Save money and take advantage of basic hotel amenities with these 12 easy breakfast ideas when traveling! Family-friendly breakfast ideas that are perfect for road trips.
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Sitting down to eat a full breakfast when on vacation doesn’t always fit into the schedule. And let’s be honest: it’s not always budget friendly either. If you’re like my family, we prefer to spend our time and money enjoying activities and creating memories over sitting down to eat food.
Not only that, many lodging accommodations (hotel, motel, Airbnb, etc) have at least a microwave, coffee maker and small fridge for you to use while staying there. Use that to your advantage and get creative with your breakfast ideas when on vacation!
My family recently came back from a 10 day road trip along the California and Oregon Coast. Each day was full of new and exciting adventures and we didn’t want to spend a lot of time on breakfast in the morning. In fact, we tried to make many of our breakfast items to go so we could eat them in the car.
Check out this list of breakfast ideas for when you’re traveling and let me know what else you’d add in the comments!
12 Easy Breakfast Ideas When Traveling
- Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches or breakfast bowls
- Parfait: yogurt, fruit, granola
- Pancakes or Waffles: using Dash mini pancake/waffle irons
- Hard boiled eggs
- Protein bites: Prepackaged mix, such as Kodiak Cake brand, homemade, etc.
- *TIP* Make ahead of time and store in a resealable bag or food container with a lid.
- Oatmeal: Overnight oatmeal or instant oatmeal.
- *TIP* Add fresh fruit, milk and brown sugar.
- *BONUS TIP* Use the coffee maker to heat the water.
- Muffins: Prepackaged mini muffins, Costco muffins or homemade muffins, like these easy applesauce muffins.
- Bagels and cream cheese or jam
- Breakfast shakes: Individual servings or powder mix.
- *TIP* Bring a blender bottler.
- Cereal and milk
- Smoothies: Bring pre-portioned fruit in resealable bags.
- *TIP* Bring your personal blender, such as a Magic Bullet or Ninja.
- Pop-tarts or other prepackaged pastries
Make Breakfast Easy When Traveling
Vacation Breakfast Hacks and Tips
Plan your breakfasts out ahead of time – If you know you need to leave your hotel at 7am, choose a breakfast that can easily be prepped the night before and/or quick to take with you in the morning and eat on the way. Slower mornings can be used to make breakfasts that might take a little longer.
Fresh fruit first – If you’re going on a longer trip, eat breakfasts that use fresh ingredients, like fruit, first. This way, you aren’t wasting food that may start to go bad, especially berries and bananas.
Lodging amenities – Double check the amenities where you are staying. Do they have a microwave and no fridge? Does the fridge have a freezer section or do you need to bring a cooler and ice? Is there a coffee maker? Save yourself from frustration with this simple tip.
Make pancakes or waffles with a Mini Dash – When making mini waffles/pancakes, consider buying a smaller box of mix or the Bisquick Shake and Pour bottle. If you are measuring out from a box, make sure to bring a mixing bowl, whisk and measuring cups. The mini Dash irons are perfect for traveling and if you have a couple of them, you will get breakfast made twice as fast. I recommend storing them in the boxes they come in to make it more compact.
*BONUS TIP* Remember to bring a can of cooking spray.
Try it first – Try new foods out at home before your trip. What you might think is a great breakfast idea on vacation might end up wasted if your family doesn’t actually like it.
Paper goods – Paper goods, such as as bowls, plates, paper towels, straws and plastic silverware, will save time on rising out dishes as you pack up and head out the door. Disposable or reusable plastic bags are also a great item to bring to store any leftover food or to portion out snacks.
I hope this list of 12 easy breakfast ideas when traveling has helped you prepare for your next adventure!
What does your family love to eat for breakfast when traveling?
