One question I often hear from new Vegans is “What do vegans eat for breakfast?” Without eggs and bacon or milk for your cereal what else is there!? Thankfully there are plenty of delicious and healthy vegan options for breakfast so you’ll never have to get bored or feel deprived. Here is the ultimate guide to what vegans eat for breakfast with 15 ideas including some of my favorite recipes.
Before we get to those 15 breakfast ideas let’s figure out what your perfect breakfast food is.
Same-Same Breakfast But Vegan
If you really want to replicate the breakfast standards, pancakes, bacon and eggs and the like you can indeed do that. The best pancakes I’ve ever made are vegan! You can find vegan versions of most of the animal products that make up the common breakfast meals. There are vegan sausages, bacon etc. that taste pretty darn good. There are vegan eggs too! Of course there are plant-based substitutions for dairy products like milk, butter, yogurt and cheese. It may take some experimentation to find the brands and recipes that you like. If your first try is disappointing, don’t give up!
A Healthier Breakfast
If instead you’re aiming for a healthier breakfast there are many delicious ways to focus on healthy fruits and veggies. It’s a great time to add more raw food to your diet also. I love having fruit for breakfast. I often have fruit salad or smoothie or even soup, especially when it’s a cold morning. When you start your day this way you set yourself up for a more energetic and productive day.
Quick On The Go Breakfast
If you need a quick breakfast before you run out the door, or maybe even one that can run out the door with you, there are great vegan options for you too. Some are easy to put together in the morning. Others involve a bit of planning ahead. The easiest of all is simply eating some fresh fruit such as one or two (or more if needed to fill you up) apples or bananas or a bunch of grapes.
So what is it you are looking for? Here are some ideas. Pick 2-3 to add to your breakfast routine. Make adaptions as needed to fit your tastes and the availability of ingredients in your area. Add others over time. Aim to have 5-8 vegan breakfast recipes that you’re confident making and that fit your breakfast eating needs.
15 Vegan Breakfast Ideas To Add To Your Menus
How To Build The Perfect Smoothie
Smoothies are a staple for many health conscious folks. They are a great way to get more fruit and greens into your diet. Kids love them too! Green smoothies are a regular part of my breakfast menu. You can find many different recipes for smoothies but I tend to just go by what I have on hand. Here in this infographic is how I build my smoothies no matter what kind of smoothie I’m making.
Hearty Fruit Salad
Breakfast is often the easiest to eat raw. Smoothies are our usual breakfast but this hearty fruit salad is a great change of pace. It is very adaptable to what ever fruit you have on hand. Choose the ripest seasonal and organic fruits you can find for optimal flavor and nutrition.
Sweet and Spicy Porridge
This recipe is a hearty cereal that is naturally sweetened with fruit. It can be warmed slightly by warming the nut milk and is naturally warming with ginger and cinnamon. It starts with a base of apple and pecans. The flavors deepen with fresh and dried spices and fresh and dried fruit. Very satisfying!
Raw Overnight Refrigerator Oatmeal
It’s so simple! And because you start it the night before, it makes a really fast breakfast the next morning. Simply add the oats and liquid to a container, put the lid on and put it in the fridge. I usually add the fresh fruit in the am, put it in a to-go container and we are all set!
I’ve been using my own homemade almond milk. Use the plant base milk of your choice.
Scrambled Tofu
Looking for something good for the weekend mornings when you want something special? Well, tofu scramble is for you! You can use either soft or firm tofu. Add some vegan sausage or bacon and you’ve got a great treat.
Corn Grits or Polenta
When I want a warm, stick to your ribs kind of start to the day this is a good option. I always look for organic corn grits due to the possible use of GMOs in conventional corn. I use’d Bob’s Red Mill brand when I was in the states. It can be found in the cereal section of the grocery store.
Some folks like to eat grits like a cereal with milk and sweetener. I eat mine topped with raw marinated or lightly steamed marinated veggies. (Who says veggies aren’t for breakfast?) For more on marinated veggies see this recipe.
Chia Porridge
If you are used to having a hot cereal, here is a recipe for you. This is a raw alternative to oatmeal. Chia seeds absorb liquid, expand and become gelatinous when soaked. They have a consistency similar to tapioca. Then mix in fruit and maybe cinnamon. This version makes a warm porridge.
Raw Hot Cocoa:
When I was little I used to have chocolate milk every night before I went to bed, made with Nestle’s Quick. As an adult I would indulge in hot chocolate from time to time. When I went vegan I used almond milk instead of cow’s milk. All was good. But when eating raw what do you do? Here is a delicious way to enjoy raw hot cocoa using your own freshly made almond milk. Watch out though it’s habit forming.
Here are some other vegan breakfast ideas:
Here are some other vegan breakfast ideas:Smoothie Bowls: Make a thicker smoothie, put it in a bowl and top with chopped fruit and maybe nuts or seeds.
Avocado Toast: Top your favorite bread (toasted or untoasted) with sliced avocado (or spread it on). You can add other items if desired. Tomato, herbs, salt and pepper are shown here.
Veganize the common breakfast items: You can still enjoy dishes such as pancakes, muffins, and waffles or eat dry cereal. Just replace the animal based ingredients with nut milks, egg substitutes, and vegan spreads. Here’s some help with that.
And there are vegan versions of bacon, sausage and even eggs too. There is even raw vegan eggplant bacon!
Think outside the box: I remember when my kids were little we sometimes had breakfast for dinner. Well why not dinner/lunch for breakfast? Got leftovers? How about kale salad? Or vegetable soup? This Miso Soup with vegetables will warm you up on a cold morning.
I asked Our Pamoja! members what they eat for breakfast and here’s what a few of them said: Green smoothies, homemade apple and cinnamon oatmeal, homemade granola bars.
As you can see there are lots of options! Vegan breakfast can be fast, easy, and delicious. Now you know what vegans eat for breakfast!
Now it’s time to take action. Which vegan breakfast idea will you try first? Share in the comments below.
I love great food don't you? No boring dishes allowed in my kitchen! I want to share my secrets with you.
- My favorite international spice and seasoning combinations
- The top 10 ingredients absolutely I must have in my kitchen
- How to use vegan substitutes for meat and dairy products
- And Much More!
Click the button to get your copy.
Breakfast is my favorite meal so Eye am always looking for ways to make mine more colorful and delicious. The scrambled tofu was quite tasty and filling and Eye also tried the polenta. Had been lukewarm about the texture but the suggestion and use of the vegetables made that a non/issue.
Asante!
I’m glad to hear that. Here in Tanzania the fruit is so fresh and amazing that I fill up on that in the morning most days.