5 Quick and Healthy Breakfasts

Overnight apple cinnamon oats are a quick and healthy breakfast.
Image: Shutterstock

I… have a problem. I love breakfast. I know what you’re thinking—that doesn’t sound like a problem to me! It’s not the loving breakfast part that’s the issue, though. It’s the fact that I tend to spend way too much time preparing it in the morning. On Saturdays and Sundays, that’s no big deal—but during the week when I have a bus to catch and work to get to… moving slowly in the mornings isn’t really an option unless I want to get up earlier.

And I hate getting up earlier than I have to.

This leaves me with two options: constantly being rushed because by the time I finish my breakfast I have ten minutes to get out the door; or, finding a healthy, delicious, and fast way to enjoy the first meal of my day. Since I’m not a fan of rushing around in the morning, the latter option is the clear choice. So, what can you eat instead of cereal for a quick yet healthy breakfast? Check out some of these tasty options I’ve discovered:

Mix up a protein smoothie for breakfast.
Image: Shutterstock

1. Peanut Butter and Fruit Wraps—Can you say “yum?”  I love that this breakfast is also low in carbs. Just spread on some peanut butter, add sliced fruit of your choice and voila! My favorite fruits to use include strawberries and grapes. Pears or apples would be a great choice, too!
2. Protein Smoothies—the options here are endless! Try frozen cherries, kiwi, orange juice, cocout water, agave nectar, vanilla protein powder and ice cubes for a “Cherry Bomb” packed with protein.
3. Yogurt Parfait—Mix up some plain Greek yogurt, granola, fresh fruit, and a tiny bit of honey for a sweet and delicious breakfast. Plus, the Greek yogurt and granola should provide enough substance to tide you over much longer than a silly old bowl of cereal would!
4. Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oats—Ditch the rolled oats for the much more complex and healthier version—steel-cut oats. They take longer to prepare, but if you bring them up to boiling the night before and then store them in the fridge overnight, they’ll take just ten minutes to finish cooking in the morning. Or, you can simply throw some apples, cinnamon, oats, and water in the slow cooker and wake up with your house smelling of apple pie and breakfast ready to go!
5. Banana-Coffee Smoothie—OK, I know this last one sounds a little odd, but I promise, it’s delicious (as long as you like bananas and coffee). Cold brew coffee overnight, and in the morning toss the coffee, half a banana, some protein powder (vanilla or chocolate, preferably), and ice into the blender. Once it’s all blended, you’ll have an amazing smoothie that gives you your morning dose of caffeine and some protein to get through the morning. Supplement with a piece of whole-grain toast topped with a fried egg if it doesn’t feel like enough.

I hope that, with these options, a quick breakfast doesn’t have to mean a bowl of cereal any longer. I love my cereal, but unfortunately it just doesn’t give me the protein and nutrients I need to start my day off right. Options like these allow me to eat healthy on the weekdays as well as the weekends, no matter if I have five minutes or an hour. I hope they’ll allow you all to do the same!

Please share with me any other quick and healthy breakfasts you’ve discovered over the years—I’d love to add some new recipes to my morning routine!