Make mornings a breeze by prepping breakfast ahead for the whole week. All of our favorite make ahead breakfast ideas in one place – just for you!!

Hand putting a make ahead breakfast waffle in the toaster, from Shelf Cooking

One of our best tips for making mornings a little more simple for moms is to have plenty of healthy breakfast options ready that kids and adults can grab and go! Even if kids are just grabbing something and prepping it for themselves to eat at home before they are off to a day full of learning, it will help everything go smoothly for everyone – but especially for mama!!

*Note: When you click the links in this post, we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

After all, a little independence goes a long way… mom or dad don't only live to serve. Think Beauty and the Beast with me, here! Be Our Guest is running through my head.

All it takes is a little extra prep one day a week to make breakfasts for a whole week (or even the whole month). Don't believe me, ask the dishes…

Alright, hopefully, you're still with me after the Beauty and the Beast references. Here's one more for you… Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie and we provide the rest. The rest of the breakfast ideas, that is!! Here we go!

USE THE WEEKEND TO PREP MAKE AHEAD BREAKFASTS

I highly suggest taking a little time on Saturday or Sunday to prep some really good healthy, breakfast options that you can use throughout the week. If you plan right, you can make ahead breakfasts for the whole month.

We usually do a bigger breakfast on Saturdays and just make extra of whatever we're making so we have breakfasts for the whole week! That often means we're eating leftover eggs, bacon, and waffles for a week, which is something we're totally fine with.

However, if you want some variety in your breakfasts, you can easily plan out your weekends so each weekend you're making something different and making enough to freeze and use throughout the month.

MAKE AHEAD BREAKFASTS FOR A MONTH

Waffles in freezer bags on a counter, from Shelf Cooking

For example, let me lay out a whole month for you really quick:

  • 1st Weekend – Make smoothie bags, french toast sticks, and egg sandwiches on Saturday and overnight oats on Sunday!
  • 2nd Weekend – Make eggs, bacon, and waffles on Saturday and a giant batch of blueberry muffins on Sunday.
  • 3rd Weekend – Make egg burritos on Saturday and a batch of zucchini or banana bread on Sunday.
  • 4th Weekend – Make egg muffins, bacon, and pancakes on Saturday and breakfast cookies on Sunday.
  • Repeat!

HOW TO EASILY PREPARE MAKE AHEAD BREAKFASTS

That first week, you'll be rotating through smoothies, egg sandwiches, and french toast sticks. Oatmeal and toast with jam are always quick and easy breakfasts to throw in to add a little variety to the week.

By the time week two rolls around, you now have smoothies, french toast sticks, egg sandwiches, waffles, and MORE to choose from – if you made enough! 🙂 You might start to run out of stuff you prepped on that first weekend, but you're prepping new stuff each weekend to add some variety to breakfasts.

If you want to make sure you don't run out… Plan out the month and calculate how much you need to make to have waffles in gallon sized freezer bags once a week for the next month. Freeze 4 bags of waffles and label them for each week. Then you can always have waffles on Monday! Make sure the family knows the system. That way they can easily pull out the waffles specified for that day and start toasting them up themselves! Genius, right!?

Once you know the drill, you can switch up what you're making each weekend and you always have a variety of options to pull out of the freezer each week.

MAKE AHEAD BREAKFAST IDEAS

Here we go! We have 4 different types of make ahead breakfast ideas. If you choose one (or more) things to prep from each category on the weekend, your week is pretty much covered!

EGG BREAKFAST IDEAS YOU CAN MAKE AHEAD

Mini egg muffins in a muffin tin on a counter, from Shelf Cooking

These ideas are all amazing because they are full of protein which is filling and gives you and your family energy for more than an hour or two! They are also all completely customizable because you can throw in different meats, cheeses, veggies, etc. to create variety and please everyone's palate.

Pro Tip: Pull things like sandwiches and burritos out and place them in the fridge the night before to thaw. Then, you can easily toss them in the oven or microwave for a minute or two to get them ready to eat!

BREAKFAST IDEAS YOU CAN POP IN THE TOASTER

Waffles, blueberries, and strawberries on a plate, from Shelf Cooking

These are seriously some of our favorite ideas because the kids can help themselves if they know how to open the fridge, read, and use a toaster! Which most school-age kids do…

Pro Tip: Keep toppings like peanut butter, syrup, and jam accessible so kids can prep their own breakfasts. Teach them the appropriate amounts to use of each topping! Cut larger servings up with a pizza cutter to save time.

WHOLE GRAIN BREAKFAST IDEAS YOU CAN MAKE AHEAD

Various overnight oats on a counter representing make ahead breakfast ideas, from Shelf Cooking

These types of breakfast ideas are awesome for grab and go… literally. They are usually things you can eat on a stressful morning when you are running out the door since they are portioned and require no additional toppings.

  • Blueberry muffins
  • Breakfast cookies
  • Overnight oatmeal
  • DIY granola bars
  • Baked oatmeal cups

Pro Tip: For crazy mornings, have napkins at the ready to prevent crumbs from getting all over your car. For less crazy mornings, pair these items with half a banana or other fruit and a cup of juice or milk for a well-rounded breakfast.

FRUITY MAKE AHEAD BREAKFAST IDEAS

Frozen fruit in a freezer bag, from Shelf Cooking

You'll most likely have to be a bit more involved in helping the family prep these breakfast ideas in the morning. Most of them have fresh elements paired with their make ahead counterparts that will keep the family excited about breakfast.

Pro Tip: Each week, budget a small amount for fresh fruits to pair with quick and easy breakfast ideas.

BREAKFAST ITEMS YOU CAN MAKE AHEAD

Here are some sides you can prep that pair well with other breakfast ideas.

Pro Tip: When you cook up a batch of scrambled eggs ahead of time, add milk, cream, or almond milk. This keeps those eggs light and fluffy upon reheating!

There you go! Tons of breakfast ideas to get you started planning ahead and making your mornings easy, breezy, and magically delicious. Plus you'll feel good about providing your family with so many healthy options and helping them develop a little independence, too!

What are your favorite make ahead breakfast ideas? Let me know in the comments!

Image with text that reads "easy make ahead breakfasts" from Shelf Cooking

Want more posts to binge read?

Get yo breakfast on!