How To: 5 Shortcuts to Making Killer Breakfasts in a Hurry

Personally, I think everyone should have the freedom to sit down and enjoy a delicious breakfast each morning... but that isn't always attainable, especially because of the prep work and cook time that tasty meals often require.

• Don't Miss: How to Make a Full Breakfast Without a Skillet

Don't condemn yourself to granola bars and cold cereal just yet, though! There are a number of ways that you can streamline a breakfast in order to treat yourself to a decent meal in just a few minutes; here are my personal five favorite ways to do so.

1. Bake Your Bacon Beforehand

When I worked as a line cook, I learned a pretty nifty trick: the best way to make bacon is to pan fry bacon that's already cooked. When your bacon is already cooked, you can warm it in a pan in only 20 seconds or fry it until crisp in only a minute.

Simply bake a week's worth of bacon in the oven every weekend (I cook mine for about 15 minutes at 375°F). Allow the bacon to cool, pat it down with paper towels, and store your cooked bacon in the fridge in an airtight container or resealable bag. When you're ready to enjoy it in the morning, simply fry up a slice or two (or four!) for a quick and easy bacon treat.

• Don't Miss: How & Why You Should Make Your Own Bacon

2. Hard Boil Your Eggs

Hard-boiled eggs aren't as exciting as fried eggs and omelets, or as luxurious as scrambled eggs and eggs Benedict. But they pack just as much protein, and they're still very delicious.

To streamline your morning eggs, simply make a large batch of hard-boiled eggs during the week. Pair that with your baked bacon, and you can have bacon and eggs for breakfast in under 60 seconds. And if you want that scrambled eggs feel, you can make scrambled hard-boiled eggs!

• Don't Miss: How to Make Hard-Boiled Eggs That Are Easy to Peel

3. Add Lime to Your Fruit Salad

Fruit salad is one of my favorite breakfast items, but it usually doesn't last for more than a day or two. The easy solution to this problem is lime juice, which keeps your fruit from oxidizing or browning as quickly... and adds delicious tartness to your salad, as well. If you make a fruit salad on Sunday, and add fresh lime juice to it, it will stay fresh all the way through Friday.

• Don't Miss: Keep Apples, Bananas, & Other Fruits Fresher Longer

4. Make Individual Yogurts

One of my favorite breakfast hacks is individually-flavored yogurts. You can make them very easily on the weekend with your favorite healthy flavors, and they'll easily last all week. Plus, it ends up being cheaper than buying single-serve yogurts from the store.

5. Pancakes on Pancakes on Pancakes

Most people don't know this, but pancakes hold incredibly well if you keep them in the freezer. When I make pancakes, I always make a huge batch and put the leftovers in the freezer so I can have pancakes whenever I want them. All it takes is a few seconds in the microwave (or the toaster) and you have pancakes that are as good as fresh off the griddle.

• Don't Miss: The Clever Trick That Makes Stuffed Pancakes a Cinch

Apply these breakfast hacks to your mornings, and you'll suddenly find yourself making delicious, nutritious, and fun breakfasts with plenty of time to spare.

More Time-Saving Hacks:

• How to Ripen an Avocado in 10 Minutes or Less
• How to Tenderize Tough Cuts of Meat in a Hurry—Without a Mallet
• Bring Eggs, Milk, & Butter to Room Temp in Minutes
• Make Homemade Sausage for Any Recipe in 10 Minutes
• Quickles: DIY Pickles That Take Only 10 Minutes to Make