Meal Prep Breakfast Hacks to Save Time in The Morning
Mornings can get hectic, and if you have a family or have an early call time for work, it can make mornings even more hectic.
Yet, breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day, and one of the most skipped. Don’t do this. Especially if you wake up hungry or are doing a morning workout. The urge to reclaim some time for yourself is strong, but there are ways to get that time back without sacrificing your self-care routine.
Meal prep can be a great tool for making those mornings simpler and helping you find something to put in your belly that’s easy, satisfying and nutritious.
If you meal prep the night before you can wake up and hit the ground running – reclaiming that time you thought you had lost. Here are some hacks to keep in mind that’ll change your breakfast routine for the better.
Freeze Smoothie Packs
Smoothies are easy to sip on the go and they can be packed with protein, fiber and good fats to act as adequate fuel for a meal if comprised of the right set of ingredients. Prepare them in zip bags and freeze them to simply blend together in the morning.
You can get protein from a protein powder, fat from nuts, seeds and avocado—as well as MCT for a brain boost (these are big in the keto world!)—and fiber from green veggies, like spinach or kale. Of course, some fruit is delicious, but stick to one or two servings per smoothie to keep sugar low.
Make Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches
You can also prepare breakfast sandwiches and freeze them for grab-and-go use. Breakfast burritos or wraps, as well as egg bites, are excellent options, and you can even go meatless if needed, using tofu or seitan for protein as well as avocado and beans for a high-fiber plant-based source. These you can also make ahead and keep all week long.
Make a Batch of Protein Muffins or Waffles in Bulk
People dialed into the fitness and nutrition world swear by protein pancakes and muffins to kickstart their mornings. You can make these in bulk and freeze them the same way. Just make sure they actually are lower in carbs and sugar and high in some good nutrients, like fiber and protein. You can use seeds, like flax, nuts and nut butter, like peanut butter or slivered almonds on top, or even avocado for a savory approach.
Whip up Overnight Oats or Chia Seed Pudding the Night Before
They are called overnight oats for a reason—you make them the night before and let them sit and chill in the fridge for 12 hours or more so they set and are ready for your morning meal.
Anything you can do beforehand saves time and energy in the kitchen, and if it’s healthy, even better! Overnight oats in a bowl can be made in bulk (cook once, eat many times!) for simple meal prep and you’d just add in milk and toppings come morning.
For chia seed pudding, you can fashion it in a mason jar or some other container and let chill overnight as a parfait style with toppings inside, or you can just make a big batch too and then add in some protein and fiber add-ons in the A.M. Chia seeds are high in fiber and protein, as well as omega 3 fats, for a satiety boost that’ll keep you full until lunch.
