15 Vegan Breakfast Foods for Any Kind of Morning

Breakfast stumps a lot of new vegans. Even long-term vegans can get stuck in a rut, bored by monotony. Generally speaking, most of us are sleep-addled and hungry for something that we can’t put our finger on. Not everyone prepares an Instagram-worthy mini mason jar of overnight oats they can just “grab and go!” and the harsh sounds of blending a green smoothie make us cringe. These store-bought breakfast staples reliably offer nutrients, comfort, and satiety on any given morning. Here are the best vegan breakfast foods to stock up on.

What do vegans eat for breakfast?

Breakfast is hailed as one of the most important meals of the day. Along with a big cup of coffee, breakfast gives us the energy to coast through the morning. If you’re plant-curious, it’s also one of the easiest meals to make vegan. Good news: most breakfast foods can be made vegan. Instead of scrambled eggs, omelets, and quiches, there’s tofu scramble, chickpea omelets, and tofu quiche. There’s vegan bacon, meatless breakfast sausage, and even frozen breakfast burritos. 

Plant-based milk can be used the same way that you would use the dairy version. Cereal may seem vegan at first, but watch out for animal-derived ingredients such as milk, whey, honey, and vitamin D3, a lanolin-derived vitamin used by many manufacturers. If you’re a toast-lover, you’ll find that a lot of bread is vegan: just watch out for milk, eggs, butter, and honey.

17 vegan breakfast foods to start your day with

There are so many vegan options for breakfast beyond just smoothies and cold-pressed juice. Consistently busy mornings can turn skipping breakfast into a habit, so these convenient options will help you start your day off with ease.

Vegan cereal

Grab your favorite plant-based milk and dig in. You’ll want to snack on these vegan cereals even when it’s not breakfast.

Catalina Crunch

1 Catalina Crunch

This cereal tastes like “kid” cereal, but for adults. It’s sturdy and stands up to any plant milk you down it in, so while you may have to rush out the door, you don’t have to worry about scarfing down your cereal for fear of it getting soggy. The dark chocolate flavor is a staple in our cupboards. Bonus: just a half cup contains 11 grams of plant-based protein.

Barbara’s Bakery

2 Puffins

If there’s a child in the house, you’ll be fighting over this cereal. Sure, the adorable puffin is marketed toward kids, but there is no age limit to the satisfaction Peanut Butter Puffins provide.

Purely Elizabeth

 

3 Purely Elizabeth Granola 

Embrace the vegan hippie stereotype and pour yourself a satisfying bowl of granola. Any brand will do, but before you buy, check the ingredients to ensure the mix is honey-free. We love Purely Elizabeth’s Blueberry Hemp flavor over vegan yogurt or straight from the bag.

Vegan cream cheese & yogurt

There’s nothing like vegan yogurt with granola or a lightly-toasted everything bagel with a schmear for breakfast. Here are some of our favorites:

Forager

4 Forager

Former Yoplait lovers, check out Forager’s flavored cashew milk yogurts. The blueberry flavor is outstanding, with vanilla bean not far behind. The brand also offers high-protein and drinkable yogurts.

Silk

5 Silk

The dairy-free giant has mastered the art of yogurt. Choose between soy-, oat-, and almond-based varieties as you endure back-to-back morning Zoom calls. Top with honey-free granola and your favorite fruit for a quick and easy breakfast. Flavors include peach, strawberry, vanilla, and more.

Kite Hill

6 Kite Hill

Greek yogurt enthusiasts, meet the vegan counterpart. Kite Hill’s decadently thick and creamy, almond milk-based Greek yogurt deserves a spot in your fridge. Both the plain and vanilla varieties are unsweetened—providing a tart canvas for berries, granola, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

Vegan ready-made breakfasts

From waffles to overnight oats these ready-made breakfasts are most excellent time-savers.

Eat Just

7 JUST Egg 

These mung bean-based egg patties are a game-changer. Use them to top toast, sandwich between a bagel, or cover with sliced avocado and salsa for a filling yet minimal-effort morning meal.

Alpha Foods

8 Alpha Foods

There’s something primally satisfying about a microwave breakfast burrito. Both the Original Breakfast and Veggie Breakfast options scratch this itch. Vegan sausage, cheddar, and tofu scramble? Check.

Van’s Foods

9 Van’s Waffles

Not all of Van’s products are vegan, but we can’t get enough of the ones that are. The original, blueberry, and gluten-free apple cinnamon frozen waffles have satiated us on many lazy Sunday mornings (especially when topped with nut butter and banana slices).

MUSH

10 MUSH

Yes, overnight oats are easy to make, but they involve a level of preparation that doesn’t always happen. These packaged overnight oats are a go-to simply because they can be found in a plethora of coffee shops and cafés. It’s comforting to know that you don’t have to settle for a slightly stale plain bagel if you’re famished and on the go.

Vegan pancake & waffle mixes

Fun fact: many pancake and waffle mixes are vegan by default, so get your maple syrup and dairy-free butter ready.

Partake Foods

11 Partake Breakfast Mixes

Whether you’re in the mood for fluffy waffles or confetti-sprinkled pancakes on a gloomy Sunday morning, these gluten-free pancake mixes are exactly what you need. Keep a bag on hand and just add water for near-instant joy. Pro tip: you can make muffins from the mix, too!

Bisquick

12 Bisquick Original Pancake & Baking Mix

Before intentionally vegan baking mixes existed, there was Bisquick Original. It still reminds us of childhood sleepovers and tastes of nostalgia.

Vegan baked goods

Enjoy these muffins and pastries with a cup of coffee, tea, or canned latte.

Abe’s Muffins

13 Abe’s Muffins

Fair warning: these allergen-free, vegan mini muffins can be addictive. They’re sweet, moist, and come in a variety of flavors from basic blueberry to sinful Devil’s Food. Pop a few before you dash out the door.

Whole Foods

14 Whole Foods Vegan Croissants

Find these flaky, buttery pastries in Whole Foods’ prepared frozen section. While we’re still spending much of our time at home, we love to heat one of these up in the oven, brew a strong cup of coffee, and pretend we’re sitting outside our favorite vegan-friendly café.

Zen Bakery

15 Zen Bakery

We’re not sure how these Costco-sized muffins weigh in at under 300 calories each, but we’re thankful for them. These minimal-ingredient muffins are lightly sweetened with white grape juice and made with whole wheat flour, but the taste is anything but “healthy.” Favorite flavors include carrot cake and banana nut.

For more vegan breakfast, read:
8 Easy Vegan Breakfasts to Make Before School
The VegNews Guide to Dairy-Free Cream Cheese
5 Vegan Eggs Making the Conventional Version Obsolete