Rise and Shine! 8 Easy Make-Ahead Breakfasts for Stress-Free Mornings

After a summer of sleeping in, hanging in pajamas all day, and living off of fresh fruit and popsicles, the back-to-school morning routine can feel like a mad dash of craziness.

Keep your cool even in the early morning hours by prepping breakfast the the night before. You may not be able to sleep in later—let’s be real, without you the kids might come downstairs with their clothes on backward—but having the morning meal all ready is one less thing to stress about.

These make-ahead breakfasts are easy, tasty, and are packed with nutrients that set the whole family up for success for the rest of the day.

Breakfast Cookies

If anything can take the edge off of Monday morning woes, it’s a batch of breakfast cookies. And yes, they’re cookies, but they’re packed with nutrition: walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds all have brain-power-boosting omega-3s and coconut oil for anti-inflammatory moisture, these cookies are also gluten free! So go  ahead, take two.

Individual Eggs in Purgatory

Wake up your taste buds with a spicy kick! This eggs in purgatory  recipe can easily be made the night before and divided into individual ramekins. In the morning, crack an egg into each ramekin, and bake for 7 to 10 minutes until the egg is set. Protein and veggies will keep kids from crashing before lunchtime rolls around.

Overnight Oats with Hemp Hearts and Strawberry Preserves

Perhaps one of the easiest recipes ever, overnight oats are a set-it-and-forget-it kind of breakfast. In a bowl, combine one part rolled oats with one part liquid; you can choose to mix in water if you’d like, but for more richness try nut milk. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, and you’ve got a hearty breakfast waiting for you. Throw some hemp hearts and a dollop of strawberry preserves on top to customize and add a little crunch to this creamy dish.

Coconut Flour Pancake PB&Js

Ok, pancakes might not seem like the healthiest breakfast option, but stay with us. Coconut flour has way more protein than white flour, and it’s gluten free and loaded with fiber, so it will keep little ones full and charged. This recipe for coconut flour pancakes  is easy to throw together, and you can easily make a huge batch and freeze the hotcakes individually to make defrosting in the morning a snap. Instead of topping these with sugary syrups, try an exciting redux on boring PB&J: almond butter, honey, and blueberry jam make a killer combo between two warm coconut flour pancakes!

Paleo Cherry Vanilla Granola and Kefir

If getting your kid to slurp up probiotic-packed kefir is a insurmountable challenge, look no further than this paleo cherry vanilla granola. Because kefir can have a bit of tartness, this sweet cherry granola makes a perfect topper. Plus, this recipe will last all week long, so you can use it more than once! Drizzle a little honey on top of the whole thing and your kids will never know what hit ’em.

Mini Frittatas

These little frittatas are totally customizable, so throw whatever veggies, breakfast meat, and cheeses that you’d like into the mix. (We’re big on a caramelized onion/wilted spinach/bacon combo.) In a large bowl, mix together a dozen eggs and all of your add ins. Evenly separate the egg mixture into a muffin tin pan, and bake in the oven at 375 for about 8 to 10 minutes.

Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

Because you already have that muffin tin out, may as well make a batch of tasty gluten-free blueberry muffins. Your secret weapon to keeping these muffins moist and delicious? Buttery ghee combined with almond flour. Because this is an upgraded gluten-free recipe, it’s already packed with more protein than your average baked good, but if you want to boost your kid’s brainpower even more try a superfood spread that loaded with almonds, chia, hemp, and goji berries for antioxidant benefits.

Sweet Breakfast Burritos

Say ‘adios’ to cinnamon toast and ‘hello’ to this naturally sweetened breakfast burrito. Start with a paleo-friendly wrap, and smooth some cashew butter on as your base. Sprinkle on some chia seeds and a healthy dose of cinnamon, and then chop a fresh banana, some dried apple slices, and pistachios for a little bit of texture and flavor. Finish it all off with a dollop of honey or hazelnut spread, and roll the whole thing up like a burrito or taquito. Freeze individually or stick in the fridge overnight for a grab-n-go breakfast in the morning.

Photo credit: Paul Delmont