Mornings are hectic. No matter how hard we try, a perfect weekday morning remains elusive. But here’s a newsflash: there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! Just because your days start off more frantic than they end, it doesn’t mean you’re failing the life test. But for anyone hoping to bring a little more organization into their day, what better place to start than with filling breakfast ideas that won’t leave you starving by 11am?
A proper breakfast helps start your day on the right foot and keeps you chugging along until the clock strikes lunch hour. With these nutrient-dense, easy breakfast recipes under your belt, you’re prepped and ready to seize the day. The Energizer bunny’s got nothing on you.
To be honest (no one come for me here), breakfast is often my last priority during the busy morning scramble. Every day looks different for me, meaning I don’t have a solid routine for getting out of bed and out the door. If it’s a good day, I’ll whip up some combination of eggs/spinach/cheese and go about my merry way. But on those days where I’m running around like the protagonist in a 90s workplace rom-com, I’m lucky if I make it out the door with coffee in hand.
Featured image by Michelle Nash.
The Case For Making a Filling Breakfast
However, there are no ifs, ands, or buts about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. It’s crucial for balancing blood sugar, improving concentration, increasing your metabolism, and lowering stress. And after reading about some of these benefits, I’ve been incorporating a nourishing breakfast into my daily routine.
By starting my day off with breakfast (groundbreaking, I know), I’ve noticed I have more energy, am crashing less in the afternoon, and feel more in tune with my hunger throughout the day. That means no more feeling hangry (better for both myself and those around me). The moral of the story is, breakfast = good. It’s even better when it’s nourishing enough to fuel your mind and body until lunchtime. Read on for our picks of filling breakfast ideas to power up your mornings.
10 Filling Breakfast Ideas To Kickstart Your Morning
Pumpkin Overnight Oats
Why We Love It: Make-ahead overnight oats are the king of hands-off breakfast recipes. And in the case of this pumpkin variation, you’re getting stick-to-your-ribs protein and cozy fall vibes in one go. Oats, chia seeds, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and cinnamon work behind the scenes to create a cohesive breakfast. Plus, you can take your jar on the go or enjoy it on the spot.
Hero Ingredient: To get yourself in the fall spirit, consider topping your bowl with candied pecans. Not only do they taste amazing, but they fill your kitchen with that unbeatable autumn smell. I can feel my mouth watering already.
Sunday Night Avocado Toast with a Jammy Egg
Why We Love It: This upgraded avocado toast is just what the doctor ordered for hungry mornings. Slow-roasted tomatoes and a soft-boiled egg lay over a bed of creamy avocado and crunchy toast to create pure perfection. With carbs, healthy fats, vitamins, and protein all wrapped up in one, you’ve got an easy breakfast that’s as satisfying as it is tasty.
Hero Ingredient: By sautéing the tomatoes until they burst open, you’re left with a sauce-like finishing touch that flavors the entire toast. Yum.
whole Roasted sweet potatoes, two ways
Why We Love It: Whole roasted sweet potatoes are about as easy as filling breakfast ideas get. All you have to do is roast them in foil, slice ’em open, and top to your heart’s desire. We’re talking Greek yogurt, sour cream, avocado, nuts, herbs, red onion, or whatever else you can conjure up to finish these off in style. The best part? Sweet potatoes are nutrient-dense with fiber, beta-carotene, and vitamin A all packed in. These sweet potatoes are a great way to enjoy a veggie-forward breakfast that combats the mid-afternoon hunger pang. Choose your own topping adventure and feel free to experiment!
Hero Ingredient: Although the toppings here are adjustable, a sprinkle of red pepper flakes is almost always a good idea. The warmth factor from a little spice is unmatched.
Banana Pumpkin Muffins
Why We Love It: Peak baking season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate it than with a banana pumpkin muffin? These tasty treats are healthy, moist, fluffy, and so easy to make. They’re a one-bowl wonder that are gluten-free, dairy-free, and free of refined sugars so you can enjoy freely throughout the morning. With oats and banana, there’s no shortage of fiber in these muffins that will stick with you until lunch.
Hero Ingredient: Flax eggs mimic the texture of actual eggs almost perfectly. They help the muffins maintain a fluffy crumb and flavorful profile.
Mushroom Toast with Arugula & Lemon
Why We Love It: Mushroom toast for breakfast may seem atypical, but once you try it out you’ll be hooked. It makes for a delicious, plant-based and protein-packed breakfast that shakes up your morning in the best way. Not to mention, mushrooms are loaded with nutrients including fiber, protein, antioxidants, and a whole slew of essential vitamins and minerals. In this recipe, they’re joined by creamy ricotta, peppery arugula, and tangy sourdough bread to craft a winning flavor and nutrition profile you’ll want on repeat.
Hero Ingredient: A sprinkle of lemon zest over top never hurt anybody. It wakes up all the flavors underneath and packs a little zing into your morning.
Mushroom, Spinach, and Goat Cheese Frittata
Why We Love It: Frittata is the chameleon of meals. It’s amazing for breakfast, lunch, and dinner alike and is composed entirely of things you (probably) have on hand. In this case, we’re using it in the context of filling breakfast ideas so you can start your day off with a hefty dose of veggies. This recipe calls for mushrooms, spinach, and goat cheese, which meld together beautifully in a blanket of eggs. That being said, feel free to use this as an opportunity to empty your veggie drawer! This frittata is your oyster.
Hero Ingredient: Fresh herbs elevate the frittata to new heights. Again, use what you have on hand—you can’t go wrong here!
One Bowl Baked Banana Cashew Oatmeal
Why We Love It: Another make-ahead superstar, this banana cashew baked oatmeal is exactly what your busy mornings need. It uses bananas, oats, cashews, peanut butter, honey, maple syrup, and just the right amount of warming spices to craft something comforting and filling. Bake a batch at the beginning of the week for breakfast on-demand all week long. Your morning self will thank you later.
Hero Ingredient: Coarse sea salt sprinkled over top of each satisfying bowl is the finishing touch you didn’t know you needed. Or maybe you did, who am I to say. Either way, it’s the sweet/salty factor that sends this oatmeal to flavor paradise.
Savory Cottage Cheese Bowls
Why We Love It: Yes, cottage cheese can be polarizing. But if you’re on the “no” team, I’d encourage you to give these savory bowls a try. As our Food Editor Suruchi Avasthi shares, “this is about creating a bowl that lends itself to being the perfect canvas for tons of delicious toppings making it the perfect savory, protein-packed meal you could ask for.” No matter which end of the cottage cheese spectrum you lie on, you can’t go wrong with a protein-packed, cottage cheese-fueled breakfast.
Hero Ingredient: Poking into a fried egg and letting all that golden yolk spill out is just dreamy. It brings an unparalleled warmth to everything underneath.
California Style Tofu Scramble Burrito
Why We Love It: A hearty breakfast burrito is such a nourishing way to start your day. In this variation, we’re keeping things vegetarian with tofu, pinto beans, and quinoa forming the foundation. The tofu scramble is loaded with chili powder, cumin, oregano, tamari, nutritional yeast, and lime juice to keep things flavorfully dynamic. Then it all gets wrapped up in a whole-wheat tortilla for a cozy breakfast on the go. With protein from the tofu, carbs from the wrap, and fiber from the pinto beans and quinoa, you’ll be fully fueled until lunchtime rolls around.
Hero Ingredient: Like with any self-respecting burrito, the toppings are where the magic happens. Shredded romaine, sliced avocado, cheese, sour cream, cilantro… the possibilities are endless.
Sarah Copeland’s Millet and Amaranth Porridge with Figs and Papaya
Why We Love It: If you’re new to porridge, prepare to be amazed. It’s one of those customizable yet universally-nourishing morning meals that provides you with the fuel needed to power through your day. Porridge is composed of oats, grains, milk, yogurt, and a whole assortment of toppings that leave space for you to get creative. Depending on your morning mood, you can go sweet or savory. Fruits, nuts, citrus, honeys, jams, nut butters, eggs, herbs, and more all fare well. With a base as substantial as porridge, either route you take will award you equal sustenance that’s so key when it comes to filling breakfast ideas.
Hero Ingredient: A heavy sprinkle of coarse sea salt works wonders.
