Healthy Breakfast Ideas

A good breakfast doesn't need to be fancy. It needs to be quick, filling and made from real food: eggs, fruit, yoghurt, good bread, a handful of nuts. Look around the world and breakfast gets even more interesting. In Vietnam it might be a steaming bowl of pho; in Japan, miso soup and rice. Here are our favourite ways to start the day.

Eggs, every way

Eggs. Boiled, poached, scrambled or fried, they're cheap and fast. Scramble them with a handful of spinach or mushrooms for extra veg before work.
Eggs on avocado toast. Australia's favourite cafe breakfast is easy at home. Mash avocado with lemon, salt and chilli, and top with an egg.

Good bread

Flourless bread. A dense seed and nut loaf with no flour, no yeast and no kneading. Slice it thin and toast it.
Cucumber bread. Strictly a party loaf, but its cucumber and dill cream cheese makes a lovely fresh topping for toast.

Yoghurt, fruit and nuts

Yoghurt bowls. Plain yoghurt topped with fruit, a drizzle of honey and a few walnuts or almonds. Five minutes, no cooking.
Bananas. The original grab-and-go breakfast. Slice them over yoghurt or blend them into a smoothie.
Mulberries. In season, a handful straight from the tree is the best fruit bowl there is.
Nuts. A small handful adds crunch and keeps you going till lunch. Buy them unsalted and store them somewhere cool.

Breakfast around the world

Pho. In Vietnam, a bowl of noodle soup is a classic way to start the day. Make a big pot of broth on the weekend and breakfast is sorted.
Miso soup. A Japanese breakfast often includes miso soup, rice and something small on the side. Whisk a spoon of miso into hot water with tofu and spring onions.
Fried rice. Last night's rice, an egg and a few vegetables. Breakfast across much of Asia, and a smart use of leftovers. Our food safety guide explains how to store cooked rice safely.
Banh mi. A crusty roll with pickles and herbs makes a cracking breakfast on the go.

Something to drink

Tea and coffee. The morning ritual. Our ingredient pages cover buying, brewing and storing both.
Smoothies. Blend fruit, yoghurt or milk, and a spoon of nuts or seeds. Get ideas in our smoothies collection.
Water. A glass from the tap to start the day. See our drinking water guide.

For the sweet tooth

Healthy cookies. Oat cookies sweetened mostly with dates and packed with almonds and coconut. Bake a tray on Sunday and you have grab-and-go breakfasts for the week.

Make mornings easier

Keep breakfast staples on hand: eggs, oats, yoghurt, frozen fruit, nuts and a good loaf in the freezer. Our pantry staples guide has the full list. For more snack-sized ideas, see healthy snacks.