A Healthier Start To Your Mornings
Healthy doesn't always equal complicated or difficult, which is important to know if you want to eat much healthier breakfast options right in the morning. That common misconception might be leading you to prioritize convenience, but we're telling you that you don't have to any longer. You don't need unusual ingredients, complex meal prep, or even an hour in the kitchen to enjoy any of these 20 healthy breakfast foods.
1. Oatmeal
Arguably one of the healthiest, most filling breakfasts you can have, oatmeal shines when you customize it with toppings like fruits, nuts, seeds, or small amounts of honey. Compared to sugary cereals that really don't offer much nutritional benefit, the high fiber content in oats helps you feel satisfied for longer and improves digestion.
2. Greek Yogurt
A quick and easy breakfast you can put together that requires no cooking is a Greek yogurt bowl. Providing plenty of protein, you can add in berries or other sliced fruit to give it more flavor, a natural sweetness, and extra nutrients your body will never complain about.
3. Scrambled Eggs
If you have some time on your hands, scrambled eggs can be easy to prepare and are a good way to include some veggies, whole-grain toast, or avocado. Eggs provide a good source of protein and several important vitamins, turning your filling breakfast meal into something more well-rounded.
4. Whole-Grain Toast
Whole-grain toast is a practical base for many healthy breakfast toppings like peanut butter, eggs, cottage cheese, or sliced tomatoes. Always look for bread that lists a whole grain as the first ingredient rather than relying only on the color of the loaf; you want to make sure it's actually healthy!
5. Fresh Berries
As incredible super foods, berries are naturally sweet, high in fiber, and so versatile that they can be used in a wide variety of different breakfast meals. Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, just take your pick and level up your yogurt, oatmeal, or cereal with them!
6. Cottage Cheese
Don't let the haters sway you! Cottage cheese is actually a very versatile ingredient that works well with both sweet and savory ingredients. You don't just get a generous amount of protein in every serving, but pairing it with peaches, pineapples, tomatoes, or cracked black pepper keeps every recipe interesting.
7. Bananas
Bananas are convenient, widely available, and easy to take with you when breakfast needs to happen on the go. They provide carbohydrates and potassium, making them a useful food on its own, but pairing one with yogurt, nuts, or peanut butter adds protein and helps make it more filling.
8. Avocado
Avocados are calorie-dense which means you have to watch how much of it you eat, but if you portion it well, you can enjoy all the healthy fats it has to offer. It pairs well with toast, eggs, and vegetables, providing a creamy, rich, and smooth flavor that makes breakfast more satisfying.
9. Natural Peanut Butter
When you opt for a jar that's made mostly with peanuts, you can avoid unnecessary added oils and sweeteners that decrease how healthy peanut butter can be. Natural peanut butter tastes just as good, provides protein and unsaturated fats, and can turn your toast, oatmeal, and fruit into something more enjoyable.
Corleto Peanut butter on Unsplash
10. Chia Pudding
Though it takes a bit more effort to prepare, prepping chia pudding the night before is always worth your time. When you mix chia seeds with your choice of milk and healthy toppings before refrigerating overnight, you get to wake up to a thick, spoonable pudding-like texture that gives you fiber and healthy fats in every bite.
11. Vegetable Omelet
Vegetable omelets are a good breakfast go-to because they allow you to use up leftovers in your fridge while also incorporating several nutritious ingredients. Spinach, mushrooms, peppers, onions, and tomatoes are all easy additions you just have to toss into the pan.
Samuel Agyeman-Duah on Unsplash
12. Apples
Apples are another great on-the-go kind of breakfast because they're crisp, sweet, and loaded with health benefits. If you're able to slice them, they can pair well with nut butters, yogurt, or oatmeal, turning it into something far more substantial and satisfying.
13. Overnight Oats
Just like chia seed pudding, overnight oats are another convenient choice if you want a healthy breakfast ready to go in the morning. They don't take long to make either; you just need to combine oats with milk or yogurt, top them with fruit, seeds, or spices, and refrigerate them until morning.
14. Breakfast Smoothie
When you use healthy ingredients like fruit, vegetables, and foods high in protein and healthy fats, you can create a delicious and good-for-your-body smoothie that'll fill you up in the morning. Consider ingredients like Greek yogurt, milk, nut butter, or protein-rich seeds.
15. Whole-Grain Cereal
As long as you skip the overly sugary varieties at the grocery store, whole-grain cereal can be a healthy option, especially if it's high in fiber and has limited added sugar. Serving it with milk and fresh fruit helps make it even more balanced and filling.
16. Smoked Salmon
For something a bit more savory and fancy, smoked salmon provides protein and omega-3 fats, and can easily be served on whole-grain toast with cucumber, tomato, or a modest amount of cream cheese. Because smoked salmon can contain a lot of sodium though, it’s best enjoyed in reasonable portions.
judith girard-marczak on Unsplash
17. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are easy to sprinkle over yogurt, oatmeal, or cottage cheese, and despite their small size, contain protein, healthy fats, magnesium, and other useful nutrients. Keeping a container nearby allows you to improve any simple breakfast without adding extra cooking time.
18. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes aren’t limited to lunch or dinner; they can make a satisfying morning meal too! To make it easy on you, you can even roast them in advance, then reheat them with eggs, yogurt, or nut butter. Their natural sweetness works especially well with cinnamon, while savory seasonings completely change it up.
19. Breakfast Tacos
Tacos aren't inherently unhealthy, especially if you focus on using simple ingredients like eggs, beans, veggies, and use whole-grain or corn tortillas. A spoonful of salsa can also add plenty of flavor without needing a heavy, calorie-dense sauce.
20. Mixed Nuts
A small serving of mixed nuts can add protein, fiber, and healthy fats to any breakfast meal. They’re particularly useful when combined with fruit, yogurt, or a simple bowl of oats, but just remember that unsalted varieties are usually the better everyday choice.
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