By: Julia Mertes, Communications Intern, The Lion’s Pantry
Some of the best and most delicious meals are classified as breakfast foods. From french toast and omelets to breakfast sandwiches and crepes, there’s a breakfast food for everyone to enjoy, but why constrain breakfast foods to the morning hours? Why not take your favorite breakfast foods and elevate them to the title of “dinner classics?” Try starting with these eight suggestions!
1. Breakfast Grilled Cheese
When there’s gray-colored skies and storms sweep into town, who doesn’t enjoy savory comfort food — like grilled cheese sandwiches — as a tasty treat? Pennsylvania gets hit with its fair share of storms, which leaves many opportunities to eat our favorite melted-cheese meal.
However, the next time we’re expecting summer thunderstorms and rain showers, consider whipping up some breakfast grilled cheese sandwiches. Beyond cheese, butter and bread, make a breakfast grilled cheese variation by adding scrambled eggs, a breakfast protein of your choice, tater tots and kale to the cheesy dish.
You can add breakfast elements to almost any dish, so why not start with the beloved grilled cheese sandwich?
2. Bacon Fried Rice
If you like regular fried rice, why not try the breakfast version that includes a breakfast fan-favorite food — bacon? Besides the traditional rice, eggs, peas, carrots, onions, oil, and soy sauce that goes into fried rice, add some crispy bacon.
If you live in household filled with breakfast lovers, then you’ve probably heard the phrase, “Everything is better with bacon.” So, why not try adding it into your next fried rice dinner?
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3. Pancakes & Waffles
If I asked you to think of your favorite breakfast foods, pancakes and waffles ought to make the list, but if you’re tired of eating normal pastries, we have the tricks for you. Rather than eating traditional pancakes or waffles, spice up the traditional breakfast treat with these suggestions.
Foremost, you can incorporate almost any fresh or dried fruit into your next pancake or waffle mix. If you’d prefer making regular pancakes and waffles — rather than altering the traditional recipe — consider topping your dish with fruit like bananas, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, blackberries, apples, cherries, pineapple, kiwi, coconuts and cranberries. Fruit toppled over whipped cream will certainly take your breakfast-for-dinner dish up a notch.
If you aren’t a fan of sweet breakfast foods, then you should make a savory variation. Consider creating your savory pancakes by topping the pastry with sliced avocado, which is a heart-healthy fruit. You can also place a fried egg and chopped cheese onto the top of your dish to make it more filling. Plus, if you desiring a meal with southern flare, top the dish with protein like fried chicken.
To make a healthier treat, incorporate finely chopped spinach, crushed bananas, a helping of applesauce, or shredded carrots into your pancake mixture for added freshness and color.
You can never have too many add-ins when making waffles or pancakes. To customize your breakfast, you could consider adding the following items to the batter:
- Peanut Butter Chips
- Chocolate Chips
- Sprinkles
- Mini Marshmallows
- Crushed Candy Bar
- Orange Juice or Lemon Zest
- Protein Powder
- Cocoa Powder
- Spices like Nutmeg and Cinnamon
- Nuts
- Honey
- Pumpkin Puree
You could also top your pancakes or waffles with these flavorful additions:
- Nut Butters and Jams
- Granola
- Graham Cracker Crumbs
- Salsa
- Whipped Cream
- Canned Fruit
- Chocolate, Caramel, and Peanut Butter Syrup
You’ll never run out of ideas to try when making pancakes and waffles for breakfast…or dinner! There’s always something new to test out and experiment with.
4. Corned Beef Hash
Whip up some quick and easy corned beef hash for a filling dinner. Including onions, potatoes, butter, corned beef as well as optional scrambled eggs. This nutritious dish will be perfect when meal planning and portioning for the week.
If you’d like a more complex dinner, you could also turn traditional corned beef hash into a casserole filled with flavor and complexity.
5. Breakfast Pizza
When planning your next movie night with friends or family, add breakfast pizza to your meal plan for the evening. Who needs pepperoni and cheese pizza when you can make your own breakfast pizza with bacon, eggs, mozzarella cheese and more?
Be creative and put your favorite early morning treats onto the dish.
If you’re a fan of tater tots, add them. Do you enjoy some good old-fashioned hash browns or breakfast potatoes? Then consider sprinkling them on your pizza for added flavor and enjoyment. The options are endless when making pizza, and you can have too many goodies on top.
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6. Homemade Bagels
Depending on your skill level in the kitchen and availability to cook, there are a variety of bagel recipes that you could make — some that take only a few ingredients and others that are more complex.
If you decide to make homemade bagels for dinner, you could easily transform them into scrumptious sandwiches filled with eggs, bacon and cheese. Even if baking isn’t your specialty, you could always make a delicious breakfast sandwich with prepackaged products.
7. Oatmeal
Similar to fan-favorite pancakes and waffles, you can always have fun with a traditional oatmeal recipe and customize the dish to your liking with new add-ins.
For instance, you could enhance your traditional oatmeal by adding your favorite fresh fruits like bananas, strawberries, apples, blackberries and blueberries. If you have dry fruits at your convenience, you could also utilize raisins or cranberries, which add flavor, color and texture.
Spices and seasonings are another way to change the typical flavors associated with oatmeal and take the dish to the next level. Regardless of whether you have a sweet tooth or a desire for savory goodies, you will find something perfect to sprinkle in like brown sugar, nutmeg, turmeric or cinnamon and sugar.
Add a healthy source of protein and fibers to your oatmeal by incorporating nuts like walnuts, pecans, and almonds as well as nut butters like peanut butter, Nutella and almond butter.
8. Omelet
As a light and healthy dinner option, you could eat an omelet after spending the day in the sun, lounging around relaxing, or working hard on an assortment of projects. If you have any fresh vegetables lying around your kitchen — whether it be mushrooms and peppers or broccoli and avocado — prepare them to be placed inside an omelet. The same could be said about any cheeses and meat items that could be chopped and spread within the egg-dish.
What are your favorite breakfast for dinner meals to whip up in a flash? Share your recommendations with us.
