Bored of your usual to-go college proofed breakfast? Here’s 10 easy, portable, make-ahead recipes to help you break your routine. Whatever you’re in the mood for, we’ve got you covered.
1. When You Want to Feel like a Master Chef: Greek Yogurt Parfait
Make this parfait in a tupperware in 5 minutes and roll into class with a classy nutritious breakfast everyone will be jealous of.
What you need:
· 1 Greek yogurt
· ¼ cup of your fave granola
· 1/3 cup of berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries)
How to:
Layer the three components in this order: yogurt, granola, and berries. Depending on how much you put you in each layer will likely have 2-3 layers. Put the lid on your container and take on the go!
2. When You Want Dessert for Breakfast: Chocolate Chia Pudding
Make this pudding the night before in a Tupperware and eat chocolatey goodness for breakfast.
What you need:
· 2 tbsp chia seeds
· ¼ cup almond or coconut milk
· ¼ cup full fat yogurt or coconut yogurt
· 1-2 tsp honey
· 1 tbsp pure cocoa powder
· 2-3 sliced strawberries
Optional: toss some chocolate chips on top (any kind dark, milk or even white)
How to:
Mix the chia seeds, almond milk, honey and cocoa powder until well combined in your to go container. Slice up the strawberries and set them aside. Put both in the fridge with the lid on the chia container. In the morning place the strawberries on top of the chia pudding (it will have thickened a lot overnight) and toss some chocolate chips on there if you’re feeling decadent.
3. When You’d Rather be Hiking: Banana and Nut Butter
Grab a banana and a squeeze pack of almond, peanut, cashew or sunbutter and curb morning hanger and nostalgia for the outdoors one nutty bite at a time. I recommend buying these if you want a less nut butter and these if you want lots.
What you need:
· A banana
· To-go nut butter
How to:
This one’s back to basics with the prep and ideal for the busiest of mornings. Grab the banana and to go nut butter and take them to class in a ziplock. Trust me you’ll want that ziplock to store the pesky banana peel and dripping nut butter pack until you find a trashcan. Napkin is highly recommended!
4. When You Want to Get Back Under The Covers: Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
If you’re nostalgic for fall and want something cozy and comforting, this recipe is for you.
What you need:
· 1/3 cup rolled oats
· 1/2 large carrot shredded
· ½ cup almond milk
· ½ tsp vanilla extract
· ½ tsp cinnamon
· ¼ tsp nutmeg
· ¼ tsp clove
· 2-3 walnuts chopped
· generous sprinkle of golden raisins
· If you like things on the sweeter side- 1 tsp of honey
How to:
The night before in your container microwave safe container (mason jar is ideal) mix the oats, cinnamon, nutmeg and clove together. Add in the almond milk and shredded carrots and mix until combined. Mix in the golden raisins (save some for top). Top mixture with chopped walnuts and remaining raisins. Seal the container and leave in fridge overnight.
In the morning remove the lid and bang the oats in the microwave for a 1 ½ minutes on high heat (or more if you like them more super gooey). Pop on the lid and take them to class. Enjoy a warm comforting (healthier) to go version of your favorite spiced cake.
5. When You Want to Feel like You Have Your Sh*t Together but You Don’t: RX Bar
Want a filling, healthy, boss breakfast with zero prep? Grab an RX bar on the go and enjoy the no BS lifestyle.
What you need:
· An RX bar
How To:
Buy these babies in bulk on Amazon to get them at a lower price (can be $2 or more at grocery stores—namely Whole Foods and Trader Joes). Recommended flavors: Chocolate Sea Salt, Chocolate Chip Cookie, Apple Cinnamon, Maple Sea Salt and Peanut Butter.
6. When You’re Feeling Salty: Microwave Egg Veg Pot
These eggs are so easy it’ll blow your mind. The microwave does all the work and you leave feeling like #adulting is easy.
What you need:
· 2 eggs
· 3-5 cherry tomatoes
· Handful of spinach
· Pinch of salt
· Pinch of pepper
Optional add-ons: Tabasco or chili flakes, mixed herbs, shredded cheese.
How To:
Put you cherry tomatoes and spinach at the bottom of a microwave safe container. Put in the microwave on high for a minute. Remove the container and crack the eggs on top of veggies. Sprinkle with salt and pepper (and add-ons if you wish). Put the container back in the microwave on high for 2-3 more minutes until the eggs are cooked (whites especially). Put the lid on your container, take a fork, and enjoy eggs better than Dr. Seuss himself—on the go—and in under 5 minutes.
7. When You Want to Feel Hella Healthy: Berry Chia Pudding
For those mornings that you stumble across one too many #fitspo #detox pages on Instagram and want to only eat antioxidant-fortified kale.
What you need:
· 2 tbsp chia seeds
· 1/4 cup almond milk
· ¼ cup unsweetened yogurt (dairy or non-dairy)
· 1-2 tsp honey
· ½ tsp vanilla extract
· Fist full of chopped or whole berries
· Optional toppings- coconut flakes, goji berries, chopped nuts, nut butter, raisins, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds.
How to:
The night before mix the chia seeds, almond milk, yogurt honey and vanilla extract until well combined in your to-go container. Mix in half your berries and leave in fridge overnight to thicken. In the morning add on the rest of the berries and any toppings you like and be ready to tackle the day with a nutrient packed breakfast in tow.
8. When You Feel the Need to be Basic: Overnight Oats
Are overnight oats a cliché? Hell yah. But are they delicious?
Yes—so delicious I don’t care how basic I look rolling up to class with them. Make them yourself and save that $5 bucks you would have dropped at your local café (*cough* CoHo *cough*).
What you need:
· 1/3 cup rolled oats
· 1 tsp chia seeds
· 1/3 cup unsweetened yogurt (dairy or non dairy)
· 1/3 cup almond milk
· ½ tsp vanilla extract
· 1/4-1/2 a tsp cinnamon
· shake of powdered ginger
· squeeze of lemon
· 1-2 tsp maple syrup or honey (more if you like them real sweet)
Toppings: fresh berries, goji berries, raisins, chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, nut butter
Optional: if you like spices I would also recommend adding in a pinch of ground cardamom (sliced pears make an excellent topping if you do this).
How to:
In your to go container the night before mix your oats, chia seeds, ginger and cinnamon. Once combined add in yogurt, almond milk, vanilla extract and mix. Add in your lemon and mix well (make sure it doesn’t curdle if you are using dairy yogurt). Mix in your maple syrup or honey until well combined. Bang in the fridge overnight. In the morning add whatever toppings you like, grab a spoon, and go on you’re básique way.
9. When You’re Hungover but Have No Time to Brunch: Fage Greek Yogurt and Honey Pots
My Greek friends swear by this remedy passed down for generations: have a hangover (or still not sober) eat some whole, sour greek yogurt. From experience, this trick really works and the honey tends to satisfy some of my cravings for a venti moccachino with a side of pancakes, eggs and a mimosa.
What you need:
A Fage greek yogurt and honey pot. These can be bought at most supermarkets where the yogurt is stocked. To see the product click here.
How to:
Get your sorry a** out of bed. Revel in that self-hate of a truly bad hangover, then go to the fridge and grab this yogurt plus a spoon (and maybe an advil). Roll of to class and try to pretend your nasty weak coffee is a mimosa.
10. When You Want To Feel Like a Kid Again: Banana Sandwich
Okay bear with me—my Dad made these for me all the time when I was a kid. They’re super simple and surprisingly delicious. Go a healthier route or a more decadent one. Whatever you choose to do, eating this sammy will make you feel like a seven-year-old again. That’s what we all really want right? (or maybe it’s just me).
What you need:
· 2 slices of whole grain or white bread (any kind of bread you want really)*
· A banana sliced into coins
· Choose a spread: butter or margarine, nut butter, nutella
· Optional: add a sprinkle of cinnamon or cocoa powder onto the banana coins.
*for full kid experience I recommend two slices of sandwich bread (white if you were a wonder kid). Two slices of more legit bread would also be good and pair well with nut butter.
How to:
Slice your banana into coins and lay out your bread slices. Slather onto the bread whatever spread you’re going with and then top one slice with banana coins. Try for two layers of banana coins. Then sandwich the two slices together and gently press sandwich so banana gets a bit smooshed.
The way my dad made it was with white sandwich bread (very lightly toasted), butter and banana coins. Try it out at least once in your college career to feel a little bit better about that midterm or problem set.
Whatever you’re in the mood for do yourself a favor and don’t hit the snooze. Breakfast gets your brain going so that you’re primed to do that problem set, make it through office hours, and not end the day stuffing your face with chicken tenders, a milkshake, and a side of regret.
