Getting in a healthy breakfast before school is difficult. Being a senior in high school I’ve gone through all stages of healthy breakfast options. I once went 3 weeks with two over-easy eggs on toast every morning for breakfast. I mean EVERY MORNING. But that got old real quick so I wanted to share some quick easy meals that high school kids can easily make in the morning that aren’t ham and cheddar hot pockets.

We all know the morning rush before going to school. You’re trying to sleep in, get ready, pack up your bag, and eat breakfast all in approximately 30 minutes. Is this the most doable thing? Absolutely not but for high school student its usually the breakfast part of the list that gets skipped simply because there is no time. This is why I wanted to share fast healthy breakfast ideas. Grabbing a granola bar on you way out the door simply isn’t cutting it anymore. We need something filling, that isn’t overly processed to start off the day. First we have…

1. Oatmeal

I know what you’re thinking. Oatmeal? Who eats that? I’m not going to sit here and tell you to eat plain oats. Oatmeal without all the added sugar is actually really high in fiber and it’s a whole grain which is a plus. Here is the thing though plain oatmeal is not that tasty so we need to doctor it up a bit. You can add so many different things to your oatmeal and customize it to your liking. You can go the more basic route and add some fruit, maybe some honey or Greek yogurt. You can also add nuts or dried fruit to spice it up a bit. My favorite thing to do is use cinnamon, walnuts and cut up a fresh apple stir that all together and it’s so tasty. Pretty classic but I love it. Take your favorite toppings and throw them into some oats. Oatmeal is a great base to add to in order to have a healthy fulfilling meal. Not to mention it takes less than 5 minutes to make oatmeal. This is perfect for people who like a bit of a sweeter meal in the mornings.

2. Peanut butter Banana Toast

One of my favorite fast easy breakfasts is peanut butter and banana toast. Its 3 simple ingredients which I hope you gathered are toast, peanut butter, and slices of banana. Pretty straight forward all you need to do is toast some bread, slather it in some peanut butter and then put some slices of banana on top. This meal has fruit, carbs, healthy fats and protein which is a great way to start your day on a high note. Again this is a meal for those who prefer a sweeter meal in the morning and you’ll be out the door in no time with a full stomach.

3. Eggs 3 ways

I know I started this post with the story of me eating eggs every morning but there was a reason I did this. Eggs are high in protein and healthy fats. It may seem weird but you can actually make eggs in the microwave. Personally I couldn’t tell the difference between scrambled eggs made in a pan vs a mug in the microwave. I have made three different types of cooked eggs in the microwave. Scrambled is simple: You crack the amount of eggs you want into a mug or bowl (I usually do two) and use a fork to stir/scramble it together. If you want you can add salt and pepper as well as some milk, this will fluff up the eggs a bit more. Then you want to microwave the mixture for about 1 minute 30 seconds stirring about every 20 seconds. Depending on your microwave it may take longer or shorter. You could add this to some toast and have a great protein based breakfast. The next kind of egg is Poached: For a poached egg all you need to do is put some water in a mug/bowl and heat it up for about 30 seconds in the microwave. Next stir the water, I know this may seem silly but the egg will cook better when doing so. While you water is still swirling drop one egg in. It should immediately starts turning white. I usually have to put the egg back in the microwave for another 15 seconds after cracking it into the water but it is all about judgment calls. Next we have an Omelette: similarly to scrambled eggs you’re going to want to get a bowl preferably one that is more flat and simply stir your eggs with milk, salt, and pepper. Then you want to sprinkle toppings on your eggs. This could be bacon bits, cheese, ham, onion, whatever you want. Next all you have to do is microwave for about 30-45 seconds, flip and then cook for an additional 30-45 seconds. All three ways are quick, easy and delicious. This is also a meal that you can add to. You could have any of these eggs with toast or in addition to other breakfasts like: french toast sticks, pancakes, and hash browns.

4. Breakfast Quesadilla

This is definitely one of my favorite things to eat in the mornings. It’s super customizable so you can use whatever you have in the house. All you need is a tortilla and some toppings. My personal favorite is chocolate spread, peanut butter, and banana. I’m pretty sure this was a tik tok trend not too long ago but if you missed that it is simply a tortilla that you slice down about a quarter of the way and then separate your toppings into quadrants on top of it. For example you would spread peanut butter on a quarter and then layer a banana on a different quarter followed by chocolate spread on the remaining quarter. It’s important to leave at least one quarter plain because it makes it a lot easier to flip up together. Once you have all your toppings in place simply flip the quadrants on top of each other. I like this because this breakfast idea because it is very mobile. You can grab it and go pretty quickly.

5. Hash brown scramble

This is a meal that takes a little bit longer than the previous options but is still relatively quick. Hash brown patties can be found at your local grocery store and usually come with a decent amount of them. Now depending on how you like your hash browns cooked you can either use the microwave, toaster or even your air fryer (this option takes a bit longer). Once you cook your hash browns to your liking this is the fun part. You can make a sandwich with ham and cheese, add a style of egg from #3, or add some avocado on top for an avocado toast style meal. This meal is quick and filling especially if you’re not a sweets person in the morning and would rather have a savory meal. This breakfast meal can be customized to your taste and what you have in your fridge. This is more filling and will definitely hold you over till lunch. This is a great base and a delicious way to get going in the morning.

All of these options are incredibly tasty and filling which is perfect for a students in high school trying to make it till lunch. There are options for sweet and savory breakfast ideas depending on what you are feeling. All of these meals can be made the morning of especially if you are running late. Lets be honest what high school student isn’t running late to school. Getting a good healthy breakfast will only set you up for success when taking the challenge that is high school. I hope this helped in some shape or form with getting a good meal in at the beginning of your day. 

-Nikki Smith