These portable breakfast ideas make eating a healthy breakfast on the go both possible and delicious! Each recipe can be made ahead, transported well, and is easy to enjoy from the car, office, or bus.
Pick one (or a few) to make with minimal effort on a busy weekday or prep it ahead over the weekend.
Portable Breakfast Recipes
With sweet and savory options, there’s something for everyone in this collection of portable breakfasts, and no matter what you make, it will keep everyone satiated until lunchtime.
Grab and Go Breakfast You Can Make in a Cup
And for breakfasts that you would typically sit down to eat like warm oatmeal, scrambled eggs, and parfaits, in this video I show you how to prep them ahead and transport them in a coffee cup!
It’s one of my favorite on-the-go breakfast hacks for when you need a hot breakfast to enjoy, mess-free.
Tips for a Healthy Portable Breakfast
Here are some factors to keep in mind when choosing a portable breakfast that’s right for you:
- Includes lean protein
- Contains a source of healthy fats
- Made with complex carbs
- Ability to be prepped ahead
- Can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature
- Easy to reheat in the microwave, if needed
- Fits inside a meal prep or to-go container
My Favorite Portable Breakfast Containers
In order to pack a variety of portable breakfasts, it’s a good idea to have a few containers on hand.
Meal prep containers like these have enough room to fit the breakfast item of choice, along with some fresh fruit. Plus they’re microwave-safe in case you want to give your breakfast a quick warm before heading out.
A thermos container is also a great idea for options like overnight oats and mini quiches since it can keep cold foods chilled, or hot foods hot (think scrambled eggs and mini quiches).
In case you’re wondering how to transport a smoothie, those insulated coffee cups with a straw would be perfect for kids, and these smoothie jars for adults!
Sue says
Hi,
I have a question about the eggs…do you zap them in the microwave in the AM or eat them cold?
Just wondering… 🙂
Laura Fuentes says
I lightly microwave them in the morning when i make the eggs ahead of time. If i make them that morning, I put them in the cup hot. I hope this helps! 😉
Sue says
Got it, thanks 🙂 I just didn’t see mention of that, so was wondering. 🙂 Going to try these soon!
Stephanie says
Overnight cold oatmeal. Easy to grab and go the next day!
Yolanda g says
Fruit smoothies. Quick and easy
Amy J. says
Favorite to-go breakfast is usually muffins – sausage pancake muffins or chocolate chip banana :D. We also like egg cups – scrambled eggs & veggies baked in muffin tins.
Rose Reins says
I love oats soaked overnight in yogurt, with cinnamon, vanilla soy milk, and berries! Yum!! Thank you for your ideas!
Melissa Martin says
Waffle sandwiches with peanut butter and banana!
Laura Fuentes says
delicious!!!
Carin Crook says
cocoa-banana-zucchini-almond butter muffins. sounds gross? they are delish, though, and gluten free, too!
Krista says
These are great ideas. Our go to is pancakes either plain or made into a pb&j. Easy to eat while running around 🙂
Heather G. says
The orange pop slushes from your first cookbook. These are great for my sons and are still frozen for their morning snacks at school. Muffins are always a great option too. I just recently got a fresh batch of peaches, so I can’t wait to try your peaches n’ cream bread!
Tiffany says
Smoothies for sure! Love my Green smoothies! My husband can’t go without ever! I also occasionally like to make a breakfast burrito 🙂 Yum yum!
Kyna says
We like to have either healthy muffins or breakfast burritos for a on the go breakfast. 🙂
Val says
Egg “muffins” … beat a few eggs and pour over assorted veggies in a muffin tin! Easy to customize and take on the go!
Val says
Forgot to mention the important baking step! Oops!
Szkent says
Hard boiled eggs, muffins (various but pumpkin or sweet potato oatmeal) or your Breakfast Cookies!
Jaime says
We love waffles or bagels with cream cheese and fruit such as sliced bananas, apples or blueberries. Then we fold it or top it as Sammy and head out the door 😉
Kim Pieplow says
Cut up fruit “bowl” in a cup!
Carrie Powers says
Yogurt and a Nutrigrain bar!
lisa franklin says
Breakfast burrito – sausage and egg wrapped in a tortilla
Kari Hughes says
Breakfast cookies are our go-to on-the-go breakfast! I hand the kids a couple of cookies and a water bottle as I strap them in their carseats, and they’re done by the time we get to wherever we’re going!
Andrea says
Egg muffins are my favorite to-go breakfast!
Moiya b says
Smoothies!
Nina Rivera says
I take nearly ripe frozen bananas (without the skin) from freezer, add other ingredients like blueberries, strawberries, or whatever soft fruits are available, and make a smoothie. Add water, or milk, protein powder, ice, or other items like walnuts, or even dark chocolate bits. Perhaps will venture to put in some veggies one day. This goes nicely in a cup to go since 10-yr old daughter does not like sitting down to eat her breakfast. Not a cereal girl, but she LOVES her smoothies.
jenny T. says
my boys love pumpkin muffins (made with whole wheat flour, flax seed, and yogurt for some of the oil) so I freeze them. It’s so easy to thaw/heat in the microwave at 30 seconds.
Christine says
I will make a big batch of pancakes on the weekend for “toaster cakes” during the week.
I’ve been looking for a good overnight oatmeal to try.
Never thought of putting the eggs to go in the cups like this – I will definitely be using this tip.
Laura Fuentes says
Congratulations! You are our winner of the MyChinet giveaway! Please check your email soon for directions from Stephanie@MOMables.com.
Enjoy!
Stephanie G. says
Smoothies, of course. But we also like to make ham and egg bagel sandwiches to take with us in the morning. They take all of three minutes to whip up.
Breanna C says
My go-to portable breakfast are the very blueberry muffins.
Kamaile Ronk says
Over night Oats go over well here and smoothies are always a favorite for our kids!
SHERYL says
Most definitely breakfast burritos. There are so many options. They are easy to make, store, and taste great reheated.
Polly says
I think this year I will try making bean burrito filling topped w cheese and crushed tortilla chips! My teen is a savory breakfast kind of guy! Thanks for spurring my interest!
Shelbi Evans says
Smoothies and overnight chocolate/peanut butter oats!
Jennifer Fleming says
Breakfast burritos
Tabitha Hiatt says
Smoothies or egg and cheese sandwich. Cook egg night before and have all ready. Microwave egg for 30 seconds and toast muffins. Away we go.
Brenda Lee says
My child cannot have wheat..or rice..so gluten free bread is out of the question. For a quick breakfast I make breakfast tacos. I use coconut ‘tortillas’ filled with peanut butter and jelly, egg and pork sausage, egg and bacon, beans and egg, potato and egg..I even roll up ham, cheese and egg. possibilities are endless!
Laura Fuentes says
I love coconut tortillas too Brenda!
Julie says
My kids crave breakfast burritos! But any egg and bread works for them!!
LaTanya says
I do protein shakes in the morning
Jessica says
I make waffle sandwiches. I toast a whole grain waffle, spread almond butter and top with sliced banana. Fold in half for my little one.
Kristina says
WE do a lot of portable breakfasts for lunch, too – overnight oats, smoothies, muffins, yogurt parfaits in a thermos, and baked oatmeal (cut into bars or in a bow). hard to pick just one!
Kayla says
I love making a huge batch of pancakes Sunday morning and freezing the leftovers. I wrap them up individually so they are ready to go for an easy breakfast throughout the week 🙂 I also d this with breakfast burritos!
Shannon Woodward says
I make batches of breakfast burritos and freeze them. They are ready to grab, heat up, and go!
Stephanie Leischer says
Breakfast cookies are always a winner in our house. My oldest and youngest also like peanut butter rolled in a tortilla. I love the egg scramble idea! I will make that one for sure.
margaret says
smoothies!
Kim says
I tend to eat my leftover dinner for breakfast lol. Spaghetti would work perfectly in the Chinet cups! And my coffee too!
Marie says
We do oatmeal, but not a quickie, to go version. Though I do just pour hot water over it rather than cooking it on the stove. That’s something that I learned at work with the access to the hot water spigot on the coffee machine.
My to go breakfast is a green smoothie.
Lizzette says
Vainilla yogurt drizzled with honey topped with fresh fruit – banana, strawberries or blueberries my favorite is pineapple chunks
I use the little dressing containers with strawberry granola
michelle childers says
I make smoothies for myself & freeze in jars, pull the night before & ready after the gym in the morn. I pack my hubby & kids breakfast and lunch every day, I make ahead ground turkey, egg & veggie breakfast burrito & freeze for my hubby. Cinnamon muffins or waffles with peanut butter for the kids with fruit. So many ideas, so little time. I like the idea of making oatmeal cups ahead of time & adding hot water.
Alyssa says
I use your waffle mix recipe and put peanut butter between two, my kids eat waffle sandwiches for breakfast.
Amber Prendergast says
My kids love the overnight oats!!
Marnie White says
Breakfast popsicles, and smoothies. Add a piece of toast with peanut butter and it’s a complete meal.
Danielle says
We love smoothies that I make ahead the night before & keep in the refrigerator or yogurt parfait a !
The smoothies I use almond milk , spinach , chia , ground flax , Costco frozen fruit plus a banana , a scoop of Greek yogurt & a scoop of organic Protein powder ! My kids love them
For parfait a I do granola , berries , Greek yogurt & chia seeds.
Amy says
fried egg with cheese & toasted bagel = melty, substantial sandwich
Julia says
I make a veggie frittata the night before, slice it and store it in the fridge. In the morning, I heat the griddle and put four tortillas, each topped with a slice of frittata and some shredded cheese. As they are heating I set up four sheets of foil. When the cheese is melted I fold and wrap each one in foil. The whole bundle gets wrapped in a kitchen towel and tossed in my purse. Once everyone is buckled in, I pass them out. The kitchen towel is shared for wiping hands afterwards.
Annie says
Smoothies and a cheese stick!
Faith says
My to go is usually a breakfast sandwich from a convenience store, not healthy. However it will now be some eggs and veggies in a Comfort Cup!!!!
Jessica says
Smoothies and breakfast bars
Sandy says
I’m loving all of these ideas! My go to is a slice of stone ground whole wheat bread with peanut butter. I’m planning to try some of these.
Marga Spence says
We do a lot of the overnight oats, there are so many ways to mix them up so they don’t get boring. I also cook up extra pancakes and waffles when we have them for a meal and pop them in the freezer.
Marion Millan says
My little ones and I love your breakfast cookies and we have made a few times the mini quiches. So easy and quick to make. I made them last night while my husband grilled dinner. Def going to look into these Chinet cups. We pack bfast, lunch and snack daily for the kids. We have to leave at 6:30 am for school and these would be great for in the car or when they eat bfast in their classroom.
Denise says
Definately smoothies! Quick, easy, very filling, so many delicious varieties, easily portable!!
Beth says
If we are running late, I usually make smoothies and add a side of almonds or cashews. Or homemade muffins warmed up in the microwave. Sometimes my kids have come up with some pretty creative breakfasts to go like homemade guacamole on toast with a side of cherry tomatoes.
Erika Elbert says
I love these ideas! We do a combo of 2-3 cereals(dry) and throw in fresh or dried fruit. The kids think it’s fun because they can throw it all together themselves. I like using cups for portable breakfast.
Ali says
Smoothies…our favorite is banana, pear, coconut flakes with coconut water. So yummylishous!!
Abbi says
I have done smoothies or yogurt parfaits when we’re in a rush, but my kids also love grabbing a few energy balls when we have them on hand (mix peanut butter, oats or granola, dried fruit, coconut flakes, and a bit of honey and roll into balls. Throw in the fridge and they are easy to eat on the run!).
Kate says
We do lots of muffins on-the-go at our house. Or homemade granola bars. But I love your ideas and will definitely try them! School starts next week for us.
Erin Love says
Breakfast cookies and frittata muffins are our best portable breakfasts! Thanks for the new ideas!
Karen says
Mini quiche cups are a great high-protein grab and go.
Sara says
Fresh fruit, smoothies are always a hit, love the breakfast cookies too!
Nina says
Chia Seed pudding
Ali says
Hi Laura !
Homemade popcorn is my daughters favorite on the go.
Candis says
We love egg sandwiches and homemade granola bars.
Melissa Austin says
I make family favorite breakfast cookies that are a great grab and go option. Another favorite is a peanut butter and banana sandwich!
Amy Dreier says
I love ham and egg cups to go for my oldest and a smoothie for my youngest!
Jennifer says
Those are all great ideas for breakfast that will save us a lot of time in the morning! I love banana nut muffins and also bacon, egg, and cheese cups(made in muffin pan).
Lisa Farrell says
Toasted cheese sandwich. Qiuicker than grilled cheese. Two pieces of toast and slice of cheese. Whole grain and maybe a American and Swiss.
Jessica Monte says
These are great ideas for breakfast in a hurry. I make sure my daughter had a good hot breakfast every morning before school.
Avon says
Egg muffins (mini frittatas) for sure– bake a batch (my fave is spinach, mushroom, tomatoes), store in refrigerator, and reheat in the morning.
Donna Braamse says
These ideas look so good! For something quick in the morning, we usually have boiled eggs, pb&j, or cheese sandwich. Those are the easiest out-the-door breakfasts we’ve been having. Yours look so much better!
Gwen says
I like smoothies for myself, and my boys love oatmeal so I do baked oatmeal. They can eat it like a muffin and I can do different addins for each tin if I want.
Jenny says
Slow cooker oatmeal! I leave all the “fixin’s” and bowls next to the slow cooker. This is definitely a favorite in the fall and winter.
Jennifer Caldwell says
This year we are going to have to eat breakfast on the go, so my plan is “Easy Lunchable” type meals. First day of school will be donuts, because! After that I have a few ideas, but I think our favorite will be sausage links and fruit. My kids love sausage links.
Maria T says
French Toast Sticks or Waffle Sticks with apple slices!
Monica Navarrete says
My favorite portable breakfast is a vanilla protein smoothie with a togo cup of fresh berries or popping our made ahead frozen pancakes in the toaster and spreading on peanut butter to go with a cup of berries. Yum!
Thanks for running the contest!
Jes says
Love your recipes! Where did the summer go?
Jes says
The breakfast burritos!
Wendy says
Yogurt with fruit!
Ashley S says
Smoothies..always quick for on the go
Christy Mayberry says
Smoothies and sometimes hard boiled eggs with avacados:)
Anna Vetter says
I also like to make breakfast burritos and freeze them individually. Makes for an easy morning.
Alex says
Freeze big batches of pancakes and French toast. In the morning, pop them in the toaster and go!
Lynnette T says
Oatmeal crumble bars or breakfast burritos are my favorites.
Tami says
Yogurt parfaits.
Melissa G says
Love these ideas. We would enjoy these to-go cups for smoothies or put a little syrup in the bottom and put in waffles, cut into sticks. French toasts sticks would be nice also.
Missie says
My kids love to have banana bread mini loaves for breakfast!
Melissa Kling says
Our favorite to go breakfast is peanut butter over night oats! So yummy the next morning!
Jody says
My go to portable breakfast is a definite tie between overnight oats and a smoothie. There are so many possibilities with both that I never get bored!
Judee says
Kitchen sink muffins, of course (always with chocolate chips)!!!
Lindsay says
My daughter & I are both sluggish in the mornings, so making anything is out of the question for us. I make her fruit smoothies in the evenings and pour the smoothie into reusable popsicle molds. She’ll grab a smoothie popsicle in the morning, feel like she’s getting a treat and she’ll eat it on the way to our destination! Voila, fun and healthy in one swoop!
Shonda says
I make baked oatmeal that sets up really firm and it’s easy to transport. I can pack it full of nutrition too. Add a smoothie and we are set!
melody Bucker says
I love smoothies for my daughter, and omelettes for me.
JoeyfromSC says
I love your ideas! ! My portable breakfast is either a healthy smoothie or egg & cheese wrapped in a tortilla..yum!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Joey J
Dana says
My favorite to go breakfast: Coffee! (For mommy only! )
Laura Fuentes says
YES!!!
Kelly Olsakovsky says
I have good luck with breakfast “casserole cups” – essentially just baking a breakfast casserole in a muffin tin. It’s easy to make lots at one time, and you can freeze them easily.
Grace Riske says
Our goto is mini quiches! I grease a 6 cup muffin tin, layer cheese, veggies and a meat on the bottom. Then I whip up eggs with milk and spices and pour over everything in the tins. They cook for 20 minutes while I get dressed and everyone gets a few in a cup on the way out the door!
Shonda Abercrombie says
Breakfast Burritos, in the freezer and take them out and microwave and go.
Donna says
Breakfast burritos premade, frozen, then microwaved, or your breakfast cookies. LOVE them.
Denise Otero says
Smoothies or yogurt and fruit parfait
Julia says
Love the fruit, yogurt and granola parfait. I like to make egg sandwiches – microwave an egg, toast English muffin, add a slice of cheese, tomato or avocado and head out!
Cathy Owens says
We love buckwheat oatmeal blueberry or pecan pancakes with fresh fruit. They are gluten and dairy free, and the grains are soaked overnight and then blended quickly in the blender with the other ingredients in the morning. Easy to digest, delicious and healthy!
Jami Rodriguez says
I love making big batches of waffles and then throwing them in the freezer. It makes my morning go by so much smoother. I love your quick breakfast recipe. I’m going to do the scramble egg one!
Sara says
Breakfast cookies!
Amy says
My kids love a mini pancake sandwich. I fill them with pb, jam, or applesauce mixed with cream cheese so they’re more portable than serving them with syrup. I love that they can be made ahead and stored in the freezer.
Irma Morrissette says
Waffles! All three of my kids will eat waffles when in a rush.
Tammy says
Definitely parfaits with fresh fruit! Both kids love them
Lou p says
I make a portable “French toast casserole” by using French toast (pre made, leftover or frozen) and cut it up with fresh fruit and syrup into bowl or containers.
Shawnna Williams says
I make a big batch of whole wheat pancakes and freeze them. We take one or two out at a time, toast them and go.
Karen blowe says
These are great ideas!
Eating out of cup makes it to go and still healthy.
Jane says
Breakfast burritos! I make ahead and wrap individually.
Marga says
The portable breakfast I like best is mini quiches.
Amy says
Our favorite to-go recipe is actually your Pancake mix recipe. I double it & make into homemade waffles. I place them all in a freezer bag & in the morning we pop them in the toaster, put some peanut butter on top and if in a hurry, eat them while walking to school (with my youngest) or the bus stop (for my middle schooler).
Steph says
I do my egg sandwiches 🙂 microwaved eggs in a cup that matches the diameter of the muffin while I toast the muffin. Ready to go in 2 mins.
Or smothies (if I really want to be good I’ll put all the ingredients in the cup ready to go and just add liquid in the morning)
Steph says
I forgot to add that I’ve found the quickest way to make smoothies if you don’t have a ninja or nutribullet – mason jars – wide mouth mason jar with an immersion blender… Best combination as you only have one glass to clean (which if you buy a top you can put a straw in and take with you)
Lisa F says
Cheese stick rolled in turkey. Love a savory breakfast
Beatriz Lopez says
Our family favorite go-to portable breakfast is definitely over night oats. We make many different combos and just recently tried Momables Banana Foster Oats and it’s our favorite!
Marie says
The Banana Foster Oats is a good one! I haven’t made that in quite a while…
Melissa T. says
These are such great ideas!!! My to go idea is cut up fruit and a muffin. Put the fruit in the bottom of the cup and a piece of wax paper. Put the muffin on top. Yummy!
Laura Fuentes says
Terrific idea!
Jill says
Smoothies!
Cristina says
Your Breakfast Cookie recipe. It’s a winner every time!
Laura Fuentes says
awww for sure!! One of my favorites too.
Darcy Elizalde says
One of my favorites is made ahead breakfast sandwiches. Sausage, ham or bacon, egg and cheese then freeze them. When you want one u that for couple minutes and go. We also do breakfast burritos the same way.