5 Teachers Share Their Favorite On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas

Being a teacher isn’t all “Best Teacher Ever” mugs and sharing funny stories about the kids’ antics during class breaks, you know. In fact, it seems like it’s hardly ever that stuff. From where I sit, teaching seems like a ton of work. Not just mental, but also physical (standing all day, walking from class to class, sitting for hours grading papers at a computer), emotional (there is almost nothing sadder than seeing a kid cry because the popular girl didn’t invite her to the coolest birthday party of the year), and spiritual (having to maintain patience on a rainy day after three straight games of “Heads Up Seven Up” would absolutely send me to my place of worship for some serious prayer).

That kind of work requires a good breakfast — one that is filling, nutritious, and wholesome, but also tastes good. Here are some breakfast ideas from teachers of all grades and areas of study. And yes, it’s more than just a shiny red apple.

(And no, we did not include a cup of coffee, even though that answer came up more than once and with varying descriptions ranging from “enormous” to “a giant vat.”)

“It’s easy to make a big batch to last a few days.” There’s really nothing like overnight oats. They are so simple to make, have a myriad of different options and are ready to eat as you’re watching I Love Lucy reruns in the morning before you have to go face a room filled with know-it-all 15-year-olds.

• Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats
• Blueberry Pie Overnight Oats
• Overnight Oats with Jam & Toasted Coconut

“You have to plan ahead with a low-carb diet. These are much better [for those avoiding carbs] than anything you find in a morning staff meeting.” Yes, a gooey egg sandwich loaded with bacon and melty cheese is often the best choice on any breakfast menu, but a shirt splattered with egg yolk and cheese grease isn’t the best way to start off the school year. Make mini frittatas ahead of time and load them up with your favorite fillings. As a bonus, you could even freeze them, and they also work great for lunch.

• Kale and Goat Cheese Frittata Cups
• Mini Spinach Quiches with Flax Crust

Granola bars are crunchy, sweet, and loaded with all your favorite nuts, seeds, fruit, and even chocolate. If you don’t like pumpkin seeds or can’t abide honey, no problem — the best part about homemade granola bars is they are totally customizable.

• Hazelnut-Cocoa Granola Bars with Dried Figs
• Jammy Granola Bars
• Apple Pie Granola Bars

“Muffins. The answer is always muffins, unless it’s cupcakes.” It’s really hard to rationalize a donut every morning, but a muffin seems a little healthier. After all, you can make it with whole-wheat flour, load it with veggies, and still sneak in a little sweetener to make sure it tastes totally indulgent.

• Double Chocolate Muffins
• Sour Cherry Chocolate Chunk Muffins
• Olive Oil Carrot Muffins
• Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

It’s just so hard to quit smoothies. They are infinitely versatile, can be made in large batches, don’t need to be heated up, and are really able to keep you full until lunch. Plus, they are tasty when frozen as Popsicles once school’s out for summer.

• Vegan Chocolate-Date Smoothie
• Banana Split Smoothie
• Super-Power Morning Smoothie
• Black and Blue Power Smoothie