Quick & Healthy Breakfasts for Rushed Mornings

How many of us out there press snooze on our alarms several times, leading to a morning that feels rushed, stressful, and speeding to get to work on time? That has definitely been me on many occasions (maybe even most days)! While I would love to be that person who sets her alarm early, and has a relaxing and meditative morning routine, I am just not there yet! And that’s ok because good health is a journey and not just a destination!

The reality is that most of us have busy mornings, which don’t leave enough time to sit down and have a nice breakfast, so I wanted to share my quickest and easiest breakfast solutions that meet my standards for nutrition. While these may not always provide you with everything you need for a nutritionally balanced meal, they are all healthy options that will help you get the day started, so you aren’t trying to start your day on an empty stomach! Some of these ideas are items you can grab or quickly put together in the morning, and some are ideas that need to be made the night before, but are very quick and easy to put together. All of these can be eaten on the go, whether that’s in the car, on the bus, or eaten casually at your work desk.

If you’re someone who doesn’t typically eat breakfast, or isn’t all that hungry in the mornings, these ideas will benefit you too. I hope these ideas will help you get out of a rut of skipping breakfast, buying a fast-food breakfast, or eating something lacking in nutrients!

Protein bars

These are for when you don’t have even a minute to spare before running out the door! Grab one as you leave and eat it in the car. You can even throw it in your purse or lunch bag the night before. These are a much better choice than any kind of granola bar, as the protein will help to prevent a spike in blood sugar, as well as sustain your appetite for longer. Three recommendations for brands to buy are:

• RXBAR– I love that these do not have any added sugar and get all of their sweetness from the dates that are used. My favourite flavour is the Blueberry one. To save money, you can buy them in bulk from Costco (not all flavours are available there).
• GoMacro macrobro
• Hornby Organic

Evive Smoothie Cubes

These smoothie cubes have been immensely helpful for me when I want to have a smoothie for breakfast but don’t have time to make a smoothie! You simply add the cubes to some liquid (I always use plant-based milk) about 20-30 minutes before you want to leave the house to allow the cubes to “melt”. Then give them a stir or a really good shake, and you have yourself a healthy smoothie that only took a couple of minutes to make! Make sure to add your liquid and smoothie cubes to a to-go cup and easily drink it on the go. The Evive smoothie cubes contain fruit, veggies, protein, and added superfoods for a variety of nutrients.

Trail mix & fresh fruit

Many mornings I would grab an apple and eat it on the way to work, and then top that off with some trail mix. Any kind of “nut mixture” that provides you with some protein and fat will work, whether that means you make it yourself or purchase a mix already made. Of course, you can pack whatever fruit is easiest for you (bananas are quite popular for this)! This takes just a couple of minutes to grab, and then you can eat it on your way to work or wherever you’re headed! If you want to make your own, you can simply buy roasted & salted nuts and seeds, and add in dried fruit, chocolate chips, etc.

Chia pudding & OVERNIGHT OATS

I’m putting these two ideas together in the same category because many of the recipes are similar, and a lot of recipes will mix oats and chia seeds together. The flavour combinations for these recipes are endless! These are recipes that you have to make the night before so it can set overnight in the fridge, BUT they are super quick and easy to make. You can then grab your container as you’re leaving the house, or pack it in your lunch bag the night before, and then eat in when you get to the office. The key to making really good chia pudding is to use full-fat coconut milk, which gives it the best texture and flavour. Look for descriptors on the can like “full fat”, “full cream”, or a high percentage of coconut vs. water (90%+) in the ingredients list.

Have you ever had cold oatmeal? That may not sound appealing, but trust me that overnight oats can be delicious on a hot summer day! They are filling and are a great choice to keep you fuelled for the busy morning hours. To make this breakfast idea even quicker, many natural food brands now make packages of overnight oats, where all you need to do is add milk and let it sit overnight. Here are some great brands you can try. I haven’t tried these myself as I usually make my own from scratch, but these ones have great ingredients and sound really good:

• HOLOS Organic Overnight Muesli Chai
• PRANA Organic Overnight Chia Chocolatey Dream Oat & Chia Mix
• Oatbox Overnight Oats– the Carrot Cake one sounds so good! (organic)

If you’d like to make your own chia pudding or overnight oats from scratch (super easy), I recommend trying one of these recipes to get you started: Banana Cream Pie Chia Pudding and Matcha Overnight Oats by Choosing Chia.

Yogurt parfait

The night before heading to your destination, just add some yogurt to a to-go container and add some frozen fruit on top. Boom, done. The frozen fruit will defrost overnight in the fridge, and in the morning you can then eat it as-is, or add more toppings such as granola, bee pollen, or nuts, before heading out the door. I love to buy frozen fruit from Costco as they sell large bags of organic fruit for a good price! I prefer to eat dairy-free yogurt, and my favourite brands to look for at your local grocery store are:

• Riviera (all of their plant-based flavours are delicious, and they also make dairy yogurts)
• Silk Coconut
• Tree Island (they also make dairy yogurts with good ingredients)

If you can, buy organic yogurt, which will reduce the number of questionable ingredients in it. If you’re buying dairy yogurt, look for whole milk and grass-fed.

Egg bites/egg cups/egg muffins

You’ll have to make these ahead of time, but they are super quick to make and can be packed in a to-go container to easily eat on the go! You don’t even need to warm them up in the morning if you don’t have time. To speed up the process, you can use pre-washed fresh veggies like spinach and kale, or any leftover chopped veggies you have on hand!

Try out this recipe from Sweet Peas and Saffron that includes the addition of a small amount of flour to prevent the egg “muffins” from becoming soggy.

I hope these ideas will help you create a healthy morning routine with healthy breakfasts! If you have any questions on products or ingredients, I’m happy to help!