Budget Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Find healthy, delicious budget breakfast and brunch recipes, from the food and nutrition experts at EatingWell.

Staff Picks

Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake

Rating: 4.39 stars
30
This healthy pound cake recipe isn't just delicious--it also only requires one bowl to make. For the best cake texture, be sure to beat the sugar and butter together long enough in Step 2 to look creamy--the time it takes to get there varies according to the type of electric mixer you have. Serve with brunch or alongside a cup of coffee in the afternoon.
By Stacy Fraser

Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Chickpeas & Spinach

Rating: 4.6 stars
9
Simmer eggs in a rich tomatoey cream sauce studded with chickpeas and silky spinach for a super-fast vegetarian dinner. Serve with a piece of crusty bread to soak up the sauce. Be sure to use heavy cream; a lower-fat option might curdle when mixed with acidic tomatoes.
By Hilary Meyer

Easy Loaded Baked Omelet Muffins

Rating: 4.6 stars
8
Protein-packed omelet muffins, or baked mini omelets, are a perfect breakfast for busy mornings. Make a batch ahead and freeze for the days when you don't have time for your typical bowl of oatmeal. You can also serve these fresh with fruit salad for a simple weekend brunch.
By Carolyn Casner

Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Rating: 4.5 stars
4
Making a big batch of eggs has never been easier with this one-pan oven-baked eggs recipe. Whether you are making brunch for a crowd or just want to meal-prep healthy breakfasts for the week, you'll have 12 servings ready in just 45 minutes.
By Carolyn Casner

Everything Bagel Avocado Toast

Rating: 4.67 stars
2
Get all the flavor of an everything bagel married with the creaminess of avocado toast in one healthy breakfast. Just toast, top, sprinkle and go for this quick morning meal when you need to get out the door fast. Want to take it up a notch? Top with a poached or fried egg.
By Devon O'Brien

Muffin-Tin Quiches with Smoked Cheddar & Potato

Rating: 4.61 stars
26
Potatoes, cheese and greens make this mini quiche recipe delicious and satisfying. Bake up a batch over the weekend and you'll have breakfast available in a hurry for the rest of the week.
By Carolyn Casner

Breakfast Blueberry-Oatmeal Cakes

Rating: 4 stars
20
This oatmeal-meets-muffin-tin cake recipe is perfect for having a healthy breakfast available on busy weekdays. Make a batch on the weekend and keep them in your freezer. For a grab-and-go breakfast, reheat the oatmeal cakes in the microwave for about 40 seconds.
By Hilary Meyer

Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

Rating: 4.75 stars
10
This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

White Bean & Avocado Toast

Rating: 4.5 stars
2
Mashed avocado and white beans make for a fiber-rich and creamy topping, the perfect partner for a crispy slice of toast. Try it for a quick breakfast or snack.
By Victoria Seaver, M.S., R.D.

Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin

Rating: 5 stars
2
The addition of chia seeds in the quick “jam” topping adds heart-healthy omega-3s to this healthy breakfast recipe.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Blueberry Almond Chia Pudding

Rating: 3 stars
3
Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. It's made just like overnight oats--combine chia and your milk of choice, let soak overnight, then top with juicy blueberries and crunchy almonds and dig in!
By Carolyn Casner

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Protein Shake

Rating: 4.67 stars
3
This creamy high-protein shake will keep you satisfied for hours and tastes like a chocolate-peanut butter banana milkshake. You don't even need to add protein powder, thanks to the naturally occurring protein in the soymilk, Greek yogurt and peanut butter.
By Hilary Meyer
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Inspiration and Ideas

Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix

Quinoa & Chia Oatmeal Mix
Rating: Unrated
5
Make your own hot cereal mix with this healthy recipe. Keep it on hand and just cook up the amount you need when you're ready for a hot breakfast. One serving of the warm cereal contains 6 grams of fiber--almost a quarter of your daily quota-which helps stave off hunger throughout the morning.
Strawberry-Ricotta Waffle Sandwich

Strawberry-Ricotta Waffle Sandwich
Rating: Unrated
1
Here's a sweet spin on a healthy breakfast-sandwich recipe. Other seasonal fruit, such as blueberries or sliced peaches, would be tasty toppers too.
Vegan Pancakes

Vegan Pancakes
Rating: Unrated
11
Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole

Zucchini, Corn & Egg Casserole
Rating: Unrated
2
Apple-Peanut Butter Smoothie

Apple-Peanut Butter Smoothie
Rating: Unrated
8
Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Quinoa & Strawberries

Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Quinoa & Strawberries
Rating: Unrated
1

Fresh Fruit Salad

Rating: 5 stars
2

This refreshing fruit salad is a classic combination that will be the favorite at any potluck or cookout. Serve with a creamy yogurt dressing to take this side (or dessert) to the next level.

All Budget Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Upside-Down Cinnamon-Pecan Coffee Cake

Rating: 2 stars
2
Layering the ingredients in this coffee cake recipe right into the pan lets you skip the steps of making the batter and the nut topping separately. To make this healthy one-bowl dessert so it can be served like pull-apart rolls, dollop 16 equal portions of batter over the nuts. If you don't want to fuss with that, dollop the batter on top however you like.
By Stacy Fraser

Berry-Banana Cauliflower Smoothie

Rating: 5 stars
1
Sneak in your veggies with a smoothie every morning. Riced cauliflower adds thickness and creaminess to a subtly sweet cauliflower smoothie that features the fruity flavors of bananas and berries at the forefront.
By Hilary Meyer

Jason Mraz's Avocado Green Smoothie

Rating: 3.75 stars
3
To make this green smoothie recipe a meal-in-a-glass, musician Mraz adds a tablespoon of coconut oil and some sprouted flax or chia seeds.
By Jason Mraz

Almond-Honey Power Bar

Rating: 4.76 stars
19
Great for breakfast on the go! Golden roasted nuts, seeds and oats are enveloped by flavorful almond butter in these delectably chewy, no-fuss energy bars. Unrefined turbinado sugar adds a deep caramelly undertone. Feel free to use light brown sugar instead. Bars stored at room temperature will be softer than those that are refrigerated.
By Maria Speck

Tofu & Vegetable Scramble

Feel free to customize this speedy tofu and vegetable scramble with your favorite combination of vegetables and spice. Try to use veggies that will all cook at the same rate, like peppers, green beans and sugar snap peas.
By Katie Webster

Berry-Coconut Smoothie

Rating: 5 stars
1
Add protein and fiber to your smoothie--without dairy or protein powder--with lentils. They're a sneaky source of plant-based protein in this healthy smoothie recipe.
By Hilary Meyer

Quick Mixed Berry Pancake Sauce

In this healthy, quick pancake sauce recipe, berries--such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries--are microwaved until hot and thickened. Serve along with maple syrup, or skip the syrup altogether and enjoy the natural sweetness from the berries.
By Stacy Fraser

Maple Granola

Rating: 3.67 stars
2
This quick and healthy granola recipe can be enjoyed like cereal with milk or sprinkled over yogurt to make an easy parfait. Serve with a banana for a balanced breakfast.
By Sara Haas, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Green Protein Smoothie

Lentils in a smoothie recipe? Yes! They're a healthy source of plant-based protein, adding 3 grams more protein than an equal-size portion of nonfat plain yogurt and 4 grams more fiber than a typical serving of protein powder.
By Hilary Meyer

Broccoli & Parmesan Cheese Omelet

Rating: 5 stars
1
This high-protein breakfast recipe features broccoli and cheese folded into a light and fluffy omelet.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Mango-Ginger Smoothie

Rating: 5 stars
1
Red lentils are a sneaky source of plant-based protein in this healthy smoothie recipe. The lentils add 3 grams more protein than an equal-size portion of nonfat plain yogurt and 4 grams more fiber than a typical serving of protein powder.
By Hilary Meyer

Green Tea-Fruit Smoothie

Rating: 3.75 stars
1
Start your day with a burst of antioxidants in this energizing healthy smoothie recipe.
By Patsy Jamieson

Spaghetti Frittata

Rating: 3.89 stars
6
Here's a creative way to use leftover cooked spaghetti: try mixing it with eggs for a filling Italian omelet. If you don't want to buy separate bunches of fresh herbs, look for an Italian blend package that may contain some of each or use one-third the amount of dried.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Peanut Butter and Banana Breakfast Sandwich

Creamy peanut butter and bananas are the key ingredients to this quick and easy breakfast.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche

Rating: 3.58 stars
5
This quiche recipe is full of broccoli, Cheddar cheese and smoky ham surrounded by a crispy hash brown crust. Look for precooked shredded potatoes in the dairy section or in the produce section--or use frozen hash brown potatoes in this easy quiche recipe.
By Carolyn Malcoun

Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Omelet

Rating: 5 stars
1
The key to this healthy omelet recipe is cooking the eggs over low heat so the curds set up nice and soft. A splash of milk in the eggs is added insurance to keep the omelet from turning rubbery.
By Kathy Gunst

PB & J Oats

Creamy peanut butter and sliced strawberries with oatmeal is sure to brighten any morning.
By Diabetic Living Magazine

Mini Quiches with Sweet Potato Crust

Rating: 5 stars
3
Shredded sweet potato hash browns make up the healthy crust of these gluten-free muffin-tin quiches. This grab-and-go breakfast is super-easy to prep ahead and keep stashed in the fridge or freezer. Serve them for brunch or eat them on busy weekdays.
By Katie Webster

Two-Ingredient-Dough Bagels

Rating: 3 stars
1
Traditional bagels are made with a yeast dough and boiled before they are baked. This much faster version uses a two-ingredient dough made from self-rising flour and Greek yogurt, which eliminates the need for a rise time. Sprinkle the bagels with your favorite toppings--like everything bagel seasoning--before baking.
By Carolyn Casner

Baked Asparagus & Cheese Frittata

Rating: 4.57 stars
5
Perfect for a spring brunch or light supper, this Italian omelet is baked so it is easy to serve to a group.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Apricot & Coconut Oatmeal

This easy oatmeal recipe cooks in just 5 minutes. While this healthy oatmeal recipe calls for coconut and apricots, other dried fruits, such as raisins and cranberries, also are delicious.
By EatingWell Test Kitchen

Sweet Potato, Corn & Black Bean Hash

Rating: 4.26 stars
10
Quick and easy hashes are fabulous one-pot meals for those nights when getting dinner on the table fast is a priority.
By Susanne A. Davis

Fig & Ricotta Toast

Rating: 3.88 stars
8
This easy Mediterranean-inspired toast makes a quick breakfast for any day of the week.
By Devon O'Brien

Artichoke & Egg Tartine

For a Mediterranean-inspired breakfast, serve up fried or poached eggs on top of sautéed artichokes and toast. If you can't find frozen, be sure to rinse canned artichoke hearts well--they're saltier than frozen. Serve with hot sauce on the side, if desired.
By Breana Killeen
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