Budget Breakfast & Brunch Recipes

Smoothies are a great healthy breakfast for kids, but busy parents know there's no time for all that chopping and measuring in the morning rush. Make these easy DIY smoothie packs ahead of time and stash them in your freezer until you're ready to whir up a fruit-filled meal or snack kids will love. This makes enough for a workweek's worth of smoothies!

This healthy update of a traditionally rich ham-and-cheese breakfast strata is made lighter primarily by losing a few egg yolks and using nonfat milk. Gruyère cheese has a delicious, nutty aroma and flavor, which means that with the relatively small amount in this recipe you still get a big impact. To finish the makeover use nutritious, fiber-rich, whole-grain bread instead of white. The results: plenty of flavor, half the calories and one-third the fat of the original.

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.

This healthy quiche recipe is perfect for entertaining--the quiche can be made ahead and is just as flavorful served warm or at room temperature. Filled with caramelized onions and Parmesan cheese, this healthy quiche with a whole-grain crust is perfect for breakfast or brunch, or served with a light salad for lunch.

Got leftover bananas? Give everyone's favorite baked good recipe a healthy whole-wheat spin with this easy banana bread recipe.

Switch up your morning oatmeal routine with this so-easy chia pudding recipe. Creamy mango and coconut combine in this healthy breakfast recipe for a taste of the tropics.

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.

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.

The key to this healthy smoked salmon 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 salmon omelet from turning rubbery.

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.

This healthy whole-grain buttermilk pancake recipe uses 100% whole-wheat flour, heart-healthy canola oil and just a tablespoon of sugar. Compared to most store-bought mixes or a classic recipe, this recipe saves about 30 calories, 3 grams saturated fat and 4 grams total sugar per serving, plus you'll dish up 2 extra grams of fiber. If you want to experiment with different types of whole grains, replace up to 1/2 cup of the whole-wheat flour with cornmeal, oats and/or buckwheat flour. Or add extra fiber and omega-3s by adding up to 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed or chia seeds.

This easy Mediterranean-inspired toast makes a quick breakfast for any day of the week.

Perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack, these energy bites will keep you fueled.

Eating a big healthy breakfast‚ like this 700-calorie hash-and-egg recipe‚ may help lower your levels of ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger, and reduce snack cravings later in the day. Plus, research shows eating the bulk of your daily calories earlier in the day could help you lose weight. If you're looking for a lighter breakfast, this recipe can serve two.

Instead of a traditional quiche crust, we use phyllo dough to create light and flaky layers. Turkey sausage adds protein while shredded Gruyère cheese provides a nutty flavor. Serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Get your daily dose of dark leafy greens any time of day with this delicious green smoothie. Ground flaxseed adds omega-3s. Pour any extra into a freezer-pop mold and have it later as a frozen green smoothie pop.

These savory, low-carb (and gluten-free) English muffins use riced cauliflower in place of flour, with a little cheese and egg as binder to make a grain-free breakfast bread. Try topping them with sweet jam, or use them to create a yummy breakfast sandwich.

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.

This strawberry parfait recipe combines fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and crunchy granola for an easy breakfast. Pack the parfait in a mason jar for a healthy breakfast on the go.

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.

Cauliflower rice makes up the crust of this low-carb quiche recipe. Smoked Gouda imparts a delicious smoky flavor that complements the ham in the quiche filling. If you can't find smoked Gouda, substitute smoked Cheddar.

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.

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.

The eggs cook right on top of this chickpea and potato hash--cook them a few extra minutes if you prefer hard-set eggs. Serve with warm pita bread and a cucumber salad with mint and yogurt.