The Ultimate Breakfast Guide

Following a vegetarian or vegan diet? We have more than a few delicious options for you.

Beloved by millennials (and many others) around the world – avocado toast is popular for a reason. Use wholegrain bread to get a little extra protein and fibre then top with something that’ll really help bring out the flavour. Like a squeeze of lime, a dash of hot sauce or even just simple salt and pepper.

Hitting that optimum daily intake of protein and fibre can be a tough target for many, especially for vegetarians and vegans. With a generous bowl of porridge however – it needn't be. Just 40g of our porridge oats contains 4.7g of protein and 4g of fibre. This is a great base for a high fibre and high protein breakfast -  why not try high protein/fibre toppings such as pumpkin seeds, almonds or even simply stir in your favourite plant-based protein powder. Just add a little bit of milk alternative or water if it gets too dry or thick.

If you ask us, sweet potato is an underrated go-to for vegan breakfast dishes. It might be more associated with savoury lunches/dinners but this quick-cooking carb works just as well in the AM. Again it’s a great ‘base’ for breakfast bowls. If you have the time you could pre roast some cubes and set them in the fridge for the next day, or even just bung it in the microwave with the skin on for some quick mashable eats. Top tip, try yours with some wilted kale and tahini dressing!

The toughest critics in the household can often be at their harshest when just woken up. That’s why making breakfast fun or a bit more of an ‘occasion’ can be very useful in getting them round the table and well fed. Smoothie bowls are a fantastic idea in this respect – they’re fun, easily customizable and you can quite easily sneak in plenty of healthy ingredients too. All you need is a food processor or smoothie maker and a bit of imagination. For example, whizzing up yoghurt and summer berries gives a brilliant splash of colour to your ‘base’.

Throw in some wholegrain porridge oats or nuts to add some texture and extra goodness… maybe even some sliced banana? This recipe of ours for a strawberry and banana oat smoothie bowl is a tried and tested success. If the school run is looming and you’re in a rush to get them ready you need something energising, and fast. Holly’s home school flapjacks are ideal. Easy to much on while they’re on the way out the door, this uses Nairn’s Gluten Free Muesli to add in the goodness of wholegrain oats and fruit.

We’re proud to help our customers who follow a gluten free diet by giving them lots of options. Whether you’re coeliac or have decided to avoid gluten for other reasons – you might feel like your options are somewhat smaller than the ‘norm’ but we don’t see why that should get between you and a delicious start to the day! Take this warming spiced chai porridge for example. Fantastic motivation for those colder mornings when it’s that little bit harder to raise yourself out of bed.

Although oats are naturally gluten free, only those made in a dedicated gluten free facility can be certified gluten free, as special controls are put in place to avoid cross contamination at all stages from the farm to the factory. Our Gluten Free cereals are Coeliac UK approved and tested to ELISA standards. Take a look at our GF range for some inspiration. You’ll find more than a few breakfast options there.

For those who have a bit more time and love a bit of baking, gluten free flour is a must for expanding those breakfast options. That way you can enjoy goodies like toast (and avocado, jam, GF peanut butter and so on), pancakes and breakfast burritos.

Overnight oats has got to be THE definition of quick and easy breakfast ideas. Needless to say we’re huge fans. We even have an extensive guide to the dish that you can find here. The best thing about overnight oats is that they do most of the work for you. All you do is simply take your oats, and leave them to soak in milk/your milk alternative of choice/water or even fruit juice and wake up to a bowl of beautifully soft, nourishing goodness for breakfast. A quick search of our recipes section will show you just how many great-tasting combos there are out there waiting to be discovered. Highly recommended by yours truly would have to be the stewed apple and cinnamon version or for something a little more decadent try banana and chocolate.

Looking for a toast substitute so you can avoid those empty carbs? You may want to try a couple of oatcakes instead. No need to do anything too different; just pick your go-to wholegrain oatcakes and have a browse through the cupboard for your favourite spread. Nut butter for a bit of protein, jam or chocolate spread if you have a sweet tooth. Or even good old sliced up banana. There’s no shortage of options. Plus, there’s no waiting around for the toaster to pop.

We mentioned them before but smoothies are another amazingly convenient breakfast staple. We love smoothies because they take zero prep, you can often get away with making them up as you go along (especially if you’ve not got a lot to choose from in your fridge), they’re almost always improved with a handful of oats and they’re easily enjoyed on-the-go.

The key to a truly energising breakfast that’ll actually keep you going all morning is protein. Yes, carbs and caffeine might be essential to get going but a good helping of protein will stick by you for much longer due to the fact that it helps contribute to a slower, more sustained release of energy. Eggs are excellent for this. They’re relatively cheap, easily adaptable into various recipes and, above all, tasty. Scrambled, in an omelette, benedict, or even soft boiled (perfect for dipping oatcakes in!) – there are many different ways to try them. Why not add a bit of spinach on the side (or stirred through if you’re making a scramble) for some extra nutrition. The iron will give you an even bigger energy boost.

We’ve got to mention porridge again in this section, simply because it’s so great in terms of sustained energy. Why? It’s high fibre content is the main reason. Our porridge oats are full of soluble and insoluble fibre which makes for a slower digestive process – resulting in a nice, steady release of energy that lasts for a while after you’ve finished eating. Not only that but as we’ve mentioned it lends itself to many other protein-packed ingredient additions that’ll keep you going even longer. Banana, chia seeds, chopped nuts and peanut butter being just a few good examples.

Don’t forget cottage cheese either. It’s almost as good as porridge in terms of how versatile it is and contains very little fat. Your local supermarket will no doubt have a selection of different styles and flavours of this paleo-friendly, high-protein food.

We’re all know just how important it is to treat yourself once in a while. That’s why it’s handy to keep a few more indulgent breakfast ideas up your sleeve. A little extra effort and some extra special ingredients is all it takes to take your breakfast staple to a whole new level. Like this decadent PB and J overnight oats sundae for example – instant brownie points, especially when delivered bedside. Or, if you’ve got a taste for some fry-up flavour this recipe for crispy bacon, goats cheese and pan fried tomatoes is the perfect remedy. Or if it’s something sweet and rich you really need then there’s always this Nutella inspired cacao hazelnut porridge bowl.

Hopefully that’s a hearty portion of breakfast inspiration and tips to make the most important meal of the day the most enjoyable one too. For even more ingenious breakfast recipes, there are literally pages of the stuff in the recipe section of our website. Just use the filter at the left hand side to show breakfast-friendly options. Enjoy!