Filling breakfasts that can be made in advance

Yes, we have those lying around. I guess we just didn’t think of them. Although we’re pretty over the Eggo multipacks at Costco. Somehow as they sit in our freezer, they accumulate a ton of ice on them. Then when you toast them, they are a soggfest. Or if you toast them a ton, some parts are finally dry and others are charcoal.

2 Likes

Acknowledging that this is weekday breakfasts and how few minutes are available, I only recently started making yeast raised OVERNIGHT waffles. I am not a “let’s cook up a storm at 6am person,” yet husband is starving on waking. Overnight waffle batter lets you set it the night before, stagger out of bed in the morning, flip on the waffle iron and have fabulous waffles on the table before the rest of the crew is dressed. Unbaked batter can hang out in the fridge for another morning.

3 Likes

I will have to consider how much I love him :slight_smile: since I also like my sleep. I cook him dinner every night. That may have to suffice!!

I like the idea though and will give it some thought.

5 Likes

I know exactly what you mean.

Pancake batter can also be stored overnight. I make a blend of butter, almond butter, and maple syrup. Then I spread it between two pancakes and off you go.

5 Likes

Thanks for all the suggestions friends. I guess the one really out of the box idea up here was some breakfast blondies with nuts and grains. I’m wondering what any other super out there creative ideas might be. Maybe there aren’t any :slight_smile:

1 Like

For satiety, proteins, full fat dairy, (Greek yogurt comes to mind), and nut butters are great.
If your eaters will go for hard boiled eggs, that would be convenient, and make ahead. String cheese good too. Leftover ramen in a bowl with meat, and an egg on top, also leftover fried rice with an egg. Reheated congee with egg and/or meat. Yogurt with granola and fruit, smoothies with banana, other fruits and nut butter - a scoop of protein powder if kids will go for it… Perfect Bars, available in the deli section at Costco, as well as other places, are quite balanced, with a healthy hit of protein, carbs, and some sugar. Gluten free, and very convenient. Quite filling, with a hefty calorie count. For some adults anyway, this would be a meal replacement, and that’s the way I use them. For others, just a snack - lucky them!
Bagels, cream cheese, salmon or leftover meat. Bagels, hummus, cucumbers, hard boiled eggs, etc.
I like the ideas mentioned upthread too. If I think of anything else, will post.

5 Likes

Btw, we just dropped off the big one at UPS a couple of weeks ago. Not even. That’s pretty close to you right?

Yes, pretty close - about 20 minutes away.

1 Like

Here’s another breakfast recipe I’ve been meaning to try for my Spring Onion - breakfast cookies (should be open access). He definitely has a sweet tooth that he did not inherit from me.

1 Like

I’ve never tried to freeze this . . .but you could easily make it on a Sunday and it would be fine for the week (IMHO).

Pasta Frittata . . . and with the pasta in the frittata it is structurally sound and can be sliced and picked up to be eaten by hand easily. Essentially it is a regular frittata but with spaghetti included in it, I typically use leftover plain pasta. Put the pasta in a skillet, add whatever you like (veggies - again I often use leftovers, meat, cheese) and then add enough beaten eggs to just about cover the pasta. Cook, flip, finish cooking. . . . . I eat it warm and cold for a few days after I make it.

PS - I’ve made these with all sorts of “flavors” as well, traditional breakfast, “pizza” style, asian, etc by changing the cheeses, veggies and spices used.

If you google “pasta frittata” you’ll see some people do them in muffin tins as well (I just never have)

4 Likes

Bummer - paywall on this. Can you paraphrase?

"Mona’s Breakfast Cookies
1 large ripe banana

2 tablespoons pumpkin purée

½ teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch each of salt, ginger, nutmeg and ground cloves

¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

¼ cup quick-cooking rolled oats

Handful of raisins (or dried sweetened cherries or cranberries)

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, mash banana in a bowl. Mix in pumpkin purée, followed by vanilla and spices. Add both kinds of oats and combine with a spoon until a dough forms. Add dried fruit and mix again.

  2. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a baking sheet. (A silicon baking mat is nice if you have one; if not, line with parchment paper.) With your hands, form dough into cookie-shaped discs; this recipe should make 7 to 10 cookies.

  3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until cookies are crispy on the outside but still soft in the middle. Do not brown the edges. Pull from the oven, let cool for a minute and then remove cookies with a spatula. Serve warm, preferably with coffee."

I’m thinking a big what at United Postal Service?:flushed: Near @Lambchop ? But I think I get it.

1 Like

Thank you bbqboy. I may pass on this one. First off, it sounds like a lot of starch and sugar so perhaps not too filling. Second, it is a bit rough in terms of pantry ingredients. 2 types of oats? 2 tbsp of squash mush? What about the rest of the can? Sounds like a headache. I do really appreciate the suggestions though. It may sound like a dream to someone else reading this.

3 Likes

We mailed him to college :slight_smile: It’s actually the Univ of Puget Sound in Tacoma.

6 Likes

What does your kid like to eat?

My experience with my nephews is that “super out there creative ideas” are fun to come up with, but don’t get eaten.

So back-solving from what the kid will eat is a more productive exercise.

Things that work for my nephews and my friend’s kids that I’ve cooked for:

  • Egg muffins / frittatas / quiches - individual (in muffin molds or cupcake tins) or a big one cut up (in a pan, cake pan, quarter or third sheet pan) - mix veg and sausage/bacon into the egg mixture
  • Breakfast sandwiches - you can use the eggs above, or make a big sheet pan omelette/frittata and cut into rectangles, or stuff scrambled eggs into pita, or (my favorite) make several thin omelettes and fold into a rectangle (or the shape of your bread of choice). I had posted some sheet pan sandwich ideas on the thread shrinkrap linked to as well - breakfast “slab” sandwiches are a variation on those.
  • Overnight oats (mason jars are fancy but I just did them in mugs), varying the base - vanilla, cocoa etc - and toppings picked by the kid (nuts, dry fruit)
  • Protein shakes - protein powder+fruits of choice+coconut milk or a tbsp of oil or nut butter, or skip the protein powder and use kefir or greek yogurt + fruits of choice
  • Yogurt with granola and fruit - homemade granola can be barely sweet and a bit savory. Quinoa, kasha, and lots of nuts make a more filling granola than most store versions.

If your kid likes bananas, one eaten right before school starts should keep him full for a while. 12:30 is a really late lunch for an early school start…

2 Likes

Good point! He is pretty open-minded this one. He doesn’t like raisins and he doesn’t like corn. He doesn’t like leftovers. Mostly he will eat all the rest. He was telling me today that he is sad that now that I started baking bread, we never have any left-over, and so there is never french toast. So apparently french toast must go on the menu.

But I think of the ideas above, I will certainly do more burritos, do some egg cups and b’fast sandwiches, put all of those in the freezer. I’ll make the breakfast bars/blondies at some point. I was sweet to him on Friday and made him some sausage links and a toad in a hole. I think that was also a suggestion above.

4 Likes

When I was a mail carrier, I made good breakfast burritos by the dozen every few weekends, wrapped each in Saran wrap, and froze in Tupperware. I’d take one out in the morning, nuke on high for 90 seconds, then head out to my car. Within ten minutes, the heat had distributed and it was the right temperature to eat one handed as I finished my commute.

Google Nikki’s Healthy Cookies, which are hearty and vegan. Not being the latter, I add an egg so they hold together better.

My Healthy Hummingbird Muffins were a finalist in a Chowhound.com contest and the recipe is still available there, AFAIK.

I can’t remember their name, but Costco’s bakery section has a large rectangular clear plastic clamshell of 30 small muffins that are loaded with good grains and seeds. They are lightly sweetened and nutrient-dense enough to be quite filling.

3 Likes

For some reason this little nugget made me smile and smile.

1 Like

Some suggestions:

A healthy Quiche with gruyère or French emmental and ham or broccoli or spinach – No need to freeze. Stays well covered in refrig. & is easy to eat, as it is sliced in thick triangles.

Another option is a Frittata (Italian omelette) or a Spanish potato Omelette (tortilla española) which stays in refrig. very well. Serve with a baguette of sorts – I think you call them “heros” …

ALL are wonderful cold too … Or place in Micro-wave for 1 just to warm if preferred.

A turkey burger with tomato, lettuce and fat free mayo could be another option if they eat meat.

3 Likes