My go-to I-haven’t-planned-anything-for-dinner-but-need-something-quick meals involve breakfast food 98% of the time. We eat some sort of breakfast-for-dinner meal at least once a week and it’s almost always my kids’ fave. In fact, here are the remains of last night’s dinner. Notice they didn’t even get full-size bowls and it’s not even pretend-to-be-healthy cereal. It’s straight up Corn Pops. That’s how we roll sometimes.
If you want to get a little more sophisticated than that, and break away from the bacon and eggs, or boxed pancake mix, here are some of my most favorite family dinners. These are all things that can really be pulled together quite quickly, and paired with simple sides (or stand alone) to create a nice balanced meal. Next time you’re pining over that infamous “hmmm…what’s for dinner…” dilemma, think of this list! You’ll want to pin this one!
Here’s the run-down:
Baked Breakfast Taquitos with Lime-Chipotle Dip
Kate and I both LOVE these. In fact, my brother just requested them for his birthday dinner recently. Crisp baked flour tortillas stay soft inside and are filled with a fluffy southwest egg mix. The lime-chipotle dip takes it over the top (like, you’ll lick the bowl.)
Thin-Cakes (Okay, you can call them Crepes)
If you think crepes are just for fancy French bistros, think again. They’re awesome because they’re made from super simple ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen right now, and the stuffing options are endless. Fill them with leftover chicken and cheese, or go for an egg scramble, or eat them sweet with fresh fruit and yogurt.
Huevos Rancheros
This is my version of Mexican style eggs. It clocks in at only about 250 calories, so it makes a great healthy meal as well. Pile on the toppings, or just roll them up like burritos for little hands and the whole family is happy.
Healthy Whole Grain Waffles
By the taste of these light and fluffy waffles, you’d have NO idea that they pack protein, fiber, and whole grains in there. Even better, this post shows how to serve them 3 different ways and includes a calorie count, too.
Mediterranean Egg Scramble
This is probably one of my all-time favorite recipes that Kate has written, and I’ve always said it’s a little hidden gem on this blog. If you haven’t tried them yet-do it! All of the yummy flavors of Mediterranean, wrapped up in a tortilla or crepe. Yummy yummy yummy…
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes
Just like those healthy waffles, the kids (and even your spouse!) won’t have a clue these pancakes have any whole wheat flour in them. Top them with fresh fruit, or bananas and a swipe of peanut butter for a filling and seemingly naughty meal.
English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas
This is an awesome clean-out-the-fridge meal. Grab any veggies you have, random varieties of cheese, bits of meat, and somehow it all just comes together- and the family will have a blast doing it since everyone can choose their toppings!
Monte Cristo Sandwiches
Please tell me you’ve had a Monte Cristo before. Please. If not, stop what you’re doing right now and put all of the ingredients on your grocery list. It’s like french toast meets turkey sandwich meets strawberry jam. Okay that makes it sound totally weird, but trust me. It’s amazing.
Egg Stuffed Baked Potatoes
These are a spin on baked potatoes. Stuffed with cheese, veggies, and then an egg cracked right inside and baked up, it’s a one-dish meal that’s customizable with what you have in the fridge!
Cajun Style Hashbrown Skillet
Crispy potatoes, savory sausage, and a blend of cajun spices surround fresh cracked eggs in this one-dish skillet meal. Serve it with a simple salad or fresh fruit to round off your plate.
Check out our Breakfast and Brunch Section for even more recipes- I wanted to keep this list to just 10 so I cut out a bunch of our favorites!
Now it’s your turn! What’s your favorite breakfast-for-dinner meal??
Questions & Reviews
Made the english muffin breakfast pizzas yesterday along with some fresh fruit. I made half bacon and half sausage. I used the already cooked Jimmy Dean sausage crumbles to make it even easier. They were a big hit with my family. Especially my husband, he we still talking about them last night.
My kid’s favorite breakfast for dinner are chocolate waffles. Maybe it’s because we’re skipping dinner and going straight for dessert. :o)
Love breakfast for dinner! The Huevos Rancheros look delicious!
Love the Idaho sunrise – we have made it with sweet potatoes, but we’ve taken to roasting the sweet potatoes first, then mashing them (skin and all) into ramekins, and cracking the egg into a well we’ve made in the mash. Sweet potatoes seem not to come in the right size. We’ve also made this with roasted, mashed butternut squash. And we’ve made it directly in acorn squash halves, kabocha squash halves, etc. It has become our weekend breakfast treat.
I’ve been making them with sweet potatoes lately too! Ramekins are a good idea, because you’re right, sweet potatoes are always wonky sizes. Last week I did sweet potatoes mashed up with cumin and agave and topped with sauteed jalapeno, green pepper, chorizo and the egg. It was awesome!
Those are all our favorite breakfast for dinners!!! We’ve done everything on our list several times and never get tired of it. The Huevos rancheros are probably my little girls favorite though. Thanks for the quick reference list 🙂
OMG! I do this too! If fact I did this TWICE this week. It’s been a rough week and hey, the hubs was lucky he even got fed! And then sometimes I do this when I need some comfort food. Breakfast food always seems like comfort food for me.
Well, now I just want to scrap all my dinner plans and have breakfast. I love breakfast foods! I really like French Toast made with Texas Toast so it’s nice and thick, although I’m really happy with pancakes and eggs (scrambled, omlette, egg sandwich), too.
We love to have your crepes for dinner!! And breakfast too! The buttermilk pancakes are super delicious too!!
We like to have omelets for dinner too. We just throw in what ever veggies we have hanging around in the fridge. 🙂
Our favorite breakfast for dinner is biscuits and gravy. I never have time to make it in the morning so it is always a good go to for dinner.
Great ideas! We always just do pancakes, eggs, bacon and oven fried apples.
We love breakfast for dinner around our house. We usually do omelets with ham, sautéed onions and mushrooms, and cheese or scrambled eggs with toast and fruit. Though we do have cold cereal nights or oatmeal since my kids ask for it at every meal. This list looks great, we love all of your recipes.
I do breakfast for supper once a week, too. Thanks for some great new ideas!
My sons call this “Brinner” and it’s a favorite dinner for us, too. Your Crispy Waffle recipe you posted a few weeks ago is a huge hit as were the Mini Oven Pancakes. We also do breakfast quesadillas – scrambled eggs, pepperoni (for the boys) and cheese inside flour tortillas and cooked on the griddle.
I’ve tried some of the recipes on your list, but those Egg Stuffed Baked Potatoes are on my “To Make” list for next week! :o)
We had your light and crispy waffles for dinner last night! Love them!!
Ha! Cereal is my “last resort” when I just don’t have it in me to cook 🙂 Other than that, a waffle night is a rare treat around our house.
and it’s not even pretend-to-be-healthy cereal. It’s straight up Corn Pops. That’s how we roll sometimes.
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And that is why I love you guys =)
I am currently trying to clean out our freezer and I found some english muffins – the english muffin breakfast pizzas look amazing and I will be doing those this weekend~
The crispy waffle recipe that was posted several weeks ago, has totally become a dinner staple for us. Sometimes, I make the buttermilk sauce to go with it; but most times it bottled syrup or fresh fruit. Totally easy and super yummy!
Great list! But you left off our favorite — easy potato and bacon casserole. WE had it last night and everyone loves it. It becomes a last minute meal if you decide that the potatoes can’t really soak up that much egg anyway so it’s ok to just put it together and cook it right away, which is what I did yesterday and it tasted the same to me. I took it to a friend’s family a few weeks ago and they loved it for dinner, too.
Also, our favorite side with a breakfast for dinner is a smoothie with spinach in it because then we get our fruits and veggies but I don’t have to serve weird combinations like pancakes and salad.
That actually WAS on my list- but I wanted just 10, so I had to keep whittling it down! Haha. Don’t ask me why I thought I had to keep it to ten, I thought that number just sounded good, lol!
I am a sucker for baked potatoes! In fact, that was my one food craving with each of my pregnancies. Your Egg Stuffed Baked Potatoes are calling my name loud and clear! Definitely pinning this one and baking some of these yummy eggs and potatoes this weekend! Thanks!
Oh my gosh girl, that was my preggo food too, and mine had to have tons of butter and green onions on them. Yeah, I gained over 50lbs with all of my pregnancies, I wonder why?! haha