Finding easy, budget-friendly breakfast recipes that the whole family will enjoy is one of the most challenging aspects of feeding a household. With family members rushing around to school and work, it's all too easy to fall back on that cereal bar/Pop Tart/Toaster Strudel crutch because they're cheap and easy for an on-the-go family. But we've got it covered with 40, kid-approved, wallet-friendly recipes that can be made ahead of time.
Meal-prepping usually focuses on easy, batch dinner recipes, but there's no reason we can't make delicious breakfasts ahead of time! After all, chaotic weekday mornings (and even lazy Sundays) become a lot easier when we can simply reheat a breakfast casserole that was made last night, dig into pre-prepped overnight oats, or even simply grab a yogurt popsicle out of the freezer for that same on-the-go simplicity.
From decadent, slow-cooker recipes like a pancake casserole, to lighter fare like a fruit and yogurt breakfast pizza, we have a recipe for every age group, personal taste, and dietary limitation. (Yes, there are easy make-ahead breakfasts for the vegan and paleo crowds!) Plus, each breakfast idea is either ideal for a budget-conscious household, or we've added tips on how to tweak the recipes to make them savings-friendly. Keep clicking for a diverse list of delicious make-ahead breakfast recipes.
Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats
We love Mason jar breakfasts because they make on-the-go eating easier (plus they look amazing). It's easy to buy oats and chia seeds in bulk to make this breakfast over and over without breaking the bank. Plus, this strawberry chia overnight oats recipe can easily be prepped in advance without so much as a stir — just shake it up! Add the strawberries in the morning.
Healthy Egg Muffin Cups
A muffin tin is the perfect vehicle for easy, make-ahead breakfasts. Simply fill a muffin tin with eggs and favorite fillings, such as spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, and shredded mozzarella. Then pop it in the oven for individual-serving egg cups that can last for days.
Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Cookies
What kid wouldn't want to eat cookies for breakfast? These healthy peanut butter banana breakfast cookies take less than a half hour to make, and kids can grab and munch them on their way out the door. Plus, the recipe is fairly simple: It uses peanut butter, bananas, raisins, honey, and rolled oats (which, again, can be bought in bulk!) Skip the seeds and nuts for a more budget-friendly cookie.
Spinach and Mozzarella Egg Bake
Just fill a baking pan with a layer of spinach, a layer of shredded cheese, a layer of chives, and top with eight eggs for a spinach and mozzarella egg casserole that will stretch for a week. Plus, none of the ingredients are outrageously expensive!
Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Why buy overly processed granola bars when it's easy (and much healthier) to make a lower-cost version at home? All that's needed is chocolate chips, oats, coconut oil, honey, brown sugar, and Rice Krispies to make this copycat Chewy granola bar recipe.
Mixed Berry Smoothie
A mixed berry smoothie is the classic morning treat for people who don't really like breakfast. Ward away hunger pangs by adding a scoop of protein powder or Greek yogurt to the classic smoothie blend. Save money on expensive berries (which can go bad quickly) by buying frozen fruit!
Sausage Muffins
Biscuit mix is the cheap and easy secret to many hearty breakfasts. Mix shredded cheese, breakfast sausage, eggs, and Bisquick and pour the mixture into a muffin tin. The result? A full, kid-friendly breakfast in the convenience of a grab-and-go muffin. Substitute turkey sausage to make it a bit lighter.
Breakfast 'Ice Cream' Sandwiches
Kids will be so excited to hear they're allowed to eat ice cream for breakfast! Mom's little secret? The ice cream in this recipe is made from Greek yogurt and frozen strawberries, while the oatmeal breakfast cookie recipe is a combo of banana, peanut butter, rolled oats, flour and raisins. Simply whip up a batch of these, stick them in the freezer, and keep them for the next day (or week!)
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches
Here's a tip for this slider variation on the classic ham, egg, and cheese sandwich: Use a rectangular skillet to make the eggs, so they come out as sandwich-friendly slabs rather than messy scrambled chunks. Make these breakfast sliders the night before and then quickly warm them in the morning.
Egg and Sausage Taquitos
Frozen breakfast sausages, tortillas, scrambled eggs, and shredded cheese are the four cheap and accessible ingredients for this breakfast taquitos rollup. Use salsa or ketchup for a dipping sauce.
Overnight Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole
Another overnight recipe that's guaranteed to be a sweet success with the entire family! This hearty breakfast recipe is ideal for a sleepy weekend morning or special occasion. Substitute butter and milk for a cheaper alternative to whipping cream. Just dump the ingredients into a casserole pan, refrigerate overnight, heat up for 40 minutes in the oven and go!
Potato, Egg, and Cheese Waffles
Who said waffles have to be a sweet treat? Use the waffle iron to cook packaged, shredded hash browns, pre-cooked bacon (if family members are carnivores) and eggs. The result is easy savory breakfast waffles that are easily grabbed and reheated for breakfast on the go.
Baked Oatmeal
This make-ahead twist on a classic breakfast recipe is sure to make morning meals easier and less time-consuming. If desired, substitute pricey berries for bananas or apples to make for a more budget-friendly baked oatmeal.
Crock-Pot Veggie Omelet
Yep, fluffy omelets could be made in a slow cooker! This Crock-Pot veggie omelet recipe is loaded with egg whites, spinach, onions, and peppers to make for a hearty, greens-heavy breakfast. Chop the veggies the night before, then throw all the ingredients in when the morning alarm goes off so it cooks while everyone's getting dressed. No need to stand over the stove!
Broccoli Quiche With Bacon
It's OK to have a cheesy bacon quiche as long as we throw in some broccoli, right? This gluten-free, paleo recipe is made with nutritional yeast instead of real cheese, but feel free to substitute. The recipe takes a little over an hour to make.
Bacon and Egg Cups
Just three ingredients — bacon, eggs, and chives — make for a fun twist on the classic bacon and eggs staple. Plus, it's easy to make these ahead of time in a muffin tin.
Vegan Cookie Dough Breakfast Bowl
Who wouldn't want to eat cookie dough for breakfast? This easy vegan breakfast is made with peanut butter, chickpeas, chocolate chips, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Substitute agave nectar for honey to make things more wallet-friendly.
Overnight Cinnamon Rolls
Not in the mood to make the regular Pillsbury packaged rolls? It's easier to whip up homemade cinnamon rolls than one would think. These sweet buns can be baked overnight and frozen up to two months before serving for a decadent breakfast treat down the line.
Blueberry Muffins
This simple recipe for one of the most popular breakfast pastries out there has a secret ingredient: sour cream. Yammie's blog says that sour cream will enhance the texture and flavor of the muffin. This recipe only has 10 ingredients and takes about a half hour to make.
Breakfast Enchiladas
These easy, cheesy enchiladas can be customized for practically any family's needs and preferences (Add veggies to make it a better-balanced meal!) Plus, the whole recipe can be made with just a package of shredded cheese, eggs, ham, and tortillas.
Lemon Poppy Seed Scones
These light and refreshing scones take under a half hour to make, and no mixer is needed! Plus, most of the ingredients (besides the poppy seeds) will probably already be lying around the house somewhere, so there's no need to go over budget.
Vegan Breakfast Energy Bars
These protein-rich energy bars are ideal for chocoholics who need an on-the-go fix. They're loaded with quinoa, cashews, peanut butter, dates, oats, and chocolate chips. Plus the hemp hearts can be substituted with chia or flax seeds (which can be easily bought in bulk!)
Breakfast Pigs in a Blanket
Cocktail wieners can be perfect for breakfast time, too! Simply roll up scrambled eggs, a sausage link, and shredded cheddar cheese in a pre-packaged crescent roll. The recipe couldn't be more foolproof to easily whip up ahead of time.
Cinnamon Swirl Quick Bread
This easy, cake-like bread recipe is ideal for a brunch or can be served for dessert and only requires the baking basics: Cinnamon, sugar, baking soda, flour, eggs, and milk.
Instant Oatmeal Jars
Prepare these jars ahead of time with rolled oats and toppings like fruit, raisins, and chocolate chips. Then simply add hot milk or water, stir, and go! Check out these recipes for oatmeal jar inspirations.
Breakfast Yogurt Popsicles
These super-easy, healthy popsicles make for a perfect hot-weather breakfast treat. Simply freeze granola, yogurt, strawberries, and water in popsicle molds and save for for a simple make-ahead breakfast.
Egg-Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stuffed peppers aren't just for dinner. These carb-free breakfast stuffed peppers are filled with eggs, asparagus and feta cheese. This simple recipe can be made in bulk ahead of time with only a few ingredients.
Zucchini Pancakes
This healthier version of a classic potato pancake calls for only chopped zucchini, eggs, garlic, and Parmesan. These zucchini fritters are so simple that they will fit any budget.
Homemade Hot Pockets
With zero additives or preservatives, these ham, egg, and cheese-stuffed pockets are surprisingly cheap to make — and they can go right into the freezer for a popular make-ahead meal.
Cheddar Bacon Biscuits
What makes buttery biscuits even better? Bacon. This tasty breakfast recipe can work as a side or main dish and only takes a half hour to make.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl
Breakfast bowls are all the rage and this one only has five ingredients to make for a simple breakfast that will make mouths and wallets happy. Get the recipe for this sweet potato breakfast bowl made with nuts, raisins, and almond butter here.
Salted Caramel Energy Balls
Make these kid-approved energy bites in bulk. These breakfast snacks are made with oats, coconuts, seeds, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Store in the fridge for an easy, grab-and-go breakfast for hectic mornings.
Blueberry Pancake Casserole
Pancakes don't have to be a morning-of meal. This casserole recipe calls for blueberry pancake mix layered in a casserole pan, baked, and topped with a brown sugar crumble. Cut down on the cost by using a boxed pancake mix instead of one made from scratch!
Healthy Breakfast Pizza
Rainbows never tasted so good. This breakfast "pizza" is layered in yogurt "sauce" and topped with fruit and granola. Make the shopping trip less expensive by cutting out berries, and subbing for cheaper fruit like bananas, oranges, and apples.
Fruit and Yogurt Parfait
Everybody loves parfait! Layer granola, fruit, chocolate chunks, and Greek yogurt in jars to make for an easy, make-ahead meal that feels like a healthy ice cream sundae.
Turkey Avocado Egg Wraps
This keto, low-carb egg wrap combines the best of breakfast and lunch. Instead of using a whole-grain wrap for a classic turkey and avocado rollup, make an egg wrap by spreading a thin layer of eggs in a large, nonstick skillet to create a thin omelet.
Overnight Cake Batter Oatmeal
Cake batter for breakfast? Kids will be pumped about this make-ahead oatmeal recipe that tastes like a cupcake. It will only take about 10 minutes to make this sweet oatmeal recipe topped with colorful sprinkles for good measure.
Avocado Breakfast Burritos
This California Mexican-style breakfast burrito recipe calls for bacon, peppers, onions, eggs, and cheese and can be made in under 30 minutes. Plus, it's easy to cook ahead of time and freeze for eating the next day!
Carrot Cake Breakfast Cookies
This surprisingly healthy recipe combines two types of dessert. They only take about a half hour to make and all of the ingredients are reasonably affordable: carrots, oats, cinnamon, ginger, nuts, maple syrup, and coconut oil.
Nutella Granola
We couldn't complete this list without a Nutella recipe. This chocolate hazelnut granola recipe only has five ingredients and can be made ahead of time and enjoyed throughout the week.
