“I tried meal-prepping my breakfasts for a week – and it’s become a vital part of my routine”

Do you struggle to make time for breakfast in the mornings? Meal-prepping could be the answer, says Stylist’s Lauren Geall.

We all know how important it is to eat a healthy and satisfying breakfast – but when you’re rushing to get ready in the morning, that can often fall to the bottom of the to-do list.

I, for one, know this all too well. Despite my best intentions, I often find myself picking up a pastry on the way into work, throwing a banana into my bag or – worst of all – skipping breakfast altogether. 

I know I can’t be perfect all the time – and I’m not in the business of denying myself a pain au chocolat every so often – but I’ve always felt like I could and should do better when it comes to fuelling my body in the morning.

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So when I stumbled upon a video of someone praising the benefits of breakfast meal-prepping during a late-night scroll through TikTok, it’s safe to say I was intrigued. The odd portion of overnight oats aside, I’d never thought much about how pre-prepping my breakfasts could help me make the healthy choices I craved, so I decided to give it a go.  

Reader: I am a fully-fledged convert. After tracking down some recipes that piqued my interest – some very tasty-looking chocolate chip and peanut butter breakfast flapjacks and fruit and nut Greek yoghurt bark – I put aside my Sunday night to make my breakfasts for the week. It took me under an hour to get everything sorted, and before I knew it, I was left with a full week’s worth of healthy and nutritious breakfast options.

It was when the week got underway that I truly understood how much time, money and effort breakfast meal-prepping had saved me. I no longer had to worry about what I was going to eat when I got up in the morning, and having no reason to stop off at a cafe on the way to work stopped me from instinctively spending money on coffee and snacks.  

While I know the idea of preparing breakfast isn’t ground-breaking, I was blown away by the difference that taking an hour to prep food on a Sunday night made to my week as a whole. On top of the mental space freed up by not having to decide what to eat, the healthy options I had prepared left me feeling fuller for longer and gave me more energy to tackle the day – something I definitely needed.

I can’t say I’ve kept my breakfast meal-prepping up every week since I first tried it, but I’m definitely making time for a meal-prep session when I can. 

So if the idea of meal-prepping for a whole week of dinners seems like a reach for you, why not start by prepping a few breakfast options? It’s a simple and tasty way to give future-you a better start to the day – and what’s not to love about that? 

3 breakfast meal-prep ideas to get you started

1. Frozen egg sandwiches

This quick and easy recipe can be made over a month or two in advance, so it’s ideal for those days when you’ve forgotten to prep but still want something healthy and filling. 

Simply combine eggs with whatever ingredients and spices you fancy and then stick them in the oven (this recipe uses a doughnut pan, but you can simply use a normal dish and cut the eggs into squares afterwards).

Once they’re done, assemble the sandwiches and stick them in the freezer already portioned to reheat in the microwave later. Alternatively, simply freeze the egg portions and add them to the bread once you’ve reheated them. Putting a glass of water in the microwave when you reheat them will ensure they don’t dry out.

2. Greek yoghurt bark

Greek yoghurt is high in protein and other nutrients like B12, calcium and selenium, so it’s a great option for those looking to enjoy a high-protein breakfast. You can, of course, just pop it in a bowl with a bit of granola and fruit – but if you’re looking for something more fun and refreshing, then Greek yoghurt bark could be just the option you’re looking for. 

To create mine (as pictured in the image at the top of this article), I just combined Greek yoghurt with maple syrup (how much you use depends on how sweet you want it), spread it on a piece of parchment paper and added toppings. I opted for strawberries, kiwi, chocolate chips and granola with nuts and raisins. 

I popped this in the freezer overnight, then broke it into pieces in the morning before returning it to the freezer. Once it’s there, you can pick out a few pieces at a time for a light and cooling breakfast.

3. Peanut butter and chocolate chip breakfast flapjacks

If you’re running out of space in your freezer, then these breakfast flapjacks are a great option to make at the start of the week and store in your fridge for a couple of days. 

The ingredients, which you’ll find pinned in the comments of the TikTok video above, are surprisingly simple. You’ll just need to combine oats, mashed banana (perfect if you’ve got any really ripe ones hanging around), sugar (you could substitute with maple syrup), peanut butter, vanilla, baking powder and chocolate chips.

As well as eating them on their own, try mixing into some Greek yoghurt alongside your favourite fruit for an extra tasty addition.

Image: Lauren Geall

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