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Running Out of Eggs? Here Are 7 Healthy, Cheap Breakfast Ideas That Make Good Use of Pantry Items

Emily Laurence

April 6, 2020

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Photo: Minimalist Baker

In normal times (you know, when we aren't in the middle of a pandemic), you probably find yourself opening and closing the fridge several times a day. But now that trips to the grocery store have become a rarity for many people, the pantry has likely become the hotspot of your kitchen.

While you may already know how to use popular pantry staples such as beans, chickpeas, and rice for dinner, they aren't typically thought of as breakfast foods. Which is a shame, really, because many pantry items are full of fiber, protein, and other nutrients that can provide some much-needed WFH energy.

Rounded up here are seven cheap breakfast ideas, all using pantry items that are often overlooked in the mornings. (They come in pretty handy when you're figuring out how to use the leftovers from dinner, too.) Keep reading and get ready to switch up your breakfast game.

7 healthy, cheap breakfast ideas using pantry staples:

cheap breakfast ideas with chia — Photo: Kelly Leveque

1. Warm chia flax pudding

If you're a little oatmeal-ed out but still like the idea of a bowl of something warm for breakfast, try celebrity nutritionist Kelly Leveque's warm chia flax pudding. It's essentially an upgraded Cream of Wheat, *full* of fiber from chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and hemp hearts. Add coconut or almond milk to ensure a porridge-like consistency.

cheap breakfast ideas with chickpeas — Photo: Lazy Cat Kitchen

2. Greek chickpea toast

For a Mediterranean-style breakfast, blend your chickpeas with canned tomatoes and olives. Then, spice it all up with paprika and cumin and serve over toast for a spicy start to your day. Plenty of protein, plenty of flavor.

cinnamon pb&j — Photo: Two Peas & Their Pod

3. Cinnamon peanut butter and jelly toast

Once nap time and coloring aren't part of your daily schedule anymore (wouldn't it be nice...), you can forget just how delicious a classic PB&J can be. Adding cinnamon and toasting the bread elevates the taste; after all, you are a grown-up.

4. Brown rice pudding

If you're trying to figure out what to do with the leftover brown rice you had for dinner the night before, this is a smart—and yummy—solution. Just add it to a pot on the stove, with milk (or nut milk), honey, and cinnamon. With those simple additions it transforms into a sweet, fiber-rich breakfast.

5. Sweet potato and black bean breakfast burrito

Reach for your black beans and sweet potato to make a savory, Mexican-inspired breakfast. You don't need eggs to make a protein-packed breakfast burrito; this recipe is 100 percent vegan.

6. Sweet potato breakfast bowl

Another breakfast idea using sweet potatoes: mashing them up and topping them with almond or peanut butter, which adds protein to your morning meal. Top it off with cinnamon and raisins for a sweet finishing touch.

7. Dark chocolate quinoa breakfast bowl

Quinoa is another one of those foods that you often have leftovers of but aren't sure how to use them. Similar to rice, they can be used to make a warm porridge-esque breakfast. If you have a sweet tooth, you'll especially love this breakfast, which also includes dark chocolate, cocoa powder, coconut milk, and vanilla extract.

Here are more meal ideas you can use pantry items to make. If you have a yummy breakfast idea that wasn't shown here, share it in Well+Good's Cook With Us Facebook group.