Breakfast Meal Prep Just Got Easier: 28 Make-Ahead Recipes for Busy Mornings

The beauty of overnight oats is all in the name—they basically make themselves overnight. Just combine the oats, milk and your sweetener of choice in a jar and let it soak overnight. In the morning, all you’ll have to do is add toppings and devour.

Chia seeds are a great way to start the day for a slew of reasons. They’re a great source of fiber and calcium, contain lots of omega-3s and are high in antioxidants. Wash the pudding down with a travel mug of green tea, obvi.

It’s as easy as dumping all the ingredients into the Crock-Pot (arugula! roasted red peppers! goat cheese!) and cooking it on low for a few hours. Make it on a Sunday to have breakfast for the whole week. Pack a slice with a pre-made green or fruit salad and you’ve got a restaurant-caliber, on-the-go meal.

Granola bars are usually your go-to when you don’t have time to cook, but these are free of weird ingredients and added sugar, unlike the store-bought kind. These are loaded with protein-rich nuts and seeds, so they’re bound to keep you full until lunchtime.

Portability looks damn good on these breakfast essentials. Make the muffins in advance and keep them in the fridge to toast or warm up on a hectic morning. All you’ll need is one hour, a handful of pantry staples and a jumbo muffin pan.

In case you needed yet another reason to stock up on summer strawberries and blueberries at the farmers market. Most of the work lies in whisking the egg custard. Once it’s poured over the challah bread, all that’s left to do is wait.

A strata is essentially a layered, baked casserole made with eggs, bread and cheese. Assemble the ingredients in a casserole dish and let them soak up every drop of the mustard-kissed egg custard overnight. In the morning, pop it in the oven for 30 minutes and you’re in business.

The key to this granola’s nutritional perks? Macambo beans, a plant that’s been used by Amazonian healers for centuries. It’s loaded with protein, fiber and omega-9 fatty acids. Pair the granola with coconut yogurt and seasonal fruit, or eat it like cereal with a glug of milk.

It’s as close to dessert as a healthy breakfast can get. Packed with rolled oats, almond butter and nuts, this treat will fuel you up for the day ahead. If the protein isn’t enough to convince you, maybe the chocolate chips will.

Tangy yogurt and fresh fruit meet cocoa-infused oats for yet another breakfast that’s dangerously reminiscent of dessert. If you don’t have strawberries on hand, feel free to use bananas, clementines, coconut flakes, pears or apples.

These filling handhelds have a secret: store-bought salsa. It keeps them moist, offers a punch of flavor and complements the other main ingredients. Feel free to swap broccoli for spinach or arugula, or to use shredded white spuds or Brussels sprouts instead of sweet potatoes.

Nobody wants to start the day than with a sink full of dirty dishes. Luckily, this dish is assembled in one bowl. Prep it the night before, store it in the fridge and bake for 25 minutes in the morning until golden brown.

Yeah, we love the store-bought kind. But these blow them way out of the water. Spend two hours on your day off stuffing, baking and frosting these cuties, so you can grab one and go throughout the week. (We wouldn’t blame you for having one after dinner too…)

Why yes, our love language *is* peanut butter-honey drizzle. Not only are the oats coated in cocoa powder, but cocoa nibs and chopped dark chocolate are also in the mix. Make a batch when you have time and store it in an airtight container for up to two months.

On a dreary Monday morning, nothing’s getting us out of bed faster than these decadent, pillowy-soft buns laced with cinnamon sugar, almonds and sticky salted caramel. They take a few hours to make, but you’ll be more than happy to have put in the time once you taste them, trust.

Sweet, nutty, spicy—this tropical-inspired, low-lift meal hits allllll the right notes. We’re betting chopped pineapple, diced mango and candied ginger would make a delicious finishing touch.

Believe it or not, a quality brunch is totally doable on a weekday. This play on stuffed French toast made with cinnamon, cream cheese, frozen peaches and a whole lot of brown sugar calls for chilling the dish overnight before baking it in the morning. Go ahead and sip a mimosa while you wait.

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Whether you’re sprinkling it over Greek yogurt, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, this crunchy granola won’t disappoint. You can also totally swap chocolate chunks for white chocolate shavings, M&Ms, dried fruit or peanut butter chips.

Coconut milk + chia seeds + maple syrup = the laziest healthy breakfast of all time. Its neutral flavor pairs well with just about any fruit you can imagine, too. The recipe makes four servings, so take what you’d like and stash the rest in the fridge for later.

Bring on the protein, potassium and peanut butter. Since it’s inspired by PB&J’s underrated cousin, the PB&B, we have a feeling your kids will love this one. And a dollop of jam on top couldn’t possibly hurt…just sayin’.

If you’ve never made a yeasted waffle batter that sat overnight in the fridge before being used, this recipe is about to blow your mind. Letting the batter rest not only saves you time in the morning, but it also allows the flavor to develop and results in the chewiest, fluffiest waffles you’ll ever eat.

Behold, the ultimate breakfast meal prep recipe. By the end, you’ll have up to 20 burritos that will keep in the freezer for up to three months. All you need to do to reheat them—whether you go the vegetarian route with veggies and black beans or add crumbled sausage—is pop them in the microwave for about a minute.

This dish is durable, filling and can easily feed a crowd. But our favorite thing about it is how adaptable it is. If sausage isn’t your thing, use bacon or Taylor ham. If you don’t have white bread, use sourdough, whole wheat or any other type you have on hand. As for the veggies, whatever’s wilting in your crisper drawer will do.

It doesn’t take long to make a smoothie, but on a hectic morning, it can still be too tall an order (especially if you use fresh fruit that needs to be prepped instead of pre-cut frozen fruit). Making smoothie packs in advance is a genius shortcut, since all you’ll have to do in the morning is dump the bag in the blender, add milk or water and whirl until combined.

Any day that starts with a homemade biscuit is bound to be a good one. These sammies are as simple as piling the biscuits high with scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon, then wrapping and refrigerating them until you’re ready to eat.

A dash of dried mustard in the eggs gives the entire bake a sharp, earthy je ne sais quoi. The French bread pieces, sautéed onion and crumbled sausage soak in the egg mixture overnight before being baked in the morning to golden-brown perfection.

Fancy enough to serve on Christmas morning, simple enough to enjoy on a weekday. It’s also prime for serving after Christmas or Easter, since it’s a great way to use up leftover ham.

Thanks to white beans, these cheese-filled gems have more protein than you think. Just whip up as much scrambled egg filling as you’d like, let it cool and assemble as many quesadillas as possible. Let them freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer them to a freezer bag to heat later.