It’s not always easy to eat a healthy meal when you have a busy schedule. That’s especially true when you have more than one mouth to feed. How do you make an otherwise chaotic affair more efficient and organized? It’s all about preparation. If you take specific steps, it’ll be much simpler to enjoy your mornings. Take a look.
1. Prepare Make-Ahead Dishes
It’s always a smart idea to prepare your breakfasts in advance. Dishes like casseroles, oatmeal, pancakes and waffles are delicious when reheated. They’re even suitable for multiple meals because they can keep for up to a week. Therefore, you should add a few batch recipes to your rotation. This way, you can quickly serve an easy and delicious breakfast without any hiccups.
Feel free to cook several make-ahead dishes so that your family has options. It’ll only take one or two hours on Sunday to prepare what you need for a week. Do your best to switch out recipes every so often to keep your selection fresh. If you want to take a serving of your make-ahead dish to go, you can pack small sauce containers of ketchup and syrup to complement your meal.
2. Choose Healthy Yet Quick Bites
You know that breakfast can be busy. If you don’t have much time to spare, it’s smart to have portable bites stocked. Why not make your own versions? This trick is an effective way to save time and money. Plus, your meals will be healthier than store-bought options. You can try an idea like baked eggs to make mini quiches. A few other ideas include:
- Overnight oats
- Bran muffins
- Smoothies
- Breakfast burritos
- Fruit parfaits
- Yogurt with granola
- Frozen waffles and pancakes
You can keep these staples in your refrigerator and pantry to make your mornings less hectic. If you don’t want to assemble certain dishes completely, you can bag ingredients separately so that they’re easier to combine. Feel free to adjust these recipes so that they meet your dietary needs. Breakfast meals are entirely customizable.
3. Freeze Bulk Servings
There are some recipes that you can bulk freeze for several breakfasts. Think pancakes, waffles, smoothies and hashbrowns. You can cook your dishes before you put them in containers or bags to freeze. Then, you’ll simply need to reheat them when you want to eat. For smoothies, you can pack smoothie ingredients in single portions so that they’re ready for mixing. Try berries, spinach and bananas.
These bulk servings are easy to make and even easier to prepare in the morning. Be sure to label your containers and bags so that they’re organized. Your kids will be able to grab and go without any need for you to bring out the skillet. A toaster or microwave will do the trick to make warm and tasty fast breakfasts.
4. Set a Timer for Coffee
If you drink coffee, it’s sometimes a hassle to brew a pot before you need to leave. A timer on your coffee maker can be a useful trick. This feature lets you tell your machine when to brew a certain amount. You add water and grounds beforehand so that you can wake up to a fresh pot. You could even make coffee ice cubes so that your iced coffee doesn’t taste watered down. This preparation makes a difference.
It’s always simpler to brew a pot rather than make several single-serve cups if you drink coffee throughout your day. It’s more sustainable, too. Leave a thermos out on your counter so that it’s ready to fill. Then, you’ll have hot coffee to sip at work and elsewhere. If you use a machine that makes single servings, it’s smart to keep your coffee pods out so that they’re easier to access.
5. Use Certain Appliances for Less Mess
You probably use your stovetop for most meals. But do you utilize your oven, crockpot and other appliances? There are many meals that you can cook with those if you find that breakfast becomes messy fast. There’s nothing worse than splattered bacon grease on your countertops. You can bake sausage, potatoes and more in your oven. You can utilize a slow cooker for various breakfasts, too.
The same idea works for your microwave, as well. Did you know that you can make eggs in a mug? Explore different microwave hacks so that you save time when you wake up. An air fryer can also be great for quick morning meals. How yummy does an air fryer frittata sound? These appliances will minimize mess so that cleanup is much more straightforward.
Try These Breakfast Tricks to Make Your Mornings Less Hectic
Do you dread making breakfast? These tips can help. From make-ahead meals to frozen servings, you can prepare in advance for simpler mornings. You and your family will be able to head out the door with full bellies.
