This post may include affiliate links; for details, see our disclosure policy.

Go for these healthy breakfast ideas to start your day right! These easy breakfast recipes are full of nutritious ingredients.

Healthy breakfast scramble with veggies in a skillet.
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Are you stuck in a rut in the mornings? It can be hard to find wholesome options to start the day. But as two cookbook authors, we’ve made it our mission to find the best ways to incorporate healthy breakfast recipes into your life! Maybe it’s a cozy bowl of oatmeal topped with peanut butter and jelly, or a breakfast scramble full of colorful vegetables. There are so many tasty ways to incorporate nutritious whole foods into your morning.

What is a healthy breakfast?

But first, let’s define what the term “healthy” means when it comes to breakfast. According to Harvard Health Publishing, the best way to start the day is with nutrient-dense whole foods like fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. In general, breakfasts with low glycemic load foods are best, since meals that don’t spike blood sugar result in improved cognitive performance and more sustained energy.

What does this look like in terms of foods? Here’s what Harvard recommends as some examples of healthy breakfast foods:

  • plain yogurt with fruit and nuts
  • oatmeal with fruit and nuts
  • whole wheat or rye toast with nut butter
  • eggs with vegetables
  • black beans and a corn or whole wheat tortilla.

This preference for fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds for breakfast is also the same philosophy as the Mediterranean diet, deemed the best diet in the world by US News and World Report. Try these top 20 Mediterranean Diet Breakfast Recipes for more healthy breakfast inspiration.

The recipes you’ll find below are build around the philosophy of nutrient-dense whole foods first. They all vegetarian, with many vegan and gluten-free options. You’ll find only a few healthy pancakes recipes, which include high concentrations of whole foods ingredients.

And now, our top 40 healthy breakfast recipes to try!

A few more breakfast ideas…

Need a few more healthy breakfast recipes? Here are some more non-recipe ideas for busy mornings:

Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Banana baked oatmeal

40 Healthy Breakfast Ideas: Baked Oatmeal & More!


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.2 from 5 reviews

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 6 to 8 1x
Save Recipe

Description

This banana baked oatmeal is the ideal healthy breakfast! It’s full of good-for-you ingredients and so delicious, everyone will want seconds.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup pecan pieces (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¾ cup mashed banana or 2 very ripe bananas
  • 1 ¾ cups milk of choice (dairy, almond or oat)
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • For serving: Banana slices, almond butter or peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.*
  2. Butter an 8 x 8″ or 9 x 9″ pan. In a medium bowl, mix together the rolled oats, pecan pieces, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and kosher salt.
  3. Dump the dries into the prepared pan. 
  4. Mash the bananas. In the same bowl, whisk together the bananas, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Stir lightly with a fork to make everything gets evenly incorporated.
  5. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
  6. Before serving, spread the top with almond butter or peanut butter (or a combination) and top with banana slices. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 1 week: reheat in a 300 degree oven or microwave until warm.

Notes

*Make ahead instructions: do not make the entire pan in advance and refrigerate overnight because the oats will absorb all the liquid. You can mix up the wets and dries separately and store in separate containers (with the wets refrigerated), then pour them together in the morning and bake.

  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

More healthy meal inspiration

Looking for more healthy meal options? We’ve got you covered. Here are some of our favorite collections of recipes:

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes and the joy of cooking! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time.

Leave a Comment

Recipe rating 5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

11 Comments

  1. Christine H says:

    This was a winner – loved that it was oil-free, easy to make, good for you, and delicious to boot!

  2. caca says:

    perfect caca






    1. Anonymous says:

      Yes

  3. Anonymous says:

    T The only thing healthy for you is the egg and the rest will spike your sugar levels






    1. Josh says:

      Natural sugars are healthy, as for the other sugar-bearing foods on this list, they all contain additional benefits that outweigh sugar-free foods.






    2. Anonymous says:

      Except 13 grams a sugar is over 36% of what’s recommend daily. And eggs clogs your arteries when you eat them daily.

      1. nobody says:

        Then just don’t eat anything.

  4. KAO espoir says:

    très bon site ils nous donnent une plage d’idées de petit déjeuner
    je vous le conseille






  5. My But says:

    I haven’t tried it yet but looks yummy

  6. Sabrina says:

    thank you for all of these, looking for some breakfast inspiration, the crustless quiche looks especially good to me!






  7. kendall st clair says:

    so awsome rate 10/10