13 Realistic Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings — The Savory Stuff

ADHD Friendly Breakfasts — burnout friendly

Sometimes, plain Toast n Butter just doesn't cut it

When mornings are rushed and ADHD has the steering wheel, it's easy to fill up on caffeine and skip breakfast altogether.

But instead of feeling shaky and weird by noon, fuel your belly with one of the savory, ADHD-friendly breakfast recipes in this handy guide.

With the exception of a few make-ahead meals, these recipes + ideas come together in less than 10 minutes. Plus, these meals have hardly any cleanup! Nobody wants to start the day washing a big ol’ frying pan.

If you're more of a sweet person or like to mix it up, you’ll love the other post in this series, 13 Realistic Breakfasts for Busy Mornings — The Sweet Stuff.

A Hashbrown Burrito Wrap, eaten in bed to prolong any semblance of morning relaxation

keep in mind, these recipes will vary in difficulty and time depending on your energy, ability, and familiarity in the kitchen

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01. toaster breakfast sandwiches

Did you know you can make an entire Breakfast Sandwich in the toaster? You totally can!!

This hearty, vegan Just Egg Toaster Made Breakfast Sandwich is made *entirely* in the toaster. No dirty pans to wash and only takes like...10 minutes? It's fantastic for rushed mornings when you need a warming comfort food meal.

For a build-your-own journey, I've got a post on “general Breakfast Sandwich Making” in the works. In the meantime, adapt the recipe linked above to whatever ingredients you've got around!

If you're not vegan/vegetarian, you could even deconstruct pre-made frozen Breakfast Sandwiches (like the ones from Jimmy Dean) after microwaving and crisp them up in the Toaster.

I promise this Just Egg Toaster Made Breakfast Sandwich comes together in less than 10 minutes. AND IT’S SO GOOD!

02. savory waffle sandwich

Is this handheld Waffle deliciousness another adaptation of the Toaster Breakfast Sandwich? It most certainly is.

Savory-sweet Waffle Sandwichs are filling, fast as heck to make, and have almost no clean-up because — you guessed it — they're made in the toaster.

Here's how to make a savory waffle sandwich:

1. Pop a Meatless Chicken or Sausage Patty into the toaster till heated through. I usually have to toast them twice on the highest setting.

2. Cook a Hashbrown Patty in the toaster, if you want (more on this process further down)

3. Pop two frozen Waffles into the toaster and heat those through.

4. When your Waffles are cooked, spread Mayo on one side of each Waffle and drizzle with a lil Maple Syrup.

5. Layer everything together and that's it! Enjoy!

Be sure to bring an extra napkin if you're taking this to-go so you don't wind up with Maple-covered overalls.

03. Nooch toast

I swear, I eat Nutritional Yeast (Nooch) Toast almost every single day for breakfast. It's one of the simplest, most savory, comforting meals and it literally takes like two minutes. Why not try it?

If you're unfamiliar, Nooch is a cheezy, flaky, shelf-stable staple in many vegan households. I use it for the punchy, complimentary flavor on just about anything Savory, and it makes the foundation for many Cheeze Sauces (find a simple recipe in the "Mush Bowl" section, below).

how to make nooch toast:

1. Toast your fav bread to your preferred crispiness (I like Sourdough)

2. Slather each piece with Butter or Margarine.

3. Top with a generous sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast. That’s it! It's that easy!

I’m serious yall, nooch toast is amazing

If you wanna hear me rave about Nutritional Yeast more — I mean, who wouldn’t — here's a post I wrote about another simple staple meal:

Nooch Toast and Soup.

Which brings me to...

04. easy peasy soups

Pre-made Soup in the morning is the warm, comforting meal that many decision fatigued minds need.

Simply warm up a can of Black Bean Stew or your fav Soup in a coffee mug. Take this cup of comfort along during your commute or sip slowly as you chip away at emails.

I recommend keeping your pantry stocked with Cup Noodles or other Soup that comes in a disposable, heat-in-the-container package.

They're great for busy days where you need an easy, last-minute meal. You can eat straight from the throw-away cup and toss everything when you're done.

No stressing about an unrinsed container rolling around in your backseat for weeks.

05. toaster-friendly hashbrowns

These Hashbrown babies are suuuch a common meal in my house - they've become a near-daily staple for me. I lovveee them as standalone, fast, low-energy meals. They're cheap, fairly easy to find at big grocery stores, and seriously so tasty.

I usually douse the patties in whatever Sauce or Dressing I have in my fridge at the time (currently, it's Cashew Lime Crema), but sometimes I just stick to classic Brown Mustard.

I also stack my Hashbrowns up like Pancakes, layering with Sauce/Dressing, and eating them like some oily, mono-chrome, crispy Burger. It really just tastes like a big stack of Tater Tots. It's great.

Before you proceed, here's my toaster preparation advice:

WAIT.

Wait before you take these Hashbrown Patties out of the toaster.

The first few times I made these I tried to remove them while they were still hot and made an absolute mess. A disaster, if you will. Don't be like me.

These Patties firm up a bit once they cool down and will be *much* easier to handle, so give it a minute and go make Coffee or something.

If you're not up for the risk and you don't mind dishes, you can totally make these Hashbrown Patties in a frying pan.

Where to buy hashbrown patties?

Look for them at your grocery store near the frozen Breakfast Potatoes. They don't usually come in a bag, rather, find them in a neat rectangular box, filed away like lil packets of Tea.

All these babies can be made in the toaster! Waffles, vegan Folded Eggs, Hashbrown Patties, and Meatless Breakfast Patties! Hooray!

06. microwavable breakfast mush

Okay, so I talked a bit about my infamous Mush Bowls in the Microwave Meal Ideas for ADHD Burnout post. But if you don't wanna click through, here's the deal:

This is a very quick meal to throw together that's gonna fill your belly with tons of warm yummy flavors.

That said, the texture is, well, a little mush.

I personally don't mind it, hence its inclusion. But if you're particularly sensory sensitive, this may not be your jam.

Here's how to make a breakfast mush bowl:

1. You put frozen Tater Tots in a bowl and add some greens like frozen Broccoli or Spinach. Add a Meatless Breakfast Sausage if you're feeling wild.

2. Drizzle the thing with some oil.

3. Top with a quick Cheeze Sauce (recipe below) or Shreds.

4. Warm in the microwave for ~5 minutes till heated through.

5. That's it! Top with as much Hot Sauce and Salsa as you desire.

• If you want this less "Mushy": Sub Hashbrown Patties for Tater Tots. Cook the Hashbrown and Sausage Patty in the Toaster instead of the microwave. Reduce microwave time to ~2 minutes if only warming Cheeze Sauce/Shreds and Veggies.

Recipe for Easy Cheezy Sauce:

1. Pour some Nutritional Yeast (Nooch) into a small bowl.

2. Add Unflavored Non-Dairy Milk while stirring till its Sauce-consistency.

3. Add a sprinkle of Garlic Powder, Salt, and Black Pepper.

4. Mix in a bit of Mustard or Hot Sauce to punch up the flavor.

5. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference.

6. And that’s it!

07. breakfast burritos + wraps

Grab and go meals are some of my all-time fav things to have when mornings are rushed (which is most mornings, if we're gonna be honest).

Whether you make 'em yourself or buy pre-made from the store, don't underestimate the power of a warm Tortilla filled with deliciousness!

If purchasing: My go-to frozen breakfast is the Big Sur Breakfast Burrito by Sweet Earth — it's filled with a vegan Tofu Scramble, Seitan, and delicious Potato pieces. Also if you're in the Portland, OR area, try Higher Taste's Vegan Breakfast Burrito ↗. It's fantastic.

If homemade: Next time you make a hearty breakfast on a slower morning, double your batch of Tofu or Egg Scramble and wrap the extra with Tortillas!

Or: I like to make a double batch of Hashbrown Burrito Wraps when I've got the extra energy and time. These savory pockets of Potato and Refried Bean goodness keep well in the freezer for weeks and can be reheated in the microwave or toaster in a pinch.

Check out this Cheezy Spinach Tofu Scramble recipe if you're looking for Burrito-filling inspo. But let your creativity run wild. Remember, breakfast doesn't have to look like "breakfast". Use your fav fillings.

08. grab n go: bars, nuts, hardboiled eggs

The easiest breakfasts for busy mornings are the things that require absolutely no cooking, heating, or cleaning — think grab-and-go items.

I'm a huge fan of keeping an assortment of Granola Bars, Trail Mix, and Protein Bars in the pantry at all times. Not only do these things make great snacks, but they're also perfect for "I slept through all 47 alarms" days.

Many Granola/Breakfast/Nutrition Bars are sweet, but some fit the bill for savory. Look for ones without Chocolate or other traditional "sweet" flavors and opt for the ones that emphasize the Nuts and Seeds in their recipes.

You can also stock up on the Cocktail Blend Mixed Nuts or choose one of the flavored varieties of single, Roasted Nut (hello Wasabi Almonds). On extra ADHD mornings, these snacky foods literally save the day.

If you eat Eggs, you can buy em from the store already hard-boiled! Ask for some extra Salt and Pepper packets next time you visit a fast food place and sprinkle your breakfast on-the-go.

09. avocado toast

Obviously, a crowd fav. But if you're over the stuff or have never actually made Avocado Toast before, here are some additions to make your spread more interesting:

• Salt, Pepper, and any of your fav Spices

• Hot Chili Oil

• TJ's Everything But the Bagel Seasoning

• Lemon or Lime Juice

• Hot Sauce

• Arugula or Lettuce

• Cucumber

• Radishes

• Sprouts

• Strawberries

• BB Tomatoes or Tomato slices

• Sub fresh Avocado for Guacamole (homemade or packaged)

• Hardboiled Eggs

The possibilities are endless, honestly. And if none of these additions are your cup of tea, look to some local trendy cafe menus to see what they put on their overpriced slices.

10. savory PB toast

If you haven't tried PB in a savory fashion before, why not start with some low-stakes Toast! It really doesn't take much to play up the more savory side.

I find straight-up Peanut Butter Toast to be quite the mouthful, so adding a few other ingredients reduces the need to chug a glass of Oat Milk after each bite.

Here's how to make Savory PB toast:

1. Toast your fav Bread.

2. Slather one side of each slice with Margarine or Butter (optional) and with Peanut Butter.

3. Sprinkle the top with Garlic Powder.

4. Drizzle with Hot Chili Oil, Sriracha, or other Hot Sauce.

5. And that’s it!

Optional add-ins: Breakfast Sausage Patties, Meatless Chicken Patties, Pickles (seriously, so good). Sub any other Nut Butter for PB.

11. tofurky sandwiches

I really dig the non-breakfast breakfast Sandwich thing — especially when I want to mix up my standard Nooch Toast mornings. The familiarity and ease in making a quick handheld meal is both comforting and low-pressure.

If I'm super hungry, want something savory, but didn't plan ahead to stock my fridge with "breakfasty" food, I usually opt for this Tofurky Sandwich.

If you're not vegan, you can substitute whatever favorite sandwich ingredients you want. Heck, make a BLT if you want to keep it more breakfast-y! But do I recommend checking out the linked post above for some good Sandwich building tips.

pls, doesn’t this sandwich look absolutely amazing? don’t erase it as a breakfast option till you try it…

12. leftovers: rice bowls, burritos, etc.

Alright friends, this is your final reminder that breakfast doesn't have to be "breakfast foods".

You can totally eat that leftover Green Curry, cold Pineapple Pizza, or Deli-style Macaroni Salad for breakfast with no shame attached.

Anything that could easily be popped into the microwave or eaten cold from the container is on the table! Enjoy the foods you love!!!!!!!

13. beans on toast

If you grew up not knowing how delicious it is to pour a can of Beans on Toast (like me), please, try this classic British staple. It’s quite a simple breakfast, but it's packed with protein and will keep you full for quite a while. Highly recommend.

Here's how to make Beans on Toast:

1. Get yourself a can of Tomato-stewed or Baked Beans, and warm em in the microwave (if you want).

2. Pop a piece of Bread in the toaster.

3. Pour the beans on your freshly toasted Bread. That's it!

Optional add-ins: Melty Cheeze, a bit of Butter, a sprinkle of Nooch, sliced Green Onions

If you want to use homemade beans, rather than canned, these Smokey Lemon and Shallot Beans are a phenomenal choice.

Also, for your viewing pleasure…

Please enjoy this extremely dramatic video regarding Beans on Toast With Cucumber:

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what about the sweet stuff?

If you're not always a savory seeker or you just like to keep things fresh, check out this post about 13 Realistic Breakfasts for Busy Mornings — The Sweet Stuff.

These tips cover some of the sweeter options for grab-and-go morning meals like Juices, Protein Shakes/Milks, different styles of Toasts, and plenty more.

Also, if any of the ideas in either post resonate with you or made your morning easier, I'd love to hear about it!

Drop me a line in the comments and let's chat!

P.S. If you’d like to help financially support this project, you can click on the “Buy me a Coffee” button or follow this link to access my Tip Jar on Ko-fi ↗. Any and all donations are sincerely so appreciated.

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