9 Budget-Friendly, Nutritious Make-Ahead Breakfast Ideas, According to Reddit

It was a revelation to me that homemade breakfast burritos freeze so well, but the subreddit is buzzing with this helpful tip. The basic recipe? “Any meat(s), eggs, cheese, veggies, and rice. You can prepare a batch all at once and freeze them.” If you're enjoying your burrito at home, you can crisp up the outside after microwaving by giving it a minute or two in a hot skillet or air fryer.

Call it an egg muffin, a baked omelet, or even a “crustless mini quiche”—this style of egg dish keeps well in both the fridge and freezer, and can be enjoyed either hot or cold. I like to heat mine in the microwave with a slice of cheese on top. The concept is straightforward: fill muffin tins with a mixture of beaten eggs and your preferred fillings (such as sausage, peppers, and onions). For a fancier touch, line the muffin tin with bacon.

You can bake oatmeal in large batches in a pan, then refrigerate it until it solidifies. The outcome is a firm block that you can slice like cake into portions—each one becoming your breakfast for the day. Add in fruits, nuts, cinnamon, or any other toppings you enjoy. There are tons of baked oatmeal recipes online; start with this one.

I’ve always been a fan of prepping smoothies ahead of time, and my go-to method is pouring it into a mason jar. That way, all you have to do is shake it up to mix the ingredients again, and it’s ready to drink. The subreddit suggested an alternative, though—this works even if you like your smoothie with ice. Simply blend all the ingredients the night before (minus the ice) and refrigerate the blender pitcher overnight. In the morning, just put the pitcher back on its base, add ice, and blend to your preferred consistency.

Just like breakfast burritos, breakfast sandwiches freeze quite well. The classic version features a bagel, English muffin, or toast, topped with cheese, egg, and a meat of your choice—like ham. You can follow this recipe to make an individual egg patty in the microwave, or prepare a larger batch of eggs in a skillet or baking pan.

Imagine waking up to a bowl of warm oatmeal without the hassle of cooking it! While it's not overly complicated to prepare and microwave oats, there's something special about having a pot of it ready and waiting when you get up. One redditor shares a tip: use your rice cooker's timer function to prepare oatmeal. (Allie Chanthorn Reinmann also explains what your rice cooker needs in order to make this work effortlessly; it’s especially effective if you have an advanced rice cooker.)

Craving eggs, bacon, fruit, and carbs? You don’t have to cook everything and serve it all on a single plate. One redditor recommends boiling several eggs and baking an entire pack of bacon in the oven. Once cooked, store them in the fridge. When you're ready to go, grab a few eggs and slices of bacon, and complement them with a banana, bagel, or whatever else completes your meal.

Yogurt is incredibly convenient, whether you layer it neatly into a mason jar with toppings or simply grab a yogurt cup and a handful of trail mix on the go. The trail mix is a fantastic choice—offering more flavor, texture, and heartiness than plain granola. Of course, you can customize your yogurt however you like. For an extra protein kick, mix in some whey powder, and drizzle with honey if that’s your preference.

Potato-based breakfasts are a favorite of mine, and one dish I particularly enjoy preparing on camping trips is a hearty hash with potatoes, eggs, cheese, your choice of meat, and a mix of vegetables. Several redditors have pointed out that this concept works great for a make-ahead meal. One even recommended these breakfast bowls from Budget Bytes as a prime example of the style.