Healthy Grab And Go Breakfast Ideas For Work The 17 Best Healthy Grab-and-Go Breakfast Ideas, According to Dietitians

On those mornings when you *can’t* and haven’t planned ahead by whipping up packets of freezer smoothies or overnight oats, these supermarket produce and fast food menu items will cover your nutritional bases (and taste amazing, of course). Consider these your happy medium between skipping breakfast and fussing over the stove to make a full blue plate special.

We reached out to Mary Stewart, RD, LD, the founder of Cultivate Nutrition in Dallas; Katherine Brooking, RD, co-founder of nutrition news company Appetite for Health in San Francisco; and Ashley Reaver, RD, an Oakland, California-based registered dietitian and creator of the Lower Cholesterol Longer Life method to explain what they grab — and recommend for clients — to fuel up on busy mornings.

What to look for in a healthy grab-and-go breakfast

To be worthy of a place on this list of the best, each recipe:

• Contains a source of lean protein and healthy fats
• It includes some whole-grain, high-fiber carbohydrates
• It is low in saturated fat, added sugar and sodium
• It has enough calories (about 400) and protein (15 to 20 grams) to keep you full until lunch

Bonus points go to those that feature one or more bright, natural colors, such as a vibrant blue or red from berries or bright green from spinach.

“And if you need a caffeine fix in the morning, aim for options that have no added sugar,” suggests Stewart. (Our DIY Iced Coffee is a great option.)

Healthy grab-and-go breakfast ideas, approved by dietitians

fast food

Have you already left home and need to grab something on your way to the office, while running errands or while driving the kids to school? Pop down to the drive-thru for one of these dietitian-approved picks.

• Starbucks Kale and Portobello Mushroom Sous Vide Egg Bites
• Starbucks Hearty Blueberry Oatmeal (without agave syrup) with a cup of Siggi’s Yogurt
• Starbucks Eggs and Cheddar Protein Box
• Panera Avocado, egg white and spinach sandwich
• Jamba Juice Spring Veggie Egg Bake (two)
• Jamba Juice Vanilla Blue Sky Spirulina Smoothie Bowl (add greek yogurt)
• Jamba Juice Peach Perfection Smoothie (no juice, add protein powder)
• Dunkin’ Stuffed Bagel Minis (two) with fruit
• McDonald’s Egg McMuffin (without cheese) with apple slices

Purchased in store

Stock up for a rainy day – OK, busy – by investing in these on your next grocery run. Or order online and have it delivered to your home.

• MUSH Overnight Oats ($59.99 for 12) with one fruit
• Perfect Bar ($24 for 8) with a fruit
• NOKA Superfood Smoothie Packet ($14.99 for 6) with 2 hard boiled eggs
• Siggi’s Drinkable Whole Milk Yogurt ($1.89 for 8 oz) with a fruit
• KIND Bar ($17.25 for 16) with a packet of Justin’s Nut Butter ($13 for 10)
• Kodiak Cake Microwave Muffin ($24.50 for 9) with a fruit
• OVER EASY Breakfast Bar ($32.99 for 12) with a piece of fruit

Related content:

• Rise and shine for these two-ingredient breakfast recipes
• Two weeks of healthy breakfast ideas
• 15 healthy breakfasts ready in 15 minutes or less