I’m not a morning person. I have a hard time waking up in the morning and always seem to roll out of bed with little time to spare before I have to walk out the door. 

Because of this, I have a really bad habit of either not eating breakfast or stopping by the coffee shop next to work to pick up something quick. I never feel ready to start my day when I’m in a hurry and not getting to eat definitely doesn’t help. 

Being in quarantine has not only given me more time at home with my spouse, but it’s given me the opportunity to really enjoy my mornings, but it’s got me thinking, “Why can’t every morning start off like this?” 

I’ve started trying out new things in order to nail down my morning routine so when I go back to work, my mornings still refresh me for the day. I’ve added yoga, I’ve switched to showering in the morning, I’ve been journaling more, but the biggest thing I really want to get figured out is breakfast. Here is a list of meals I’ve discovered that are easy to make and take less than 20 minutes to put together. 

Avocado Toast

This is a pretty fancy breakfast that can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes to make depending on what you add. You can either make an avocado spread or you can just slice it. I like to add a fried egg on top of mine but you can add all sorts of things like cheese, bacon, tomatoes, or you can just stick to just avocado. I like to start my day off with this meal because it gets all of my healthy fats in and doesn’t make me feel bloated or lethargic as I get ready for work.

Breakfast Burritos

Tacos aren’t just for dinnertime! Breakfast burritos are one of my go-to’s in the morning when I’m in a rush and don’t have 30+ minutes to devote to cooking. Scramble some eggs, brown a little sausage, grab some cheese, and toss it all in a tortilla. These are great because they’re easy to take with you; I just wrap mine in some tinfoil and take it with me to eat later!

Smoothies

I adore smoothies; it’s like a healthy milkshake. The best part about smoothies is that there’s no one right way to make one. You can use it to get all of your greens in or you can make it sweet with chocolate or Chai. I really like tropical fruits, like mangos, peaches and strawberries so I buy a frozen fruit mix from Wegmans so I can save time by not having to fiddle with ice or a bunch of different fruit containers. Add a little juice or milk and some yogurt to your fruits or veggies, blend it up and you’re ready to go! My Ninja blender came with a magic bullet attachment so I can just take the blades out, pop on a top, and I’m ready to go!

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another easy but filling food to start your day off with. You can either make it on the stove which takes about 5-10 minutes or you can use instant oatmeal packs. If you’re looking for something super quick where you don’t have to add extra ingredients, instant oatmeal packs come in a variety of flavors. If you’re looking for something you can personalize, I would try making it on the stove and then adding fruit, butter and sugar, cinnamon, or whatever flavors you want to start your day off with.

Parfait

I love yogurt, but I don’t necessarily want to start my day off eating it by itself because it’s not very filling. This is a fun and quick way to spruce your yogurt up and make it more of a meal and less of a snack. Fresh fruit, granola, and even crumpled up muffins are a nice addition and takes very little to no time at all to put together. 

Mornings can be tough and while it’s important to take care of ourselves and start the day off right, it’s also important to find a routine that works for you. If cooking in the mornings seems impossible, maybe try preparing some of the food or prepping ingredients the night before for a smoother transition.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kristaleagh Walthall is the author of Millennial Whiskey, a blog dedicated to helping millennials connect with one another over shared interests and struggles. She works full time as a bartender in Central Virginia where she lives with her husband Ryan and their two cats, Dobey and Ember. In her spare time, you can find her blogging, in the kitchen trying out new recipes, bullet journaling, or snuggling on the couch with her kitties.