When you’re at home and grocery runs are limited, try some of these breakfast ideas. The first two are some of my go to recipes from Cookie + kate and Minimalist Baker. The next three are my own, with inspiration from basically every vegan chef.

All products are either:

shelf stable
frozen (you obviously can use fresh if you have it)
have a long fridge life
can be made from pantry staples
adaptable

Use this post to get inspiration and grab some of the ingredients on your next grocery run if you don’t already have them at home.

Plant Based Pancakes

Ingredients:

Whole wheat flour - Long shelf life
Baking powder - Long shelf life
Salt - Long shelf life but I often forget this one.
Plant based milk - Long shelf life
Olive oil or coconut oil - Long shelf life
Maple syrup or sugar of choice - Long shelf life
Pure vanilla extract - Long shelf life
Cinnamon - Long shelf life - Not in her recipe but I add this in

Recipe here. Thanks, Cookie + kate! I use this one weekly.

My Notes:

I double this recipe every time and freeze the extras. They reheat really crispy in the toaster oven and softer in the microwave.
Stock up on baking powder. This recipe uses a lot. I go through it now because we make these so often.

Plant Based Banana Flax Muffins

Ingredients:

Ground flax seed to make flax eggs - Long shelf life
Ripe bananas - If you don’t have fresh, and you’re like me, you have about 100 frozen that you can thaw
Brown sugar - Long shelf life
Vegan butter or coconut oil - Long fridge / shelf life
Vanilla extract - Long shelf life
Baking soda - Long shelf life
Sea salt - Long shelf life
Whole-wheat pastry flour (or unbleached all-purpose) - Long shelf life
Rolled oats - Long shelf life
Optional - walnuts - Long shelf life
If you make the crumble topping, you’ll also need raw sugar, white flour, and more vegan butter.

Recipe here. Thanks, Minimalist Baker! I love every vegan recipe you post!

My Notes:

While the crumb topping is totally delicious and I used to make it with these, I actually skip it and here’s why. I don’t want my son to just eat the top. I want him to get the whole grain, the flax, the banana, the oats, the walnuts, etc. and if there’s a crumb topping, there’s a risk that he just wants the top. These are totally delicious without and he doesn’t know any better at this point.
I make these in mini muffin tins and half the bake time. My son eats about 5 which is probably a whole muffin but he pops them in his mouth so easily and loves having them bite size. When they’re large, he doesn’t usually finish and it’s much messier. So for less waste, less mess, and more fun, I prefer these mini size.
You can also bake these in a donut pan! It’s fun to change things up.
These freeze really well.

Tofu Scramble

What I love about tofu scramble is that it’s super adaptable. Basically all you need is tofu and you can make this. You can add in as many ingredients as you want or have on hand.

Ingredients:

Tofu - Long fridge life
Spices - turmeric, salt, pepper, cumin, smoked paprika - Long shelf life
Optional additional spices - red pepper flakes, nutritional yeast - Long shelf life
Optional add in onion and garlic - Long shelf life if stored properly (or sub onion powder and garlic powder)
Optional add in - veggies of choice like red bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli - frozen or fresh if you have it
Optional add in - canned black beans - long shelf life

Here are the basics.

I like extra firm tofu, but nearly any will do, just avoid silken. To start, open the package, drain the water, and “press” the tofu by wrapping it between some paper towels and placing it between two hard, sanitary objects like two plates, with a heavy object on top. No time? Just wrap in paper towel and squeeze over the sink. You want to get some of that water out. 5 minutes is great. 10 minutes, awesome. Discard paper towels.
To a pan on medium heat, add an oil of your choice. I use extra virgin olive oil for the flavor of it but if you have a nonstick pan, you don’t need to add anything. You could add water to deglaze the pan as needed.
Onion and garlic - Chop up a small onion - I use a yellow onion - and as much garlic as you like - I use about four large cloves but you measure garlic with love if you ask me. Saute. If you are using powder spices instead, add the tofu first.
Tofu - Using your hands, break bits of tofu off, into the pan and saute. Chunk size by preference. My son likes big chunks so he can easily get them with his fork. Smaller bits require a spoon.
Spices - We add in salt, pepper, turmeric, cumin, smoked paprika, and sometimes red pepper flakes or nutritional yeast. Turmeric makes it yellow so it more mimics scrambled eggs. All spices are optional. Amounts, you ask? I have no idea. I eye ball it. I’ll measure for you some time.
Veggies - My son is currently liking this plain but in the past I have diced up red bell pepper, zucchini and broccoli. Literally any veggie would be delicious here. Obviously fresh tastes better but if you have frozen only, use that.
Beans - Black beans go really well in here. I usually forget them to be perfectly honest, but go for it.
You get the idea, cook it all together, eat it all up!
This tastes great alone, in a tortilla wrap with some vegan cheese, or on toast. If you had avocado or tomato on hand, even better.

Tofu is a great fridge staple so when I heard we’d be quarantined, I grabbed a good 6 containers of it. It lasts in the fridge and doesn’t take up too much space. Stack it at the back and grab it for an easy scramble.

Green Smoothie

Perhaps the most adaptable is a loaded smoothie. If this is your breakfast, get yourself a huge glass. I think a lot of people try going vegan and feel hungry because they aren’t eating large enough portions. If you are pairing this with another breakfast, maybe use a regular size glass, but if this is it, make sure you consume enough!

Ingredients:

Greens like spinach or kale - Fresh or frozen
Fruit like pineapple, mango or banana - Fresh or frozen
Plant based milk like almond or soy - shelf stable
Seeds like hemp, chia, or flax - long shelf or fridge life
Nut Butter like almond or peanut - long shelf or fridge life

Here are the basics.

My general rule is a green, a fruit and a seed over plant based milk. Here’s what that looks like.
Plant Based Milk - We mostly use almond or soy milk because I keep those on hand but any milk will work. Sub water. Sub coconut water. You just need a liquid. Make your own plant based milk - cashews or oats soaked overnight and blended with filtered water make delicious plant based milks without needing filtration if you have a high power blender like a vitamix.
Greens - Any green will work. We mostly use spinach or kale but have also used romaine. I’ve subbed for other vegetables like carrots or beets, too.
Fruit - My favorite is frozen pineapple because it’s the cheapest. I tend to think the yellows pair best with greens so pineapple, mango, banana. I don’t love berries in my smoothies because I don’t think they mix as well with the greens and the seeds annoy me. To each their own though.
Seeds - My go to is hemp but we often add chia or flax too.
Nut Butter - Almond or peanut or any nut butter can thicken up your smoothie.
Bled all ingredients in a high speed blender. I am in love with my vitamix. It blends smoothies so they taste restaurant quality.
Enjoy!
Extra extra - If you have extra, pour into popsicle molds and freeze. You’re welcome.
A note on sugar - I don’t add sugar to my smoothies and my son literally gulps them down. If your kiddos are used to sugary drinks or popsicles, try adding dates or maple syrup.

Loaded Oatmeal

We eat this pretty much every day when it’s chilly out. It’s super filling.

Ingredients:

Rolled Oats - Long shelf life
Nut Butter - Long shelf / fridge life
Seeds - Flax, Chia or Hemp - Long shelf / fridge life
Spices - Cinnamon, Ginger, Pumpkin Pie Spice
Sweetener - Maple Syrup Long shelf / fridge life

Here are the basics.

It’s oatmeal, so you get it. Follow the package instructions on the oats then add in all the goodness. I typically do peanut butter, flax seeds, cinnamon, and maple syrup but add what you have on hand. If you have things like banana, dried fruit, other nuts that you enjoy, go for that.
You can make this in a big batch and it saves in the fridge for 3-4 days. I like to add the maple syrup fresh.

General Cooking Tips

Involve your kids! But don’t force it or get upset if they don’t engage. Mateo loves cooking in the kitchen with me. We use general common sense for safety of course. He knows not to touch things that are hot or sharp. He has his own kid safe knives. He loves to pour, mix, stir, chop things like bananas and of course, taste! He’s up in his DIY learning tower or sitting on the counter top about 80% of the time I am cooking. And then sometimes he’s not. He’s really into his trucks or a puzzle and that’s great. I always offer it as an activity and if he’s playing independently, then I go ahead and cook or bake on my own.
Prep is often what takes the longest so see what you can prep ahead of time so you just have it on hand when you need it. Make the pancake batter the night before. Chop more of a certain veggie than you need for that recipe and store it in an air tight container for the next day. Make extra smoothie and drink some the next day. I find they last well for about 24 hours.
Eat with your kids / family. Eat at the table. Make it a phone and tv free time. Let it be a chance to connect.
Give thanks. I don’t pray personally but I do express gratitude for everyone and thing that made it possible for us to have such amazing food in such abundance.
Share! I know we can’t give cooked food to our neighbors and friends right now during quarantine so for now maybe share a recipe or a picture of your meal. Inspire others to cook a plant based meal. You don’t have to go vegan to make a difference. It all starts with one meatless Monday, right?!
Follow intuitive eating - the idea that your body can tell you what it wants or needs.

I will try to get some photos up this week as we make them but I wanted to get this post up so you have some resources.