Here Are 7 Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Make the Night Before

For many of us, eating a healthy breakfast loses the battle to hitting the snooze button (maybe a few times). Despite having "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day" grilled into our brains from childhood, at least 15% of Americans continue to skip out on their morning meal, Time reported.

Unfortunately, the saying actually holds true, and eating a good breakfast reaps a multitude of health benefits. Studies have found that eating breakfast not only helps lower heart disease in men, but also helps improve people's cognitive function and memory, Live Science reported. On the other hand, skipping breakfast has shown to increase the risk for diabetes in women and slow down weight loss efforts. 

Read more: 11 Photos of Breakfast Around the World Show What Americans Should Really Be Eating

But taking just a little bit of time the evening before can result in a delicious and healthy breakfast for the next morning — or even the next few days. Here are seven breakfast ideas that won't disrupt your morning and aren't bagels: 

1. Lemon coconut chia pudding

In the almond milk, the chia seeds soak and soften overnight into a creamy breakfast that tastes more like dessert. Top with maple syrup, coconut flakes and fruit of your choice to add both texture and flavor. Find the recipe here. 

2. Homemade granola bars

Make a batch of these granola bars on Sunday night and enjoy them for the rest of the week. This recipe calls for rolled oats, almonds, chia seeds, cranberries and chocolate chips for a little bit of indulgence. Find the recipe here. 

3. Freezer breakfast sandwiches

Breakfast sandwiches don't have to come from the deli, but rather the back of your freezer. When you have some spare time, break and bake about ten eggs in a well-sprayed muffin tin and also sizzle up some bacon or another kind of breakfast meat. After that's all cooked, assemble the sandwiches with English muffins and sliced cheese. Freeze in plastic bags and microwave for about a minute and a half before heading out the door. Find the recipe here. 

4. Overnight oats

If you've got spare jars laying around then you should be on the overnight oat team. The foundation of overnight oats is a quarter of a cup of rolled oats mixed with half a cup of the milk of your choice. Then add toppings of your choice, like chia seeds, maple syrup, berries, coconut flakes or nut butter. Stir to combine and let sit overnight. Find the recipe here. 

5. Chocolate quinoa muffins 

Chocolate muffins get a healthy makeover thanks to the protein of quinoa. Almond meal, applesauce and some chocolate chips help make these indulgent little guys the perfect grab-and-go breakfast. They can be stored for up the four days in a cool, dry place or for three months in the freezer. Find the recipe here. 

6. Double berry banana bread baked oatmeal

Mash up those overripe bananas and add in some Greek yogurt, rolled oats and almond milk for a pan of rich baked oatmeal. Nutmeg, vanilla extract and cinnamon give off both delicious aroma and flavor. The best part is that it can stay in the fridge for up to four days and be eaten cold or hot, depending on how late you woke up that day. Find the recipe here. 

7. Mini ham and cheese quinoa cups

This one is for the savory lovers. These breakfast bites are packed with protein thanks to the quinoa. They're also super easy to make the night before, since all you do is combine and mix the ingredients of cooked quinoa, eggs, lean chopped ham, zucchini and cheese into a bowl, then just bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown. Freeze them and when ready to eat, pop them in the microwave for just 40 seconds. Find the recipe here.