Food bills add up even faster these days. Get your day started off on the right foot with the easy frugal breakfast ideas.
Whether you’re a busy family on the go or a new graduate with limited time in the mornings, don’t skip breakfast to save a little extra dough! Starting your day with a healthy breakfast doesn’t have to add unnecessary stress to your food budget.
There are lots of affordable, frugal breakfast ideas that are both easy to whip up and easy on your wallet. Check out a few of my favorites, including links to recipes at the end of this article.
Note: Some links may be affiliate links. That means I may make a commission if you use my links to purchase, at no extra added cost to you! I only recommend products that I personally love and believe in. Full disclosure here.
7 Frugal Breakfast Ideas
These cheap and easy breakfast ideas are versatile and easy to adapt to your own tastes. They’re easy to make, and also great options to be customize with seasonal options, helping to stretch your dollar further too.
Fruit
In our world of “meals,” it can be easy to forget just how cheap and easy fresh fruit is for a meal (especially on busy mornings). Bananas and apples are usually incredibly inexpensive at the grocery store and easy to throw in your bag.
Depending on the season and where you live, oranges, peaches and strawberries are also great choices. If you have time to cut it up, cantaloupe and other melon can make a great fruit salad and are delicious and healthy cheap breakfast idea when in season.
Eggs
Eggs are one of the cheapest breakfast ideas that can be made a variety of ways. If you enjoy hard-boiled eggs, make them ahead of time and store them in the fridge. Just grab one, peel it and go!
Scrambled eggs are a great protein rich food to mix with leftovers in the morning when you have time to make a meal before you leave. You can also add eggs to a piece of toast or an English muffin with a few toppings to make a cheap breakfast sandwich. Experiment with cheese, veggies, hot sauce or different spreads.
Eggs are a healthy option for a quick meal, especially if you’re on a tight budget.
Toast
Want a simple morning meal? Sliced bread continues to be pretty inexpensive, making toast a great base for multiple frugal breakfast ideas. It can be as simple as adding a little butter or some peanut butter and jelly, or you can make it more filling by adding other toppings.
Try sliced fruit on top of peanut butter or a hazelnut spread, or add an egg and a few slices of lunchmeat, or try some cream cheese. Hummus is another easy topping that adds protein to help keep you full longer. Add sliced radishes, tomatoes or carrots for a crunch.
When avocados are in season, avocado toast is a yummy and filling cheap breakfast too. Smash the avocado onto the toasted bread and sprinkle a little salt and pepper.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the easiest frugal breakfast ideas on this list. There are plenty of options you can grab at the store and cook quickly in the microwave.
If you aren’t a fan of that, you’re not alone! Many people don’t like the consistency of instant pre-packaged oatmeal. There are a few ways to make your oatmeal taste better.
Try changing the water to oats ratio. If you like a thicker oatmeal, add less water. For a thinner, more watery option, add more. Adding milk instead of water is a favorite of mine!
Toppings make a BIG difference. Not only do they add extra flavor, but they help make your breakfast heartier. Different fruits, like apples, bananas and raisins taste great. Walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar or a little maple syrup also add a little something extra.
Give traditional oats a try to. Oats are great pantry staples to have on hand for a variety of recipes.
Homemade Yogurt Parfaits
While it might look fancy, a fruit and yogurt parfait is actually a delicious frugal breakfast idea. To make it affordable, buy the large economy-size yogurt instead of individual cups. Plain Greek yogurt is the healthiest option at most grocery stores.
Add sliced fruits like grapes, blueberries, strawberries and peaches, a little honey and a handful of granola if you want an extra crunch.
Breakfast Wraps and Burritos
Our family eats a lot of tortillas, because they’re such a cheap and versatile way to repurpose foods. Breakfast burritos are a simple frugal breakfast idea that’s easy to customize too.
Just take a scrambled egg, diced veggies and cheese and wrap in a flour tortilla. That’s it! If you want to take it a step further, use your leftovers to make a heartier one. I love to reheat protein, like chicken, beef and even shrimp, and mix with the eggs and veggies before wrapping it all together. Not only does it help you make sure your leftovers get eaten before they go bad, it tastes great too.
Breakfast Sandwiches
Homemade breakfast sandwiches are one of my favorite cheap breakfast ideas for a family. You can preassemble a bunch of cheap breakfast sandwiches ahead of time, wrap individually and throw in the freezer!
Just take an English muffin, add a fried egg and your favorite toppings like a slice of lunchmeat or leftover protein, cheese or veggies. Wrap and freeze, and just grab one on your way to work or school. Pop in the oven to reheat.
Easy and Delicious Cheap Breakfast Ideas
Looking for even more inspiration? Check out these easy frugal meals from some of our favorite bloggers! These frugal breakfast ideas were chosen because they are easy meals to make, inexpensive per serving and great for families. The hardest part will be deciding which delicious recipe you want to try first!
Instant Pot Egg Bites
Instant Pot egg bites are a quick and cheap breakfast to make during the week or in advance for meal prep. Simple and easy to customize, they’re a family favorite that are also freezer-friendly! Make a batch for less than $2!
Get the Instant Pot Egg Bites Recipe from Mimosas & Motherhood
Potato Sausage Broccoli Breakfast Casserole
This easy breakfast casserole made with potato, sausage and broccoli is simple to assemble and make to enjoy all week for the entire family. Plus, it comes out to just $2 per serving.
Get the Potato, Sausage and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole recipe from Creative Cynchronicity
Quick and Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Who doesn’t love banana bread?? This recipe makes 12 muffins, or 4 mini loaves and only requires 25 minutes of cook time. Costs less than $4 for the batch, making it only $0.33 a muffin or $1 a loaf.
Get this simple banana bread recipe from The Default Cook
Moroccan Shakshuka
Moroccan shakshuka is a frugal but delicious meal that’s made with canned tomatoes, onions and eggs. It costs about $4 for a meal and has 3 servings that are packed with protein and flavor.
Get the Moroccan Shakshuka recipe from Urban Farmie
Heart-Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Breakfast Casserole Bake
This raisin oatmeal breakfast bake makes a large portion that you can eat throughout the week. Bake it on a Sunday for just a few dollars per serving!
Get the Oatmeal Raising Breakfast Casserole from Savvy Mama Lifestyle
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats is the perfect recipe for a high protein, low carb breakfast assembled in minutes. This delicious and healthy vegan breakfast is made with oat milk, chia seeds, peanut butter, rolled oats and sweetened with honey and optional chocolate chips, all for about $2.50!
Get the Peanut Butter Overnight Oats from Simply Scrumptious Eats
Sheet Pan Pancakes
Love fluffy pancakes? Sheet pan pancakes are a great way to make up a big batch in just 5 minutes that are easy to customize too. Make an entire pan for less than $0.25 a serving! Great for a large family or just a bunch of people who each want their own kind of pancakes.
Get the Sheet Pan Pancakes Recipe from Mimosas & Motherhood
Low Carb Ham and Egg Cups
These ham and egg cups are made with just a few ingredients like ham, eggs, spinach, milk and cheese in a muffin pan for about $4 for the batch.
Get the Low Carb Ham and Egg Cups from Tasty Galaxy
Frugal Breakfast FAQ’s
Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions and answers, to help you get the most our of these frugal breakfast ideas.
What are the cheapest breakfast foods?
Yogurt, cereal, eggs, toast, fruit and oats are among the cheapest breakfast foods. Depending on where you live there might also be other items that are especially affordable when in season.
What is the most filling breakfast on a budget?
If you want to feel full for longer, consider eating these breakfast foods:
Oatmeal
Eggs
Whole grain toast with nut butter
Avocado
Bananas
You might also enjoy these articles:
Creative Budget Birthday Ideas for Your Husband
How to Create a Grocery List for College Students on a Budget
Breakfast on a Budget
Breakfast truly is the most important meal of the day! Feeling full helps you stay focused, healthy and grounded. While the ideas on this list are great, we want to know: what are your personal favorite cheap breakfast ideas?
If you found this article on frugal breakfast ideas helpful, please share it on social media or pin it on Pinterest to help other families save money on breakfast too!
