12 Frugal Balanced Breakfast Ideas to Start Your Day (From a Dietitian)

Are you looking for ways to save money on your breakfast costs – but still eat a relatively healthy meal? As a dietitian that also is budget conscious, I’ve put together a list of some of my favorite filling and frugal breakfast ideas. (Plus, keep in mind that anytime you can eat at home, you’re probably saving money compared to eating out!).

1. Oatmeal

You can make a big batch of steel cut oats in the crockpot and portion it out for the week, or you can make old fashioned rolled oats each morning in just five minutes. Either way, oats are one of the least expensive breakfasts you can buy – and they feature a special type of fiber called beta glucan that is known to have several health benefits.

The key to oatmeal is mixing in some delicious flavor boosters. Here are a few of my favorite combos:

• Diced apple, peanut butter, and a few chocolate chips (this is SO good. I eat it at least twice a week!)
• Scoop of Greek yogurt, drizzle of honey, and frozen defrosted berries (or fresh berries if you grabbed ’em on sale)
• Brown sugar and raisins
• Sliced banana, prunes, cinnamon, and nuts

If you want to add protein to your oatmeal to make it more filling and offer better blood sugar balance, you can:

• Make it with milk instead of water
• Mix in some egg whites while it’s cooking
• Stir in some Greek yogurt when it’s done
• Add peanut butter
• Add a little protein powder when cooking (though I realize this is a pricier option)

You can also try overnight oats recipes, which are designed to be eaten cold (though you can also reheat them if desired). A simple go-to overnight oatmeal recipe is as follows:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1-2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 tbsp chocolate chips

Mix those and refrigerate in a jar overnight. In the morning, add a sweetener of your choice to taste, then dig in.

Other overnight oat options I enjoy include cranberry walnut overnight oats, high protein blueberry overnight oats, and Oreo overnight oats.

Any way you make it, oatmeal is inexpensive and delicious!

2. Egg Scramble, Toast, and Fruit

This frugal breakfast is a classic for a reason – it’s filling and can be tailored to your liking (or what’s left in your fridge).

Start by sautéing any extra veggies you’ve got on hand. These could be leftovers from dinner the night before, or maybe extra items you scored on sale and have in your fridge.

I personally love to save small amounts of the veggies I’m chopping for dinner, either in a mason jar in the fridge (if I’ll use ’em that week) or in a bag in the freezer. Then when it’s time to add veggies to breakfast, I can just toss those in.

Some of my fav cheap veggies to mix with eggs include include leafy greens (like spinach, kale, dandelion greens, etc), onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers. Add a slice of toast on the side and some fruit, and you’ve got a nutritious balanced breakfast.

3. Banana Oat Pancakes

Pancakes are frugal by nature since they’re made mainly of baking staples that are already in your pantry. But for a healthier spin, try these banana oat pancakes. This is a perfect way to use up some browning bananas on your counter! [You can find other fun browning banana recipes here.]

Here’s what you’ll need to make these pancakes:

• 1 browning banana
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Pop all those ingredients in a blender and mix until smooth. Cook in a greased skillet! This will make 2 small servings of 2-3 small pancakes each.

I like to serve these topped with defrosted frozen fruit, peanut butter, and maple syrup.

4. Smoothies

Smoothies are a great breakfast for busy mornings – just toss ingredients in a blender and your breakfast is done. And there are endless flavor possibilities.

They’re also a great way to use up produce that’s about to go bad. Instead of tossing fruits and veggies on the edge of their life, pop ’em in the freezer to use in your next smoothie. This can include bananas of course, but you can also freeze extra greens, avocado, berries, mango, or pretty much any fruit or veggie.

You can also freeze yogurt if you have extra that you won’t use in time before it goes bad. Freeze it in an ice cube tray, then transfer into a large zip top bag. Whenever you want to make a smoothie, pop a few cubes in to add protein and creaminess.

When creating a smoothie, I like to use the formula below – chose something from each category and get creative based on what you’ve got on hand.

• Fruit – Banana, berries, mango, pineapple, peaches
• Veggies – Spinach, kale, frozen cauliflower, beets, carrots
• Liquid – Milk (of any kind), juice, coconut water, coffee, water
• Protein – Greek yogurt, peanut butter, silken tofu, milk, protein powder
• Health or flavor boosters (if you already happen to have any on hand – don’t but these specifically for smoothies) – Avocados, chia seeds, flaxseed, cocoa powder, lemon, cinnamon, turmeric

If you want a few ideas to get started, you can try one of my recipes for a mango pear smoothie, cinnamon date smoothie, or pumpkin coffee smoothie.

5. Breakfast Hash

This frugal breakfast idea is perfect when you’re craving a savory morning meal. Essentially, you’ll pan fry veggies, a starch, and a protein together, season it up to taste, and dig in.

Here are a few hash examples:

• Bell peppers, onions, potatoes, and ground turkey
• Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, plantain, and eggs
• Kale, sweet potato, and sausage
• Bacon, apple, plantain, and potatoes (bacon is pricey, but using just 1-2 slices can add a ton of flavor to a meal)

This doubles as a great lunch or dinner idea too.

6. Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich

A peanut butter sandwich is a childhood classic for a reason – delicious and easy to make.

Instead of going with the traditional jelly, I like slicing a banana on my sandwich. Bananas are super inexpensive and offer a bit of extra nutrition compared to jelly. Berries (like sliced strawberries or mashed raspberries) are also a great option when on sale.

If you need to balance out the meal or add more calories, serve it alongside a glass of milk, or double up on the sandwich goodness.

7. Breakfast Burritos or Tacos

I am a huge fan of breakfast burritos, especially since you can meal prep and freeze them to pull out for breakfasts during busy weeks. You can make them using flour tortillas, your favorite veggies, eggs, and optionally meat. If freezing, I recommend using veggies that are lower moisture or are sautéed to remove moisture. Sweet potatoes, onions, peppers, and sauteed mushrooms tend to work very well in frozen burritos.

One of my fav freezer-friendly options are these Mediterranean style breakfast burritos. They do contain sun-dried tomatoes, but you can skip over that if the ingredient is cost prohibitive. (A little goes a long way though!)

Breakfast tacos are also a great option. They can be as simple or complicated as you’d like, and they’re easily customizable to your taste.

Start with two corn tortillas (one of the cheapest foods out there!). Add some refried beans, eggs, and salsa. I recommend you first warm the corn tortilla a little bit; I hold mine over the flame of a gas stove to get just a little char on each side which tastes so good (be careful!).

You can get creative with other ingredients too, if you’ve got ’em on hand and they fit in your budget. For example, you can add diced potatoes or sweet potatoes, more beans, bacon, or chorizo.

8. Yogurt with Toppings

For a frugal parfait, start with Greek yogurt (it’s packed with protein to help keep you full). I recommend buying the big tub of plain greek yogurt, as it’s cheaper than the single serve cups – and you can sweeten it to your individual preferences.

Then add some fruit. Frozen is a great option for parfaits. When you defrost frozen berries, for example, they release some of their juices, and this can be swirled into the yogurt to help sweeten it (my fav trick for making plain Greek yogurt taste good).

You can also add granola, cereal, nuts, nut butters, chocolate chips, chia seeds, flax seeds, shredded coconut…whatever you have on hand to add some taste or texture!

9. Egg Casserole

This is great for meal prep – make it on Sunday, and then have breakfast ready for the rest of the week! There are countless recipes for egg casseroles out there, but they all essentially follow the same format.

Mix a bunch of eggs with a few splashes of milk, and season with salt and pepper. Toss in sautéed veggies, along with either cheddar cheese and/or cooked meat (like sausage or ground turkey). Pour that into a casserole dish and bake until it’s done!

You can store leftovers in the fridge and then pull from it throughout the week. Just pop a square of the casserole in the microwave and you’ve got a quick breakfast.

If you’re not a cook-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda person, here’s a great recipe for butternut squash breakfast casserole (pictured above). I also love this taco breakfast casserole, those this one is a little pricier since it uses ground meat.

10. Homemade Muffins

This is another great option to prep on the weekend, and pull from throughout the week. A few favorites of mine include:

• Pumpkin banana muffins (great for using up those browning bananas)
• Apple cheddar muffins (these are made even better if you add some chopped ham to the recipe)
• Banana blueberry muffins

Of course, you can make whatever options you love at home – apple cinnamon muffins, cranberry orange muffins, morning glory muffins…the opportunities are endless. Two quick nutrition tips: try recipes that use whole wheat flour (good for adding a little extra fiber for sticking powder) and recipes that fall on the lower side for sugar content.

You can pair a muffin with some nut butter on top to add healthy fats and a little protein. Peanut butter is usually the most cost effective option. Or, pair it with a glass of skim milk or a few hardboiled eggs to add protein to your morning meal.

11. Breakfast Fried Rice

Got leftover rice from last night’s dinner? Perfect for breakfast fried rice!

Start by sautéing some veggies (whatever you’ve got on hand – onion, peppers, mushrooms, etc.), then add in your cooked rice. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

You can add whatever protein you’d like – whether that’s a scrambled egg or two, some chopped bacon, or extra ham that’s leftover from dinner.

If you want a bit more of a crunch and have it in your budget, sprinkle on some chopped peanuts or cashews right before serving.

12. Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl

Sweet potatoes for breakfast? Yes, please! This sweet potato breakfast bowl is a great way to satisfy the sweet tooth in a nutritious and inexpensive way.

Start by cooking your sweet potato – you can bake it in the oven if you have time. But if you’re short on time, just cook it in the microwave (poke a few holes with a fork, then microwave around 5-6 minutes).

When it’s cooked, you can mash it up and top with things like:

• Nut butter
• Fresh fruit
• Dried fruit
• Shredded coconut
• Granola or cereal
• Chopped nuts or seeds

The possibilities are endless – get creative and see what you can come up with!

The Bottom Line

Breakfast doesn’t have to be expensive to be delicious and nutritious. By getting creative with basic ingredients, you can whip up something amazing without breaking the bank.

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