As a busy student with a VERY full schedule getting in at least 3 quality meals a day can be a challenge. Breakfast seems like the hardest, especially when I have 8 or 9 AM classes and I’ve been up late the night before. I always seem to be running out the door, and I always forget to grab something for on the way. I don’t know about you, but I can’t function without breakfast! It’s the most important meal of the day for me because it kickstarts my metabolism and promotes healthy digestion. Plus, once I leave my place, I usually wont be back for hours, and it's the WORST sitting in class with a rumbling stomach. This is why I’m passionate about making eating healthy as easy and convenient as possible!
The game changed once I started preparing my meals in advance. I was happier and felt more satisfied throughout the day, which was great because I no longer felt deprived; for me personally, I find that fasting too long in the morning makes me more inclined to overeat later in the day.
Soooo..These are three sweet meal prep ideas to make breakfast a no-brainer! Not only are they delicious, but they are also easy to take on the go for those mornings that you don't even have time to think about food.
1. Heavenly Almond & Peach Breakfast Cereal
This recipe is definitely my favorite. I LOVE cereal and I personally think that blueberries and peaches compliment each other so nicely! So, I topped my cereal with fresh blueberries and poured almond milk over the top! Let me tell you… this was AM-AZ-ING, and I 10/10 recommend! This recipe is great because you can make big batches, store it in glass jars and keep it for months on the shelf like any other cereal. Let it cool completely before storage though! The trick with granola to make it crunchy and crisp is to not touch it once it comes out of the oven for at least 15-20 minutes.
If you like this homemade cereal recipe you should check out my customizable granola base post! It's a quick and basic starting point for any good granola recipe, especially if it's your first attempt making it at home!
To make this nut free, simply remove the almonds and substitute any other seeds or dried fruit you would like.
2. Freezer ready smoothies
This tip is great because it requires almost zero thought and zero preparation. The only thing you need is fruit, veggies, greens, or all three. Simply choose your favorite smoothie ingredients, pop them in a plastic bag or re-usable container, and throw them in the freezer.
I ALWAYS do this for the week, and I prepare a couple different kinds so that I have some variety. You can do your favorite combo for every single one if you like or mix it up! It saves time and energy and is done in less than 5 minutes. Once you’re ready to make a smoothie simply pour all of your ingredients in the blender, add a liquid (water, almond milk, juice, etc.) and protein powder (optional), and combine until smooth! Done!
Featured here, I have a triple-berry-banana smoothie in the top left, a strawberry-banana smoothie on the top right, a peace-strawberry-banana & greens smoothies in the middle left, a triple-berry-banana & greens smoothie in the middle right, and a carrot-apple-celery & lemon smoothie on the bottom.
I almost always add vanilla protein powder, turmeric, black pepper, almond milk, water, and ice to my smoothies before I blend them.
3. Oatmeal breakfast cookies
My third meal prep idea is oatmeal breakfast cookies and, fair warning, these are a bit more labor intense than the other two. I kind of stumbled upon these by accident during my first semester at UT. My mom and I were baking, and I knew I wanted to make something sweet, but I also wanted to make it as healthy as possible so that I could have it as more of a snack than a dessert.
I started playing around with ideas like zucchini bread, carrot cake, and oatmeal raisin cookies until finally I got tired of debating and just decided to throw everything in! What resulted was this soft and chewy healthy breakfast cookie made with whole grains, fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds and almost NOTHING else!
This was actually a life saver when I was in college because I could make a huge batch and then pop them in the toaster in the morning to crisp them up for breakfast before class! They were great because they were already prepared for those early mornings, and I could easily eat them as I walked to class or pack them in my backpack for later.
You can make them as thick or as thin as you like; they don’t rise or spread out like normal cookies because they are completely oil free. I like mine thinner because I LOVE putting them in the toaster, but this is completely up to you! Just remember you’ll have to add more cook time to them if you make them thicker and you’ll get a smaller batch.
And there you have it! Three breakfast meal prep ideas to help you stay on top of your goals for the school year! I have used and reused these recipes/tips multiple times over the course of my time in college, and I hope that this helps someone else who is struggling to get their meals in!
Happier, Healthier, Stronger
–Nicole
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