moved to El Dorado about ten years ago after her husband graduated from pharmacy school. She gets by on a lot of coffee and loves all the messy, fun, wild and wonderful parts of being a mom.