How to Put Breakfast on the Table in 5 Minutes

Breakfast: The Most Rushed Meal of the Day

I saw this meme recently that pretty much summarizes modern motherhood. It says “Regular people: Sorry I’m late. Traffic was nuts. Moms: Sorry I’m late. My daughter’s sweater was “too sweater-y” and the baby ate a Band-Aid.” For those times when it’s one of those mornings, getting a healthy breakfast in your kids’ bellies can feel like nothing short of a triumph of the will.

But ask the internet for time-saving kitchen advice, and you shall receive those tips—in spades. Here’s a list of some of the best (and most affordable) suggestions out there, that will help you get breakfast all set fast, so you’ll have a few minutes to spare the next time your toddler decides to throw one of their shoes out the window.

Overnight oats in mason jars

Know what’s faster than nuking a bowl of oatmeal? Pulling one out of the fridge ready-made. Preparing oats ahead of time gives them hours to soften up and absorb whatever flavors you choose to add: fresh berries, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon, cream. And when you place them in individual-sized mason jars before they go in the fridge, you have a ready-to-eat portioned breakfast on the go waiting for you in the morning. Since you’re probably wondering where to start, here are some great recipes to get you going.

Tension rod drawer dividers

Drawer pullouts for your kitchen cookware are nice—when you can get them. Not everyone has the spare cash to spend on a boatload of specialized drawer contraptions, though. Curtain rods, repurposed as tension rod drawer dividers, make rooting around for a spare tupperware lid a thing of the past—and it saves you from cleaning up an avalanche of water bottle parts every morning.

Partition your fridge

Organization just doesn’t come naturally to me, so I tend to balk at most organizational kitchen tips. However, this one is pretty darn smart. Dollar store bins and buckets, useful organizational tools that they are, also make it easy to prep breakfast in a snap. Group like items (such as everything your kiddos need to chow down in the morning) into a single bin in the evening, and getting breakfast ready will be as quick as pulling out the bucket and setting it out on the table.

Put an egg on it

Whoever created this clever kitchen hack deserves a raise and a new job title. It’s so simple. Just throw your leftovers into a microwavable casserole dish. Then, the next morning, crack a few eggs over the remnants and throw it in the microwave for 45 seconds to cook the egg. Don’t you love it when a tip is quick, affordable, and helps you use up what’s left of last night’s Spanish rice?

Set the table at night

Mornings are harried. Nights are often more leisurely, so using that time for a little ahead-of-time prep makes sense. If you can get yourself to do it, take a few minutes to set the table for breakfast in the morning, complete with any extras you need, like fresh bibs and water bottles. It’s a great way to set yourself up for success in the morning. Now, what to do about dinner? Well, you’re on your own on that one!

Erin Vaughan is a blogger, gardener and aspiring homeowner. She currently resides in Austin, TX where she writes full time for Modernize.com, with the goal of empowering homeowners with the expert guidance and educational tools they need to take on big home projects with confidence.