Cereal is easy. It’s a quick breakfast. It’s a bedtime snack. Let’s be honest: sometimes, it’s also dinner. And with the plethora of plant-based milks available these days, everyone, regardless of almost any dietary restriction, is welcome to the table. 

But do you really want to eat cereal seven days a week? And is it even any good for your body to have such a monotonous diet? No, and no. Instead, let’s explore some plant-based breakfast options that go far beyond the realm of cereal. Treat your body well, protect both your heart and the planet, fuel your workouts, and start your day off right with these nutritious and tasty plant-based breakfast options that will entice even meat lovers.

Plant-Based Breakfasts that Satisfy a Sweet Tooth

Americans like to start the day sweet. You can do the same, but without a sugar overload. Ditch the doughnuts. Pass on the pastry. Say goodbye to sugary cereal. Instead, reach for one of the following plant-based breakfast options.

Smoothies & Acai bowls 

Smoothies are a mainstay for those who want to eat well when on the go or in a hurry. From fruity and refreshing to chocolatey and creamy, the combinations are deliciously endless! Smoothies are also a great way to sneak leafy greens into a plant-based breakfast: simply throw a fresh or frozen handful into the blender with all the other ingredients. 

And then there’s a fun variation: smoothie bowls. With acai berry puree as the base and plenty of pretty toppings, you eat them with a spoon, so if you’re not quite ready to let go of the bowl-and-spoon breakfast experience, acai bowls will lead you over the bridge from cereal to all the other drool-worthy plant-based breakfast options. Smoothie bowls are also a beautiful feast for your eyes.

A Sampling of Thistle’s Smoothie Recipes:

Golden Mellow | Brownie Batter | TropicKale Green | Chunky Monkey

Cookies. Yes, Cookies! 

This plant-based breakfast option isn’t a cookie in the traditional sense - you’ll find no refined grains and high sugar content here. Instead, picture a circle-shaped, nutrient-dense granola bar with ingredients like almond flour, oats, nuts, and seeds. It’s just fun to call them cookies. Here’s a Thistle meal hack that transforms one of our plant-based breakfast menu items – Steel Cut Oats with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote – into a nutrient-dense cookie.

If you find yourself eating breakfast during your commute or once you get to work, or have kids in need of "second breakfast" while out doing morning activities, plant-based breakfast cookies will save the day because they’re extremely portable. What’s more, by incorporating them into a meal prep routine, you can make a big batch one weekend, and have enough to last through the month.

Fruit & Fixin’s 

Perhaps the most simple of plant-based breakfasts, apples, pears, bananas, and berries work great here. As for fixin’s, think almond butter, peanut butter, etc. Really, any nut or seed butter will do. Our Super Seed Nut Butter is great! Nutritious and crunchy additions like hemp seeds, chia seeds, or raw cacao nibs always make a great addition. When you pair the complex carbohydrates in fruit with the healthy fats and plant-based protein in nut butters seed toppings, your body digests the food at a slower and steadier pace, which better satisfies your hunger and keeps you feeling fuller for longer.

To assemble this plant-based breakfast, simply slice up the fruit, spread on some nut or seed butter, and sprinkle away. With a variety of textures and a creative presentation, a fruit & fixin’s plant-based breakfast makes it easy and fun to entice even kids to eat something besides cereal on a busy morning.

Rainbow Toast

Got a lot of fruit in the fridge? Make rainbow toast. Start with a thick slice of hearty toast. Next, add a layer of either nut butter, plant-based yogurt (we like Cocojune and Harmless Harvest), or vegan ricotta made with cashews. Optional: lightly sweeten the spread with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. Finally, add some fruit in an ombre or ROYGBIV pattern. Just as smoothie bowls are a feast for the eyes, so is this plant-based breakfast option.

Plant-Based Breakfasts that Satisfy a Savory Craving

Like your meals a little spicy and pleasantly piquant? These savory plant-based breakfasts will hit the spot, without the sodium, saturated fat, and other health risks that often accompany traditional meat-centric breakfast spreads.

Avocado Toast

Don’t let its once snarky meme status deter you. Whole grain toast (we suggest Young Kobras’ gluten-free sourdough!), perfectly ripe mashed avocado, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Simplicity and chef’s kiss perfection all at once! Want to jazz it up? Add a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of microgreens, some crushed red pepper, “everything bagel” seasoning, or a slice of tomato. Or all of the above! 

(Coconut) Bacon & (Tofu) Eggs

Sometimes you just gotta have the complete opposite of cold cereal: a hearty, stick-to-your-ribs hot breakfast like bacon and eggs. But why should meat-eaters have all the fun? A plant-based alternative awaits you in coconut and tofu! Coconut bacon is salty, crisp, and - thanks to its fat content - also super filling. Or try Cool Foods pinto bean-based bacon. Pair it with tofu scramble - a protein-rich dish that comes together quickly and is easy to customize and jazz up with all sorts of spices, fresh herbs, and sauteed veggies. To take this savory plant-based breakfast from classic to on-trend, turn it into a bowl: mix it all together and sprinkle some fresh herbs and hot sauce on top.

Chickpea Omelet

Want to take your plant-based breakfast-eating endeavors in a fancy, French direction? All you need is chickpea flour. It’s part of what makes several Indian dishes extra tasty. It’s also traditionally used in Italian and other Mediterranean cuisines to make savory pancakes called farinata or socca. When mixed with water, nutritious chickpea flour takes on the consistency and versatile function of beaten eggs, which makes it great for plant-based breakfasts. Hello, french toast batter (wait...that belongs in the sweet section above). Back to the savory point: hello, omelets!

Breakfast Burrito

If you want something fantastically filling and perfectly portable, try a plant-based breakfast burrito. Start with a tortilla, then add fillings of your choice – perhaps the above-mentioned coconut bacon and scrambled tofu combo. Or try a Tex-Mex version: black beans, tofu scramble, and salsa. We also suggest plant-based breakfast sausage made with walnuts or Longeve pea protein crumbles. Bonus: like breakfast cookies, you can make and freeze a ton of plant-based breakfast burritos on meal prep days.

Try incorporating at least a few of these delicious plant-based breakfasts into your weekly repertoire. If you’re too busy to plan and prepare breakfast, but still aspire to eat more plant-based meals, try a Thistle subscription. All of our breakfast items are 100% vegan and contain just the right amount of plant-based protein. From tons of smoothie bowls to hashes and scrambles made with tofu and chickpeas, Thistle offers both sweet and savory offerings for a delicious start to your day.