Did you know breakfast is the most important meal of the day? When your body wakes up from a night full of sleep it needs water and nutrients to rebuild energy and strength for the day ahead. Not only does breakfast affect your body physically but also mentally. Providing your stomach that delicious breakfast each morning feeds your brain as well. This allows you to be focused, happy, and start the day with a clear mind.
You may be wondering what’s best for breakfast and that’s eating nutritious, plant-based foods. If you start off the day by shoving unnatural sugars in your body such as Pop-tarts, you will feel foggy and deprived of energy a few hours later. The best part of eating a plant-based breakfast is, it can be zero waste. Let’s dive into exploring some wholesome zero waste vegan breakfast ideas for you to start the day off right!
Vegan Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats
This breakfast option is quick, easy, and great for those on-the-go mornings. You will prepare these blueberry lemon overnight oats the night before by placing all the ingredients in a jar or stainless steel food storage container, stirring, and placing it in the fridge overnight. When you wake up in the morning, it is ready to enjoy without any preparation. All you need is rolled oats from the bulk section at the food store, fresh blueberries, a lemon, almond milk (homemade is best), maple syrup, and chia seeds. The only waste you will have after preparing this recipe is the lemon rind. Instead of throwing this away either place it in a bottle of vinegar to create a natural cleaner for your home or freeze it for later use of lemon zest.
The oats will fuel your brain. The blueberries and lemon will provide your body antioxidants to protect your immune system. Most importantly, this recipe will give you that much needed energy to start the day and stay full hours later.
Zero Waste Potato Breakfast Tacos
If you are a savory breakfast eater, this recipe is for you. It’s one of my all time favorites! Not only will the potatoes in this meal feed your brain but all the herbs will give your immune system a boost before you even walk out the front door. If you don’t have much time in the morning you could prepare the taco filling the night before and store it when cooled in a Stasher bag in the fridge.
For these potato breakfast tacos, you’ll need potatoes, garlic, thyme, sage, tomatoes, cayenne pepper, paprika, salsa, and corn or flour tortilla shells. Instead of filling these taco shells with tofu or tempeh that comes in plastic packaging, opt to use the ingredients above to keep this recipe zero waste.
The only waste you will have are the potato skins if you choose to remove them. If you decide to do this, place them in your composting bin to prevent any food waste. Or did you know you could even bake your potato skins. It’s a clever way to use food scraps!
You could top these delicious tacos with sliced avocado and nutritional yeast, yum! Adding some pan fried bell peppers would be tasty as well.
Sweet and Savory Breakfast Hash
A breakfast where you can have both sweet and savory, has the power to put you in a great mood ready to tackle the day. This sweet and savory breakfast hash is simple to make but filled with tons of vitamins, minerals, good fats, and necessary good carbohydrates to feed your brain.
For this recipe you’ll need potatoes, bell pepper, spinach, garlic, onion, paprika, red pepper flakes (if you choose), zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, and black beans. You will only need a skillet, knife, cutting board, and a wooden spoon or spatula to prepare this meal. The only waste you will have is the tin can from the beans and the peels from the veggies. To make this as zero waste as possible, place those peels into your composting bin and recycle that tin can.
Raspberry Orange Smoothie Bowl
If a sweet treat right in the morning sounds amazing to you, then this raspberry orange smoothie bowl is for you. With the bright red and orange colors from the fruit, you’re sure to get your morning dose of vitamins and antioxidants. Did you know raspberries are full of vitamin E, C, and K?
You’ll need frozen raspberries, an orange, orange zest, a banana, plant-based milk, and maple syrup. Place all of these items into a blender until a creamy consistency appears. You can add more frozen fruit if the consistency is too runny or if it is too thick, add more plant-based milk. This recipe is not only vegan but also zero waste. The only extras you will have is the banana peel which you can place in your composter and the orange peel. This orange peel can be placed in a jar of vinegar to make a homemade cleaner!
Simple Plant Based Banana Oat Muffins
Everyone wants a simple yet delicious breakfast option and that’s where these simple banana oat muffins come in. Bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals as well as natural sugars to feed your brain. This is why many eat them for breakfast.
For this recipe, all you’ll need is bananas, oats, and vanilla extract (optional). You’ll combine these ingredients and fill a muffin tray with the mixture. No need for those little papers either on the tray. This mixture can go straight in the pan. These little muffins are perfect on the couch, in the car, or at your desk. Even kids will love them. You could even add peanut butter for added protein!
Breakfast may not be your favorite part of the day but hopefully one of these zero waste vegan breakfast ideas caught your eye. You may not be starving in the morning right when you wake up so maybe for you it’s getting ready, drinking water, and maybe even a walk before you grab some breakfast.
What’s great about these plant-based recipes is you don’t have to follow a strict plant-based diet to enjoy these recipes. They’re super delicious and a great addition to any meal plan!
Not only will these vegan recipes taste delicious but they will also fuel your body to have a productive and happy day. No one wants to start off feeling cloudy and tired. If you’d like more vegan, zero waste recipe ideas, check out The Zero Waste Vegan Cookbook.
Happy Eating!
Molly LaFontaine
(Certified Nutritionist and Co-Owner of Tyler + Molly)