These Cheap Breakfasts Keep Me Out Of The Drive-Thru (With $ To Spare) (2024)

Watermelon and raspberries combine in this recipe to create the most refreshing drink of summer. Smoothies are one of my favorite grab-and-go breakfasts in the hot summer months: they’re so easy to whip up, are extra refreshing, and cool you off with every sip. This watermelon recipe celebrates the signature summer fruit, with several welcome additions to sweeten (and bulk!) this smoothie up.

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This one-skillet breakfast quesadilla with tomato, basil, and feta will keep you satiated right through lunchtime. Here, a pillowy omelet is attached to a crispy tortilla and then folded onto jammy cherry tomatoes, soft melting feta, and bright basil leaves. Wrap this in a piece of foil and eat on the go, or pair with a side salad and dig in with a fork for brunch.

Get the Tomato, Basil, Feta Omelet Quesadilla recipe.

Giving cold hard cash to Starbucks seems far-fetched in this economy, even if that cash is in exchange for their fluffy, cheesy, protein-packed egg bites. Lucky for you (and your wallet), we've figured out a perfect dupe for the iconic breakfast bites that only taste like you shelled out $5 for one.

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When busy mornings hit, nothing beats overnight oats. They’re an easy, no-cook version of the classic breakfast that only takes a few minutes to prepare. Prep them the night before, tuck them into your fridge to soak, and you’ll have a chilled, creamy, on-the-go breakfast waiting for you in the morning.

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Blueberry muffins are a quintessential breakfast treat, so for our tried-and-true favorite, we’ve channeled that small-town bakery vibe to create a muffin that hits every nostalgic note. Light, fluffy, and absolutely bursting with blueberries, these muffins will delight everyone who tastes one.

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We usually look to these ramen noodle packs to make weeknight dinners easier than ever, but for this recipe, we decided to explore the versatility of these noodles. By adding a cheesy scrambled egg mixture and bacon to ramen noodles, we turn this staple cheap and easy dinner hack into a breakfast dream. Ready in 15 minutes, this ramen is the perfect savory breakfast to turn to when you're sick of plain ol' bacon and eggs.

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These make-ahead crunch wraps come together quicker than your usual before-work drive-thru option. We love adding guacamole!

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Are you the type who only drinks cold brew for breakfast? Turn your go-to iced drink into something more exciting and substantial by freezing it. Bonus: if you're the type to crave multiple cups during the day, these popsicles are the BEST way to get your afternoon fix.

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The toppings on these tostadas are our ideal toppings, but you can change them up however you’d like. Cook an over-easy egg instead or top with some sour cream. The best part is that these can be different every time you make them and still be so very good.

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All you need are 4 ingredients (plus your chosen fruit!) to create these bites: yogurt, milk, honey, and vanilla. They come together in only 10 minutes—just make sure to give them plenty of time to chill in the freezer. Make them the night before, then enjoy the easiest breakfast or afternoon snack the next day.

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Load up these breakfast tacos—packed with hearty potatoes, chorizo, and crunchy pickled onions—for a meal to keep you full all morning long. Skip the chorizo and opt for vegan cheese to make these best-ever tacos into a vegan breakfast dream!

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Both cottage cheese and hard-boiled eggs provide the protein for these bowls that are perfect any time of day, even at breakfast time. Simply spoon a serving of cottage cheese into a bowl and top with all of those quintessential Mediterranean ingredients—cucumber salad, olives, capers...really, whatever you like!

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Heads up, fried egg lovers: Your favorite breakfast just got a serious upgrade. Featuring a base of crispy caramelized cheddar and pepper Jack cheese and a zesty pico de gallo topping, these cheesy frico fried egg tostadas will surpass your wildest breakfast expectations—and might even become your new favorite quick weeknight dinner.

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Pizza bagels are a classic shareable snack that is well-loved at Delish. We turn to them so often to satisfy at parties and game days that we decided to give them a breakfast twist. We loaded up these bagel bites with creamy scrambled eggs, melty cheese, and crispy bacon to create a poppable addition to your brunch spread or kid-friendly breakfast.

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It's true, homemade croissants aren't the quickest or easiest choice. Until now. For a more convenient approach, we made one giant croissant out of store-bought puff pastry. Only using 5 ingredients, you still get an almond-filled, shatteringly crisp pastry that makes serving a crowd super-simple.

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To make the blueberry’s gentle sweet-tart flavor pop in a blended smoothie, you’ll need to add a few things to make it taste more like itself. One of our favorite secret ingredients? The tiniest pinch of salt in your smoothie will help make all the flavors pop a bit more, bringing them to the foreground instead of tasting muddied and unsaturated.

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We love ourselves a good crescent roll dough hack, and for good reason. This one is extremely simple and comes together in just about an hour. It’s a simple way to avoid any complaints about the way the eggs are cooked (hint: they’re scrambled, but even haters will enjoy it tucked between flaky pastry), is super-customizable, and makes for a great on-the-go option too.

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This makes for a great traditional American breakfast, alongside toast and eggplant bacon, but it's also killer in breakfast burritos, tacos, and sandwiches.

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This TikTok number has taken breakfast tables by storm, and for good reason. It involves topping bread with a shortcut egg-yogurt “custard” to create a slightly sweet, fancy-ish dessert with barely any effort. The choices of toppings are ripe for your imagination. (FYI, Team Delish favors a bit of chocolate in the custard.)

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Is it just us, or is cottage cheese like, totally back? We’ve given this '90s classic a modern facelift by turning it into a peanut butter and jelly bark. Packed with protein, this cottage cheese treat is like a bowl of yogurt that you can hold in your hand.

Get the Cottage Cheese Bark recipe.