13 Healthy Brunch Ideas to Step Up Midmorning Meals
Brunch doesn't have to mean heavy dishes loaded with calories. These lighter options taste just as good, and they're easy to make.
Fact checked by Marcus Reeves
These healthy brunch ideas feature simple swaps, sneaky vegetables, and hearty whole grains that make eating healthy a breeze, especially compared to donuts and eggs Benedict. High in flavor, fiber, and protein, yet low in sodium and calories (350 or less), each of these brunch recipes leave plenty of flexibility to add a mimosa or smoothie on the side.
Related:18 Tasty Ways to Add Vegetables to Your Breakfast
Chia Pudding
Sharing the morning with guests who don't know each other all that well—or who could use a nudge to reconnect? An interactive buffet always gets the party buzzing. But instead of the classic bagel bar, switch things up with this healthy brunch idea. Set out a big bowl of chia pudding (seeds are one of the top eight heart-healthy foods to add to your menu, according to dietitians) for guests to serve themselves and garnish as desired with a selection of fresh fruit, nuts, unsweetened large coconut flakes, cocoa powder, and honey.
Fruit Platter with Maple-Mascarpone Dip
Sure, you could set out a bunch of bananas or a bowl of berries. Or you could up the ante and make fresh fruit extra-enticing with this healthy brunch idea. Slicing the fruit in advance means it's attractive and easy to grab. Pair it with a maple syrup-mascarpone dip, and you have a side dish that can play double duty as dessert.
Related:How to Cut a Watermelon 4 Ways So You Can Savor Summer's Best
Broccoli-Cheddar Egg Sandwiches
With all the stacking, assembly, and messy transportation required, breakfast sandwiches might seem challenging if you're attending a potluck or hosting a crowd. But this healthy brunch idea offers the best of both worlds; it's portable, feeds 12, and comes together shockingly quickly. The key? Baking the veggie-stocked egg portion in a sheet pan!
Related:The Best Potluck Casseroles That Will Have Everyone Asking for Seconds
Oatmeal 4 Ways
Go ahead, invite guests to BYOB. No, not bottles of sparkling wine for mimosas (although we'd never say no to that!). After you make the base easy oatmeal mixture for this healthy brunch recipe, ask each diner to "build your own bowl." A selection of toppings, including fresh and dried fruit, toasted nuts and nut butters, sweeteners, and baking spice blends, allow every bowl to be its own unique masterpiece.
Related:How to Cook Oatmeal and Take Your Bowl Over the Top—31 Different Ways
Breakfast Salad with Avocado and Eggs
Salad isn't just a dinner starter anymore. Instead, the base is a bed of leafy greens, fresh avocado, radishes, and carrot ribbons. This healthy brunch idea comes with not one but two dressings, too: an herbaceous vinaigrette and a runny egg yolk.
Related:How to Cut an Avocado Correctly in 3 Easy Steps
Pineapple-Spinach Smoothies
Sure, coffee is a crowd-pleaser drink pairing with your healthy brunch menu. But why not perk things up with a healthy smoothie? Thanks to Greek yogurt and chia seeds, plus banana, spinach, and pineapple, this 10-minute mix is a sweet and speedy way to add an impressive 7 grams of fiber and 16 grams of protein to your total nutrition tally.
Roasted Breakfast Pears
As sweet as a pastry while being far lower in refined carbs and sugar (two of the five biggest triggers of chronic inflammation), these low-fuss pear parfaits are "OUTSTANDING!" according to one BH&G reader. Roasted in a bit of butter, plus orange juice and vanilla, then topped with maple-infused Greek yogurt, this fresh fruit recipe is the epitome of balance. Garnish with slivered almonds for a welcome textural contrast and a little more heart-healthy fat.
Lemon Crepes
A fresh berry topping is a delicious way to perk up, sweeten up, and vitamin-stoke these rich, mascarpone-filled crepes. The lemon zest in the batter gives the healthy brunch idea a zesty citrus punch. Although this entrée might look fancy and fussy, one BH&G fan says the crepes have "Extremely good batter and are super easy to make."
Related:What to Sub for Lemon Zest, Lime Zest, and Orange Zest in a Pinch
Spiced Apple and Chickpea Muffins
Step away from those massive bakery muffins and bite into one of these sneakily high-protein muffins instead. Yogurt, applesauce, and mashed chickpeas (shh…we won't tell the picky eaters!) make these pie-spiced muffins dense yet tender.
Try this healthy brunch recipe with white whole-wheat flour or half all-purpose and half whole-wheat to add a tiny bit more fiber, if desired.
Birdie in the Basket
The savory hash brown basket of these adorable egg cups is just the beginning. Inside this creative muffin tin recipe is a cheesy baked egg topped with vibrant basil pesto and fresh, sweet-tart cherry tomatoes. This healthy brunch idea will please gluten-free, low-carb, and low-calorie diners or anyone who enjoys savory brunch fare.
Caballeros Pobres (Bread Pudding with Cinnamon-Pecan Syrup)
Think of this Mexican bread pudding-like baked French toast with a bit of Latin American flair. Start with a whole-wheat baguette instead of white bread to add more nutrition to this healthy brunch idea. Then serve it with fruit plus a side of this stellar sauce: Cinnamon, cloves, crunchy walnuts, raisins, and piloncillo (AKA panela, a raw form of pure cane sugar commonly used in Central and Latin America) team up for a syrup that's unlike anything you'll find on supermarket shelves. "So good... Couldn't stop eating it," one BH&G fan raves.
Pumpkin Pancakes
Here's a bright idea: Add a scoop of canned pumpkin for loads of moisture, natural sweetness, and satisfying autumnal flavor in a classic pancake batter. (It's a good source of fiber, iron, and vitamin A, too!) With a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger, the pumpkin makes this one of our favorite healthy brunch recipe ideas come fall—or any time of year.
Related:16 Healthy Pumpkin Desserts for Any Time You Crave a Taste of Fall
French Omelet
Channel your inner Julia Child and add this healthy brunch recipe to your lineup this weekend. We explain how to make the fluffy, protein-rich egg exterior; then, you can get creative and stuff it with your favorite vitamin-rich fresh sautéed or roasted vegetables.
The key to a perfectly light omelet is to not overcook it—the eggs should be just set and shiny.
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