LifeBuiltWell

Simple habits for eating well, moving well, and living grounded.

Eat Well

Simple Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Breakfast doesn't need to be clever. It needs to be easy enough to make on a busy morning and filling enough to carry you through to lunch. These are the kinds of breakfasts I actually eat: a bowl, some fruit, a handful of nuts and a warm drink. Nothing fancy, just steady.

The breakfast formula 10 easy ideas
Keep it simple

The 4-part breakfast formula

Just like the simple plate I use for lunch and dinner, breakfast works best when it has a few basic building blocks. Pick one from each and you're done.

  1. Protein: Greek yoghurt, eggs, milk, cottage cheese, or nut butter on toast. This is what keeps you full.
  2. Fibre-rich carbs: oats, wholegrain cereal or muesli, or wholegrain or sourdough toast.
  3. Fruit: berries, orange slices, grapes, a banana. Whatever is in season and on hand.
  4. Healthy fats: a small handful of nuts, seeds, avocado or nut butter.

Add water and a warm drink, and you have a breakfast that sets the day up well.

Real breakfasts

What it looks like on my table

These are real breakfasts from my mornings, photographed before I ate them. You'll notice a pattern: a main bowl or toast, a side plate of fruit and nuts, and a hot drink.

Breakfast tray with cereal bowl, orange slices, nuts and blueberries
Cereal bowl with orange slices, mixed nuts and blueberries on the side.
Breakfast with fruit, nuts, yoghurt cereal and a warm drink
Yoghurt and cereal, a plate of berries, orange and nuts, and a warm drink.
Breakfast with toast, yoghurt, nuts, berries and warm drinks
Toast with nut butter, yoghurt with nuts and berries, and a warm drink.
Breakfast tray with cereal bowl, grapes, nuts and hot drink
Cereal bowl with grapes and nuts.
Mix and match

10 easy healthy breakfast ideas

  1. Yoghurt bowl: Greek yoghurt, muesli, berries and a sprinkle of nuts.
  2. Overnight oats: oats soaked in milk overnight, topped with banana and cinnamon.
  3. Toast and nut butter: wholegrain toast, peanut butter, sliced banana or berries.
  4. Eggs on toast: two eggs any style, with tomato or spinach on the side.
  5. Cereal plus a fruit plate: a wholegrain cereal with milk, plus orange slices and a handful of nuts.
  6. Porridge: warm oats with grated apple, cinnamon and walnuts. Perfect for winter.
  7. Avocado toast: smashed avocado, a squeeze of lemon, and an egg or some feta.
  8. Cottage cheese and fruit: cottage cheese with pineapple or berries and a few seeds.
  9. Breakfast smoothie: milk or yoghurt, frozen berries, a banana and a spoon of oats.
  10. Leftovers: there's no rule against last night's dinner. Protein and veg in the morning works well.
Make it stick

Tips for keeping breakfast simple

  • Keep a short rotation. Three or four go-to breakfasts remove the decision-making.
  • Set up the night before. Bowls out, oats soaking, fruit washed.
  • Use a tray or a plate. Sitting down to a proper breakfast makes you slow down and actually enjoy it.
  • Don't chase perfection. A decent breakfast most days beats a perfect one once a week.
  • Pair it with a quiet moment. Breakfast is a natural time for a short devotion or some gratitude before the day gets busy.

General information only. If you have specific dietary needs, allergies or a medical condition, please speak with your GP or an accredited practising dietitian.

Read next

More on eating well

10 Simple Healthy Meals I Actually EatReal lunches and dinners, with photos. What Eating Well Actually MeansEating well without dieting. My Morning RoutineWhere breakfast fits into the start of my day.