5 Healthy Breakfasts For Weekday Mornings

The daily rush out the door makes mornings hectic, but that's no excuse for skipping a healthy breakfast. Instead of ignoring the morning meal or swinging through a drive-through for a calorie-laden fast food breakfast for you and your kids, plan ahead for a quick and healthy meal from your own kitchen. Most of these recipes are simple enough that kids can help to make them, with a little supervision. 

Old Fashioned Rolled Oats

Quick and easy oatmeal doesn't have to come from a packet!

In a deep, microwave-safe bowl, combine 1/3 cup of old-fashioned oats with 2/3 cup of water. Microwave for two minutes. When the cooking time has ended, stir in a handful of frozen blueberries, a splash of milk, a dash of cinnamon and a swirl of real maple syrup. Adding in your own extra to the oatmeal allows for you to control the amount of sugar normally found in oatmeal packets.

It's best not to double this recipe, so if you need more to feed multiple mouths, make separate batches.

Related: Time-Saving Tips For Healthy School Lunches

Freezer Breakfast Burritos

Make these vegetarian wraps ahead of time for a quick heat-up in the morning.

Dice half of a pepper, any color will do, and saute it in a pan with cooking spray. Beat six cracked eggs in a bowl. Add the eggs to the diced pepper in the frying pan. Season with salt and pepper and stir until scrambled and mostly cooked. Add a can of drained low-sodium diced tomatoes and half a cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until the eggs are thoroughly cooked.

Drain and rinse a can of low-sodium black beans. Divide the beans between twelve whole wheat tortillas, spreading them down the middle. Top the beans with the egg mixture, dividing it evenly between the tortillas.

Roll the tortillas tightly and wrap them individually with foil. Store the wrapped burritos in the freezer in a resealable plastic freezer bag. To reheat, remove the foil, rewrap the burrito in a paper towel and microwave it for two minutes. Alternatively, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and bake in the foil wrap at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

Yogurt Parfait

Plain yogurt has less sugar than the flavored kind, so jazz it up with healthy add-ins. Preparing a few servings ahead of time makes this a grab-and-go meal.

Drizzle local honey over a large tub of plain yogurt and stir thoroughly. Fill reusable, single-serving containers half full of the sweetened yogurt. Toss a handful of washed berries into each container, and top them off with more yogurt. Close the lids and store the containers in the refrigerator. Made with fresh berries, these will keep for a couple of days. When you're ready to eat, add a sprinkle of granola and a small handful of chopped walnuts.

Banana Shake

This nutrient, and protein-packed drink can be put in a travel mug for breakfast on the go. A serving feeds one adult or two kids.

Blend together a ripe banana, one cup of milk, a large spoonful of peanut butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon until smooth. This can be done with a blender, a food processor or an immersion blender. Pour the shake into glasses and add a straw. Serve with a graham cracker on the side for a bit of crunch.

Skinny Banana Pancakes

This flourless pancake alternative can be whipped up quickly, thanks to its short ingredient list.

For each diner, mash one banana and beat in one egg. Add a splash of vanilla and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Drop by the spoonful onto a hot, well-greased skillet. Smaller cakes are easier to flip, so keep that in mind when spooning out the batter. When the bottoms are brown, slowly flip the cakes over and cook until set. This takes about one minute on each side. Serve with a drizzle of real maple syrup.

Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator to heat up the next morning.