Skip the rushed pastry. Here are healthy, warm breakfast ideas you can make ahead and heat at work on cold winter mornings.
Early starts and cold mornings make it tempting to skip breakfast or grab something from the garage on the way. A warm, filling breakfast makes a big difference on a cold day, and most of these ideas can be made ahead and heated when you're ready to eat.
Why a warm breakfast helps
A breakfast with protein and fibre keeps you fuller for longer than sugary cereal or a pastry. Heating it also makes it far more appealing on a freezing morning.
6 healthy warm breakfast ideas
1. Porridge with fruit and seeds
Cook a batch of oats at home, then top with chopped apple, berries, or banana and a sprinkle of seeds. Use milk for extra protein.
2. Baked oats
Oats baked with milk, an egg, and fruit, then cut into portions. They hold their shape well and reheat easily.
3. Egg and vegetable muffins
Whisk eggs with peppers, spinach, and onion, bake in a muffin tin, and keep in the fridge. Make sure they are heated until piping hot all the way through.
4. Beans and wholemeal toast
A tin of beans in tomato sauce is a good source of fibre and protein. Pack the beans to heat and bring toast separately.
5. Breakfast potato hash
Diced potatoes, onion, peppers, and a little cooked sausage or bacon pieces, cooked the night before.
6. Savoury lentil and veg pot
It might sound unusual, but a small portion of lentil stew is a great way to start a long working day.
Heating breakfast at work
Cook your breakfast in advance and store it in the fridge. In the morning, pack it into a container and plug in your electric heated lunch box in the van, truck, or tractor. It heats pre-cooked food, so you can have a warm breakfast at your first break. Keep it in a thermal carry bag until you're ready, and always check the food is hot all the way through.
Food safety tips
- Cool cooked food quickly and refrigerate it soon after cooking.
- Heat only what you plan to eat, and only once.
- Use leak-proof meal prep containers to keep everything fresh.
Looking for lunch ideas too? Try our hot winter lunches under €3 a portion.