14 Healthier Holiday Breakfast Ideas

I’m excited to have Rachel and Polly from Thriving Home Blog. I found there blog doing research for work and loved all the healthy and delicious recipes! They were gracious enough to guest post while we finish moving into our new house! Such sweet ladies!

Who doesn’t love a big ole breakfast over the holidays? But, as we all know, holiday eating can catch up with us pretty quickly, if we’re not careful. That’s why we want to offer some of our very favorite healthier-but-OH-SO-DELICIOUS holiday breakfast ideas for the coming Christmas season. With real food ingredients and the addition of fruits and vegetables in most of our recipes, you’ll find that your family still gets the nutrition they need while enjoying one of the best meals of the day.

Why Is Breakfast So Important?

Before I jump into some healthier options for holiday breakfasts, let’s chat about the importance of that first meal, shall we? You may be tempted to skip out on breakfast during the food-heavy days around Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, you’d be sorely misguided if you did. Here’s why. There is a significant amount of research that says people who skip breakfast are more likely to become overweight and develop several risk factors for prediabetes and heart disease. So, it stands to reason (oh, and science backs this up, too) that those who eat a healthy breakfast daily can lose weight or have fewer weight problems to begin with.

The key to starting your day off right is eating a reasonably portioned combination of complex carbohydrates (think real, not processed, foods that are high in fiber like whole grains, vegetables, and fruits), protein, and a bit of good-for-you fat. This combo helps your meal provide long-lasting energy and keeps you more full through the day. Our family also uses breakfast as a time to get a jump start on our daily recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables, whether it’s through a smoothie, homemade juice, cut up fruit, or sneaking in produce in the recipes below.

When it comes to holiday breakfasts with your family, you can still pack in some nutrition in the midst of celebrating. To help you out, I’ve put together a list of our favorite recipes that would not only serve as a great addition to your holiday breakfasts, but they will also leaving you satisfied and energized for the rest of the day.

Healthier Holiday Breakfast Ideas

Apple Cinnamon French Toast

Baked Egg Cups

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit

Blueberry Pumpkin Baked French Toast

Brownie Baked Oatmeal

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls – These are the perfect special treat for Christmas morning. Note: Although more decadent than our other recipes, these Cinnamon Rolls are made with real, recognizable ingredients! Eat in moderation and serve with the Oven Omelet or Egg Cups to avoid a blood-sugar spike.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Waffles

Oatmeal Pancake Mix

Oven Omelet

Pumpkin French Toast

Pumpkin Spiced Scones – Here’s another special Christmas morning treat. Note: Like the Cinnamon Rolls, these too have more sugar than our other recipes. But, rest assured they are made with real, recognizable ingredients and even include Vitamin A-rich pumpkin. Eat in moderation and serve with the Oven Omelet or Egg Cups to avoid a blood-sugar spike.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

Specialty Holiday Drink Ideas

Looking for a special beverage to serve alongside some of these healthier breakfast options? These will rival any Starbucks drink or drink packet from the store, are made with ingredients you’ll recognize, and can serve a big crowd!

Pumpkin Spiced Latte

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Hopefully this will equip you and your family to toss the processed foods and eat a tad healthier through the holiday season. For other healthy meal ideas, feel free to check out our recipe index for LOTS of real-food, delicious recipes.