1. Baked Oatmeal

Inspired by a recipe from Heidi Swanson‘s cookbook Super Natural Every Day, baked oatmeal is a great example of a breakfast that’s made in advance and then reheated for subsequent mornings. It’s hearty, filling, and you can add different nuts, seasonal fruits, or other toppings (coconut and mango, perhaps?) to entice children to sit down for a warm and soothing breakfast.

2. Chia

We’ve talked about chia before as a super snack, but we think it bears mentioning again as a tasty, protein-packed breakfast. It can also be made the night or day before and, although it’s not as portable as a pop-tart, it’s a lot healthier –  and an older child can handle eating it in a bowl while being driven to school if that dreamy sit-down breakfast never materialized.

3. Granola

Granola somehow strikes us as a fancier, more appealing cereal, even though we basically use it with the same accompaniments-soy or almond milk or a vegan Greek yogurt. Find basic recipes here, but feel free to try adding different nuts or seeds into the flavoring mix. It’s an especially good breakfast for moms and dads on the go as well!

4. Pancakes

All those bowls? All that mess? Nope, pancakes don’t have to be a hassle at all. I first found a recipe in Vegan Yum Yum for pancake batter that can be made and kept overnight in a blender. My kids love pancakes and ask for them multiple times a week, so this recipe is a life (and time) saver. This particular recipe uses spelt flour, which I love about it, and you can also substitute whole wheat flour or perhaps even brown rice flour.

5. Raw blueberry tartlet

Does dessert for breakfast sounds crazy? Not if your dessert is a healthy fat-and-protein-packed treat like these raw blueberry tartlets. They are a definite step up from my high school days eating cheesecake for breakfast. Another easy dessert for breakfast idea: make a modified banana split. Plop on some yogurt instead of ice cream and let kids add a little maple syrup or agave on top (sprinkles optional!)

6. Carob or Chocolate Avocado Pudding (aka Chocomole)

Every raw food lover I know has a basic chocomole recipe in their back pocket. The essentials come down to this: a few avocados blended with a drizzle of agave or a few softened chopped dates, a dash of vanilla extract, and some cacao powder. I like to swap out the cacao for carob since it doesn’t contain any caffeine and still has that chocolate-y, caramel-y flavor. Kids who have refused their green fruits and veggies have still gone gaga for this breakfast pudding so give it a try. It also makes a nice, healthy dessert for adults with some fresh berries and mint.

7. Breakfast Pizzas

The Lebanese restaurant near us serves all types of flatbreads (known as manakeesh) for breakfast, including savory and sweet. While breakfast is often associated with sugary cereals and sweet pastries in the U.S., it is often a savory meal in other countries (think beans and rice). Make your own savory style flatbread or pizza and top with scrambled, organic free-range eggs or scrambled tofu, sliced veggies, and a little sauce or ketchup. We also like sauteeing some seitan with onions and tomatoes to top our breakfast pizzas.

8. Power muffins

It’s tempting to buy muffins en route to school or work, but the huge amount of sugar and white flour inside of them (not to mention their oversized portions) are reasons enough to make your own. Most muffins will stay good for a few days, so make a big batch on Sunday night and you’ve got breakfast for that beginning whirlwind start to the week. You can experiment with replacing some of the regular flour with whole wheat, whole wheat pastry, spelt, coconut, soy, brown rice or some gluten-free blends. Refined white sugar can be reduced and/or replaced with sucanat, coconut sugar, or other healthier sweeteners. Throw in some dried fruit and nuts, and you’ve got a breakfast winner!