Make Ahead Morning Meals

Whatever your reasons for needing simple, quick and delicious breakfast foods, there is no doubt they are well-founded and deserving of an astounding array of recipes and tips for fast morning meals. Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day but it can also be the easiest meal to skip. If your mornings are rushed, consider some of the following ideas to speed up your families breakfast process so you can all get your day off to a good start.

Night Before Checklist

There are quite a few simple tasks that can be completed the night before to make the morning easier on you. First, run through the following checklist; it will help you ensure that everything is ready for the morning.

The most essential: Place all of the food that needs thawing in the refrigerator to allow it to properly thaw overnight.

Set the table with plates, flatware, mugs, glasses, napkins and any condiments that can sit out overnight (like fruit, sugar, etc.).

Gather all of the condiments that need refrigeration together and place them on the top shelf of your refrigerator where you will find them easily in the morning.

Place the coffee beans next to the grinder and fill the coffee pot and/or teapot with water.

Arrange any food that should stay frozen until the last minute in the freezer so that it is easily accessible.

Frozen foods can be defrosted in the microwave or in a cool water bath, but for best results (and to be most efficient) let foods thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Heat

Once breakfast foods are baked ahead of time, and finally thawed, all that’s left to do is reheat!

In the Oven:

Breakfast Quiches and Casseroles, Quick Breads, Coffeecakes, Cinnamon Rolls
Place baked goods in the refrigerator the night before to thaw.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C) and bake for 40 minutes or until heated through. For cinnamon rolls: Add extra topping before reheating.

In the Toaster:

Pancakes and Waffles – French Toast Sticks: Do not thaw. Place individual pieces into a toaster oven. Toast until heated through.

No Heat, or Minimal Heat:

Granola, Hot Cereal: Just add milk, or boiling hot water as needed.

Breakfast breads require special instructions: Let the bread dough rise fully once, and then shape and double-wrap the dough in freezer- safe wrap or foil. When ready to serve, place the package in the refrigerator overnight to thaw and bake in the morning according to recipe directions.

Freeze

Make sure frozen foods emerge from the freezer in pristine condition by paying careful attention to the entire freezing process. Begin by letting the food cool before packaging and placing it in the coldest part of your trusty freezer. Use plastic wrap, bags or containers that are freezer-safe, and label all of your frozen foods*. Another trick to successful freezing is to freeze in serving size portions. Always double-wrap bread products.

In addition, do not forget all the traditional, simple favorites like plain old cereal and milk with fresh fruit and healthful yogurt.

See also: Breakfast on the Fly

Category: Food Fitness