We’re often told that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but with our busy, fast-paced lives, it can sometimes feel difficult to prepare a healthy balanced breakfast before rushing out the door. The weekend is often where breakfast comes into its own, with many people enjoying a leisurely fry up at home, or a tasty breakfast or brunch in a local cafe.

While a full English breakfast is a delicious treat once in a while, the importance of a healthy breakfast shouldn’t be overlooked, and it’s one way to ensure your body and mind starts the day with all the fuel it needs. If you run your own cafe then it’s more than likely that you’ll be aware of the need to offer balanced breakfast options, especially as more and more people turn to a vegan or ‘clean eating’ lifestyle.

If you run a cafe and are looking to expand your breakfast offerings beyond the usual pastries, fry ups or porridge, then luckily there are plenty of delicious healthy breakfast ideas to explore. From trendy chai smoothie bowls to filling yoghurt based dishes, there are many delicious options to choose from. If your cafe or local business is looking for some inspiration for breakfast options, read on for your handy guide.

The benefits of a healthy breakfast

As mentioned, many of us have grown up being told that breakfast is the ‘most important meal’, but with so much conflicting diet and health advice out there, you may have forgotten exactly why that is. Taking the time to not skip breakfast (and eating something more balanced than a sugary bowl of cereal) has many short and long term health benefits, which we will discuss below.

Improved memory and concentration

Carbohydrates are essential for healthy brain function, and there are many delicious complex carbs to choose from in the morning, including oats, wholemeal bread, bananas and Greek yoghurt. Studies have shown that children who eat a balanced breakfast have improved cognitive skills, but this is a benefit that can apply at any age.

It helps prevent overeating

Most of us have experienced this familiar scenario: you’re in such a rush that there’s no time to eat breakfast, and your work morning is so busy that you can’t even stop for a snack. By lunchtime, you’re starving, and likely to overeat to make up for it. When we’re that hungry, we’re also more likely to choose fattier or more unhealthy foods, but eating breakfast can prevent this and ensure you don’t go starving throughout the day.

Boosts metabolism

A healthy breakfast boosts metabolism and keeps blood sugar levels stable throughout the day, which is important for both your health and your mood. A boost in metabolism can help individuals manage their weight, and ensure that you don’t have spikes and dips in blood sugar which can make you feel irritable or lethargic.

Healthy breakfast ideas

Now you’ve seen just a few reasons why breakfast is such an important meal, it makes sense to offer a range of healthy and tasty options if you run your own cafe. We’ve selected a few classics, such as healthy pancakes, as well as more modern options such as chai smoothie bowls, or yoghurt dishes with a twist. For some tempting ideas that will keep your customers satisfied all day, see below for a few of our favourite ideas.

Chai smoothie bowls

These smoothie bowls are high in protein, easily adaptable for vegans, and most importantly, they taste great. Adding the chai flavour is as simple as infusing some milk (or almond, oat or cow’s milk alternative) with chai tea bags for five to ten minutes first. The staple of the bowl is made by blending together oats, the infused milk and some frozen bananas, before pouring into a bowl and topping with some extras of your choice. Popular choices include blueberries, toasted nuts and seeds, strawberries, honey or yoghurt.

Yoghurt based dishes

Buying bulk yoghurt for your breakfast dishes is both affordable and versatile, with many wholesale yoghurt suppliers offering a wide range of flavoured yoghurts, Greek yoghurt, and vegan alternatives made from coconut or soy. Yoghurt can be used as the staple of breakfast bowls, like the smoothie bowls above, simply top with fruit, nuts or seeds of your choice.

You could also serve smoothies or healthy milkshakes blended with yoghurt, or mix it with oats to create a balanced breakfast bowl high in protein and carbohydrates.

Overnight oats

Preparing overnight oats the night before to serve the next day saves you labour time (in comparison to cooking up porridge the next morning), and soaking oats this way is said to offer more nutritional benefits in comparison to cooking them. Soak large batches of oats in water or milk and a little cinnamon, then portion up as and when the next morning, topping with a combination of yoghurt, fruit, berries, honey or nut butter.

Healthy pancakes

Pancakes don’t have to be loaded with fat and sugar, and there are many easy ways to make pancakes that are both healthy and delicious. Using wholemeal flour and just the egg whites (no yolk), still create that much-wanted fluffy texture, and like many of the ideas on this list, pancakes can be topped with a range of different tasty combinations.

Many cafes offer different variations including yoghurt and berries, banana and honey, or maple syrup and bacon for a sweet and savoury treat.

Breakfast burritos

If you want to include some more savoury options, a range of breakfast burritos are healthy, filling, and can be eaten on the go for customers in a rush. They can be adapted for meat eaters, vegetarians or vegans, and staple ingredients often include black beans, scrambled tofu or egg, avocado, peppers and chorizo.

Burritos are made to order, and many people love the option to customize theirs with the exact fillings they like, from a traditional breakfast of scrambled egg, sausage and mushroom, to something packed full of healthy vegetables such as kale, mushrooms and red pepper.

Egg-based options

Eggs are packed full of protein, as well as vitamins A, D and B12, giving you some of the vital nutrients you need, and ensuring you stay fuller for longer. Eggs are relatively inexpensive too, and can be purchased from a wholesale food distributor to save you money on profit margins. Eggs are so versatile, and be used to make omelettes, scrambled egg dishes, poached eggs on toast, or a classic hard boiled egg and soldiers.

Porridge

Some people might have unsavoury memories of grey, lumpy porridge from old school days, but done right, the reality of porridge is very different. It makes an ideal winter warmer, and the slow release of oats improves blood sugar control, plus there are many other benefits including lower cholesterol levels, and a high antioxidant content.

Porridge toppings that work especially well together include banana and cinnamon, apple and pecan, peanut butter and jam, or toasted coconut and cacao powder.

If you’re looking for the highest quality wholesale foods and dairy products for your cafe or shop, check out the selection at Freshways. We’re proud to offer the freshest milk and dairy products to our customers, with a wide range of breakfast foods available including wholesale yoghurt, cream, cheese, juices, butters and spreads. We also stock a wide range of brand names, including Muller Vitality yoghurt, Onken natural yoghurt, Hovis bread, and vegan alternatives like Alpro soya or coconut milk.

For more information about any of our products, or to discuss placing an order, don’t hesitate to give us a call today, or browse the extensive range of products on our website.