20 Cold Breakfasts To Make When It's Just TOO Hot Out
Though we’re all for a piping hot bowl of oatmeal or a steaming stack of just-made pancakes, when it’s hot out, we find ourselves looking for something decidedly chiller to start our mornings. Enter: these 20 cold breakfasts that’ll fuel you up, without you having to break a sweat to make them. Not only are these all perfectly delicious served cold, they’re also almost all very easy to throw together, perfect for enjoying as you run out the door to enjoy the sunshine. And don’t worry, they’re not ALL last-minute breakfasts either—we’ve got a few stunners here that are perfect for an outdoor summer brunch spread too.
Let’s start with the classics: when it comes to cold breakfasts, it’s hard to beat overnight oats, chia pudding, or a smoothie. We’ve got a few flavor options here, including a green smoothie, pb&j overnight oats, and a mango lassi (kind of like a tropical cross between a smoothie and a milkshake), but feel free to get creative with it too. Pretty much any and all fruits, nut butters, jams, and more will be great in these, so mix and match your faves. You could even turn them into a smoothie bowl, like our dole whip smoothie bowls or our açai bowls. They're the perfect compromise when you're craving a smoothie, but still want to eat with a spoon. 😉
We’ve also got a few wild card, snackier options here, like our cold brew popsicles (perfect for all you only-coffee-for-breakfast people), our cottage cheese bark, our Greek salad cottage cheese bowls, or our fro-yo fruit bites. Eat them for breakfast, or as an afternoon snack…they’re great any time of day.
And don’t think we’ve forgotten about eggs, either! Though they are excellent eaten warm, we love our frittata, our copycat Starbucks egg bites, and our egg muffins because they’re also pretty yummy cold or at room temperature. Bake up a batch at the beginning of the week, then grab them out of the fridge on your way out the door all week long (psa: they also make for the perfect high-protein midnight snack too).
Overnight Oats
On busy mornings, nothing beats overnight oats for breakfast. They’re an easy, no-bake version of classic oatmeal that only takes a few minutes to prepare. Prep them the night before, tuck them into your fridge to soak, and you’ll have a chilled, creamy, on-the-go breakfast waiting for you in the morning.
Get the Overnight Oats recipe.
Fro-Yo Fruit Bites
All you need are 4 ingredients (plus your chosen fruit!) to create these bites: yogurt, milk, honey, and vanilla. They come together in only 10 minutes—just make sure to give them plenty of time to chill in the freezer. Make them the night before, then enjoy the easiest breakfast or afternoon snack the next day.
Get the Fro-Yo Fruit Bites recipe.
Dole Whip Smoothie Bowls
Imagine a whirlwind of frozen fruits, a symphony of toasty granola notes, and the creaminess of coconut milk dancing together in perfect harmony. This refreshing blend, starring frozen bananas, mangoes, and pineapples, serves up a tropical celebration fit for vacation (or just an average weekday).
Get the Dole Whip Smoothie Bowls recipe.
Cold Brew Popsicles
Are you the type who only drinks cold brew for breakfast? Turn your go-to iced drink into something more exciting and substantial by freezing it. Bonus: if you're the type to crave multiple cups during the day, these popsicles are the BEST way to get your afternoon fix.
Get the Cold Brew Popsicles recipe.
Chia Pudding
Not only do chia seeds pack in the health benefits, but once mixed with milk and refrigerated, they turn into the most delicious, creamy pudding that only requires 5 minutes of prep time. Take it out the following morning, add your favorite toppings, and enjoy it as a healthy breakfast, an energizing snack, or a refreshing summer treat.
Get the Chia Pudding recipe.
Frittata
Quiche’s less-fussy cousin, frittatas are the answer to almost every meal dilemma. Looking to get creative with your leftovers? Veggies going bad in your fridge? Home late and craving a simple breakfast-for-dinner recipe? Say it with us: frittata, frittata, frittata.
Get the Frittata recipe.
Cottage Cheese Bark
Is it just us, or is cottage cheese like, totally back? We’ve given this '90s classic a modern facelift by turning it into a peanut butter and jelly bark. Packed with protein, this cottage cheese treat is like a bowl of yogurt that you can hold in your hand.
Get the Cottage Cheese Bark recipe.
No-Bake Fruit & Granola Tart
Looking for a show-stopping springtime brunch centerpiece? Crowned with an abundance of fresh berries, this no-bake chilled breakfast tart is equally easy to make and stunning to look at.
Get the No-Bake Fruit & Granola Tart recipe.
Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
Smoothies are one of the easiest and best ways to ensure you are having the most important meal of the day: breakfast. With this easy recipe, all you need are a few staple pantry ingredients and 5 minutes, you’ll have a versatile, filling, and quick breakfast on your hands to kickstart your morning.
Get the Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie recipe.
Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites
Giving cold hard cash to Starbucks seems far-fetched in this economy, even if that cash is in exchange for their fluffy, cheesy, protein-packed egg bites. Lucky for you (and your wallet), we've figured out a perfect dupe for the iconic breakfast bites that only taste like you shelled out $5 for one.
Get the Copycat Starbucks Egg Bites recipe.
Green Smoothie
For those mornings when we really need to get a boost of greens, we turn to this perfect green smoothie. Packed with good-for-you fruits and veggies, this smoothie has everything you need to keep you full and energized till lunch. Plus, it's downright delicious.:D
Get the Green Smoothie recipe.
Greek Salad Cottage Cheese Bowl
Both cottage cheese and hard-boiled eggs provide the protein for these bowls. Simply spoon a serving of cottage cheese into a bowl and top with all of those quintessential Mediterranean ingredients—cucumber salad, olives, capers...really, whatever you like!
Get the Greek Salad Cottage Cheese Bowl recipe.
PB&J Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are a meal prepper's dream: All you do is stir together ingredients in a large bowl, let them set overnight, and then divvy up portions for the week. This PB&J twist tastes just like your favorite sandwich—top it off with a drizzle of melty peanut butter if you wanna feel a little indulgent.
Get the PB&J Overnight Oats recipe.
Best-Ever Egg Muffins
Egg muffins are one of the BEST healthy breakfasts for meal prepping because you easily make a big batch of them at once. They will keep in your fridge for up to 7 days, so you can grab them on your way out the door all week!
Get the Best-Ever Egg Muffins recipe.
Blueberry Smoothie
Craving a smoothie, but not a banana fan? This blueberry smoothie is just as creamy, but skips the tropical fruit in lieu of almond butter and oat milk.
Get the Blueberry Smoothie recipe.
Hard-Boiled Eggs
Nothing beats a perfectly boiled egg, but short of cracking one open, it can be difficult to know when yours is perfectly cooked. Rest assured, we have a few tricks to get you that perfect hard-boiled texture without tearing apart the cooked whites.
Get the Hard-Boiled Eggs recipe.
Parfait
When you're in the mood for a sweet breakfast, but don't want to load up on something heavy like pancakes or waffles, give this parfait a try. Made with a simple fruit compote—just fruit, sugar, and water—yogurt, and granola, these are also easily customized, so get creative.
Get the Yogurt Parfait recipe.
Açaí Bowls
We love a good smoothie bowl, and this one, made with nutrient rich açaí and a crunchy coconut topping, will keep you full and happy all morning long. We chose to include some of our top fruits in the mix, but feel free to sub in your own favorites.
Get the Açaí Bowls recipe.
Mango Lassi
Like a cross between a milkshake and a smoothie, mango lassi is a simple pleasure: all you need is about equal amounts of sweet mangoes and creamy full-fat yogurt, a little ice, and a high-powered blender to force the two ingredients into one drinkable treat.
Get the Mango Lassi recipe.
Bagels & Lox
Though you can almost always find scallion cream cheese, we included a mini recipe that adds extra herbaceous-ness thanks to fresh dill, which we all know pairs beautifully with salmon. Top these lox-y with whatever you like—we're partial to red onion, cucumbers, and capers, but you do you.
Get the Bagels & Lox recipe.
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