Easy and healthy breakfast recipes you haven’t thought of

Summer holidays have come to an end for most of us and the mornings are a blur of getting ready for work, school or wherever our busy lives take us. We need a breakfast that’s quick to make but we don’t want to sacrifice good nutrients for the sake of convenience.

It might be tempting to reach for a pre-packaged breakfast drink but remember, these are often expensive, high in sugar and additives and create unnecessary waste that flows into our landfills.

So we found a few alternatives that won’t slow you down in the morning, will provide the energy you need for your busy day and won’t break the budget.

Breakfast in a jar

We love layered breakfasts – they can be made the night before, saving precious minutes in the morning, they are easy to take to work or the gym if you need breakfast on the go, and every spoonful tastes different.

You really can’t go wrong here – just layer the ingredients you love (such as healthy, low-sugar cereal, fruit, nuts, yogurt, grated carrot, spices) in a eco-friendly reusable glass jar, pop the lid on and leave in the fridge overnight.

But if you want some inspiration or ideas, we’ve got six yummy recipes on our breakfast in a jar page.

Layered breakfasts are not only nutritious, they are cost-effective too – our gluten-free rhubarb recipe works out at around $2.40 a serve or try the muesli with grated carrot and apple jar at about $2.40 per serve. On par with a breakfast drink from the supermarket and much better for you!

Excellent eggs

Bacon and eggs have been a Kiwi weekend brunch favourite forever, but eggs can make a quick, easy weekday breakfast too.

Not only are they delicious, they are also very nutritious - eggs are a good source of protein, contain heart-healthy unsaturated fats and are a great source of important nutrients, such as vitamin B6, B12 and vitamin D.

One of our favourite quick breakfasts is scrambled eggs with a few additions for extra fibre or flavour. Try stir-frying some onion or capsicum, then adding your eggs to the pan. Or add in some diced tomatoes, grated cheese or herbs as soon as you remove the eggs from the heat. Breakfast can be ready in less than 10 minutes!

Another way to include eggs and increase the protein in your breakfast is with our Breakfast Custard. This recipe makes one big serve or two smaller ones.

High-performance fruit salad

Not everyone feels like a big breakfast in the morning but it’s important to eat something to boost your metabolism and stabilise your blood sugar. If you are not a fan of food first thing, a fruit salad is a great light option. However, on its own, it won’t provide the nutrients you need for energy and to keep your brain sharp. Luckily, it’s easy to transform a simple fruit salad into a high-performance breakfast.

Sprinkle a handful of your favourite Te Atatu Toasted muesli on top of your fruit salad. All our mueslis are low-GI foods, which means they provide slow-release energy throughout the day. If you choose our original blend, you are getting a mix of fruit, almonds, seeds and whole oats which will help keep you feeling full longer.

Our healthy-blend is also low in sugar, we have a gluten-free option and one for anyone following a paleo diet.

Adding a dollop of yoghurt to a fruit salad is another way to add protein to your breakfast.

Super smoothies
Pop your favourite milk, some fresh fruit and yoghurt in the blender while you are pulling the lunches out of the fridge and you will have a healthy breakfast ready in minutes. You can even add a scoop of Te Atatu Toasted muesli in for some extra fibre and protein. For a chocolate-flavoured version that will appeal to the whole family, check out our Home-Made Smoothies recipe.

Snack-food breakfasts

Other options for people who aren’t big breakfast fans are a few bliss balls or a protein bar. If you have made them at home, you will know they are not too high in sugar. We’ve got a great recipe for Bliss Balls or have a go at making our Chewy Paleo Bars. These are usually a breakfast hit with the teens.

Or try our Breakfast Muffins, with delicious flavours from pineapple, ginger and carrot and made with Te Atatu Toasted Original Blend muesli. They are a great source of fibre and protein, which makes them a good way to start the day, though they are also yummy as a snack anytime.

Now you are on your way to having mornings sorted.