22 Meal Prep Breakfast Ideas for Starting the Day Right

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but too often we run out of time to truly enjoy the meal we crave. While a long, leisurely brunch always sounds like a good idea, sometimes we have to be practical. You could always grab a granola bar on your way out the door, but that can often lead to a rumbling stomach before lunchtime rolls around. Enter meal prep. By carving out a bit of time to cook a batch of muffins or make some overnight oats on the weekend, you can set yourself up for delicious, filling breakfasts all week long. We’ve rounded up our favorite recipes that can be made ahead, ready to be whipped out at a moment’s notice. For a simple place to start, these scrumptious breakfast sandwiches are easy to create and freeze well. The trick is baking the eggs in the oven, which allows you to cut out rounds perfectly shaped to match the size of an English muffin.

With rich cocoa, crunchy almonds and a hint of coconut, these high-protein overnight oats taste like dessert but fuel you like breakfast.

This high-protein spin on a classic bacon, egg and cheese sandwich packs in the flavor and fuel with better-for-you ingredients to power your morning.

Who doesn’t love the idea of a cookie for breakfast? This recipe is made with oats, seeds and dried fruit to keep you full throughout the morning, and it can be made ahead in batches of 18 to last all week.

There are tons of ways to customize a batch of overnight oats. This recipe lays out the basics, then gives you options to add fruit, nuts or chocolate to suit your taste.

This gooey, chocolate baked oatmeal recipe is so tasty, it hardly feels like breakfast. Make it in a large casserole dish or in individual ramekins for easy portioning.

Breakfast burritos reheat very well and are so easy to make ahead in a large batch. The hack here is to use a silicone ice cube stick mold to bake chorizo- and cheese-filled baked eggs that fit perfectly in the tortilla.

Make overnight oats by soaking dry oats with milk and yogurt to create a filling and healthy breakfast that requires no cooking. This recipe pairs the oats with a juicy, ripe peach compote that's spiced with ginger and cinnamon.

A wholesome batch of muffins is the ultimate breakfast on-the-go. These are packed with vitamin-rich ingredients like flaxseed, almond and spelt.

Classic Black Forest Cake combines rich chocolate with dark, sweet cherries. That same flavor combo transforms simple overnight oats into a decadent meal that can be enjoyed all week long.

Pancakes keep extremely well and can easily be reheated in the morning when ready to eat. A softened apple helps keep the batter sweet and moist without adding much extra sugar.

If you’re not a fan of oats, chia seed pudding is a great alternative. This filling but low-fat recipe is delicious, especially when topped with ripe strawberries and toasted sliced almonds.

The protein-packed egg bites from your favorite coffee shop can be made at home for a fraction of the price. This recipe stuffs them with spicy chorizo and Monterey Jack cheese, but you can feel free to get creative with your own ideas!

A batch of these cornmeal muffins should last all week — if you don’t gobble them all up sooner. A few cups of frozen raspberries leave juicy pockets of sweetness in the golden batter, complemented by a sprinkle of orange zest.

Granola makes for a filling breakfast that keeps well without refrigeration. This savory curry version can be paired with yogurt, or eaten on its own by the handful.

These earthy, paleo-friendly pumpkin waffles are naturally sweetened with pumpkin puree and topped with a raspberry compote. Both components can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

In this recipe, a few nutritious ingredients like whole wheat flour and coconut oil come together to create a pastry that tastes decadent without weighing you down. These healthy muffins make for the perfect quick breakfast and will help you get a few servings of whole grain and vegetables in by noon.

Prep this breakfast cake ahead of time so you can just pop it in the microwave when you’re feeling hungry. This recipe starts with a base sweetened by ripe banana and offers a few spins, like peanut butter, chocolate chip and fig oatmeal.

Some mornings, all you have time for is a quick grab-and-go. These energy bars are packed with filling ingredients like protein-packed peanut butter and hearty rolled oats to keep you full until lunch.

When cookies meet granola, you have the makings of a sweet breakfast that feels indulgent and satisfying. Creamy peanut butter and eggs add protein to keep you full, while dried cranberries add a bit of sweetness and a pleasant burst of tart flavor.

Make a bulk batch of smoothies and pop the in the freezer to be thawed and consumed later. This recipe comes with two intriguing options: mint chocolate or blueberry-banana.