Simple Breakfasts That Use Pantry Staples
Breakfast doesn't have to be complicated or expensive. Here are easy options from what you already have.
Breakfast is the meal people most often skip, especially when they're not sure what to make. But most food pantry items can be turned into a quick breakfast without much effort. You don't need fresh berries, yogurt, or avocado. You need eggs, oatmeal, bread, peanut butter, and a few minutes.
Here are some of our go-to pantry breakfasts, starting with the quickest options.
No-Cook Breakfasts (Under 5 Minutes)
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich
It's breakfast. It has protein from the peanut butter, carbs from the bread, and it takes 30 seconds. Don't overthink it.
Honey Peanut Butter Toast
Toast bread, spread peanut butter, drizzle honey on top. More filling than it sounds and the honey gives you quick energy in the morning.
Canned Fruit Yogurt Bowl
If you have yogurt and canned fruit, drain the fruit and mix them together. Add crushed cereal or granola on top for crunch. Takes two minutes.
Overnight Oats
Mix oats and milk in a jar or bowl, put it in the fridge before bed, and breakfast is waiting for you in the morning. Add peanut butter, canned fruit, or honey to make it better. Zero cooking involved.
Quick Cook Breakfasts (5-10 Minutes)
Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
Cook oatmeal on the stove, slice a banana into it, and stir in a spoonful of peanut butter. This is one of the most filling breakfasts you can make from pantry items. The peanut butter keeps you full through the morning.
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
Dice an apple and cook it right in the oatmeal. Add cinnamon and a little sugar or honey if you have them. Tastes like fall in a bowl.
Applesauce Oatmeal
No fresh fruit? Stir applesauce directly into cooked oatmeal. It sweetens it naturally and adds flavor without needing sugar.
Cinnamon Applesauce Toast
Toast bread, spread applesauce on top, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Sweet, simple, and kids love it.
Easy Pancakes from Mix
If you have pancake mix, add water or milk and an egg, mix, and cook in a greased skillet. Serve with syrup, honey, or peanut butter. Pancakes feel like a weekend treat but take about 10 minutes on a weekday.
Bigger Breakfasts (10-15 Minutes)
Skillet Potato and Egg Scramble
Dice potatoes small, fry them in oil until crispy, then scramble eggs into the pan. Add onion if you have it. This is a filling breakfast that uses two of the most common pantry items and keeps you full for hours.
Bacon and Potato Skillet
Cook bacon pieces in a skillet, then fry diced potatoes in the bacon grease. Add an egg on top if you want. Breakfast or dinner, either way it works.
SPAM and Egg Sandwich
Slice SPAM thin and fry it in a skillet until the edges are crispy. Fry an egg. Put both on bread or toast. It's salty, savory, and more satisfying than you'd expect.
PB&J French Toast
Make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, dip the whole thing in beaten egg, and cook it in a buttered skillet. The peanut butter melts and the jelly gets warm. It's a game changer.
Tips for easier mornings
Pick 2-3 breakfasts and rotate. You don't need a different breakfast every day. Most people eat the same few things on repeat and that's fine.
Prep the night before. Overnight oats are the obvious one, but you can also dice potatoes or set out ingredients so the morning goes faster.
Eggs are your best friend. They cook in minutes, they're cheap, and they pair with almost anything. If you can fry or scramble an egg, you always have a breakfast option.
Don't skip breakfast. Even peanut butter on toast takes 30 seconds and gives you energy to start your day. Something is always better than nothing.
Find more recipes
We have 19 breakfast recipes on the site. Browse all recipes or use the ingredient search to check off what you have and see what you can make this morning.