Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

Start off your day with a great breakfast. Breakfast helps you stay at a healthy weight, provides you with energy and has many other benefits. Here are some delicious breakfast ideas to get you through a busy morning.
 

Bonus! Watch the video Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas to see this information in action.

Yummy ways to enjoy cereal

Eating cereal for breakfast is a popular choice because it’s fast and easy. But if you’re looking for ideas beyond cereal and milk, read on:

• Start your morning with a whole grain boost of oatmeal or 7 grain cereal made with milk. Sprinkle with fresh or dried fruit or nuts. Heat it up for some warm comfort on a cold day.
• Leftover brown rice, couscous or quinoa can be enjoyed as a hot cereal. Top with walnuts, sliced banana and a drizzle of maple syrup. 
• Mix and match a whole grain cereal that is low in fibre with one that is high in fibre (has more than 4 grams of fibre in each serving). Stir in some fresh or frozen berries for colour and antioxidants.
• Yogurt topped with granola and peach slices is a delicious combination.
• Go tropical with cereal mixed with canned pineapple bits (drained) and unsweetened shredded coconut.
• Try something new like brown rice congee or porridge made from cornmeal. These can even be made a few days ahead and warmed up when you’re ready to eat.

Other topping suggestions: diced apples, bananas slices, dried cranberries, kiwi, mango slices, berries, dates, raisins, cranberries, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, vanilla or cinnamon.

Five make-ahead and freeze breakfasts

Beat the morning rush by making these breakfast foods ahead of time and freezing them. Then on a busy morning, just reheat and eat.

• French toast – Use whole grain bread to make several slices of French toast. Freeze them and reheat it when you need it. Spread some applesauce, or top with yogurt, blueberries or canned peaches.  This is a great way to use up stale bread.
• Whole grain pancakes – Serve with fresh or frozen berries.
• Homemade whole grain muffins – Enjoy with an apple or pear and a glass of milk.
• Quinoa, brown rice or steel cut oats – Make extra grains (which can take a long time to cook) and freeze into single serving sizes. Then reheat it in the microwave and enjoy with some milk, dried fruit and nuts.
• Breakfast burritos – Wrap scrambled eggs in a whole grain tortilla with shredded cheese and diced tomatoes (without the juice). Wrap in foil and freeze. Remove the foil before microwaving and simply heat when you’re ready to eat. Switch it up with other toppings such as red or green peppers, sautéed mushrooms, baby spinach, or green onions.  Make sure to drain any liquid from the cooked vegetables so that the tortilla shell doesn’t get soggy.

Five breakfasts with a twist – using up leftovers

If you’re tired of leftovers going to waste, then breakfast is a perfect time to use them up. Which ideas do you like?

• Try Chinese vegetable buns, orange slices and a fortified soy beverage.
• Heat up leftovers like curried vegetables with chickpeas. Enjoy with whole wheat pita wedges.
• Use up leftover brown rice with this traditional Filipino breakfast -- a fried egg served up over brown rice. Have a side of mixed canned fruit and a fortified soy beverage to drink.
• Wrap up leftover grilled chicken and vegetables in a whole wheat tortilla.
• Enjoy leftover canned baked beans with salsa and a sprinkle of shredded cheese. Layer on a whole wheat English muffin and heat in the microwave or broil in the oven.

Grab and go breakfast ideas

If you’re too busy to eat breakfast at home, try these portable ideas. They are perfect for the bus, on the train or at work.

• Instead of buying breakfast, save money by layering up a whole wheat English muffin with cheese, lettuce and tomato.
• Create a breakfast wrap with a whole grain tortilla, spread with a nut butter and top with banana or pear slices.
• Grab a homemade muffin out of the freezer, and pair it up with a smoothie (poured into a thermos). Make a large batch of your favourite smoothie when you have time and then pour it into a thermos when you’re ready to go.
• Hard-cook some eggs on the weekend. You can keep them in your fridge for up to a week if you leave the shell on. Just add some yogurt and a piece of fruit and breakfast is done.
• Spread hummus on a mini whole grain bagel. Grab a peach or plum to go.
• Make your own trail mix ahead of time with whole grain, high fibre cereal, dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Portion into a small container, and add a piece of fruit and a container of milk for the road.

Recipes:

Rise and Shine Breakfast Sandwich

Spiced Hot Chocolate

Egg Bhurji

Ground up Frog Smoothie

Khao Tom (Thai rice soup)

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin Squares

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Video: Quick and Easy Breakfast Ideas

Video: How many vegetables and fruit do you need?

Choose oats often!