25 Healthy Breakfast Bar + Muffin Recipes (2024)

Breakfast: It’s the most important meal of the day, but pounding donuts is hardly healthy (though it can be). And noshing on healthy foods can feel kind of boring. Eating your bowl of cereal on the reg gets stale and oatmeal‘s not exactly a riveting morning option. If you need some help getting on track with your morning meals and can’t bare to skip out on carbs, check out these recipes for healthy muffins and breakfast bars — they’ll make it easy to wake up on the right side of the bed!

1. Caramelized Banana Oat Muffins: If you’ve ever considered eating a slice (or a loaf) of banana bread for breakfast, you may have just found your muffin match. Caramelizing bananas before baking adds a touch of sweetness to these better-for-you bites. (via Pinch of Yum)

2. Coconut Almond Bars: Almonds, cashews, coconut and honey make a heck of a breakfast bar. The short ingredient list here is sure to entice, and the yummy crunchy goodness will have you coming back for more. (via Feasting at Home)

3. Whole Wheat Toasted Almond Pumpkin Muffins: Rich pumpkin meets wholesome whole wheat flour in this muffin recipe that screams autumn. Make these when you want to snuggle in a cozy sweater and picture the colors of fall foliage! (via How Sweet It Is)

4. Three Ingredient Energy Bars: Yep, you read that right. Nuts, dried fruit and Medjool dates are all you need to make this no-fuss, portable breakfast treat. Even more awesome: These are all ingredients packed with fiber, which will keep you fuller longer. (via The Kitchn)

5. Quinoa Carrot Cake Muffins: Quinoa is the superfood of this generation — it’s a mighty little grain that can add a healthy boost to any recipe. Try it out in these carrot cake muffins, because why wouldn’t you want dessert for breakfast? (via Domestic Fits)

6. Almond Joy Granola Bars: We’ll take any excuse to make candy a part of a balanced breakfast. These granola bars take the sin factor out of eating something deliciously tropical, like an Almond Joy, for guilt-free, tummy pleasing morning munching. (via Oh She Glows)

7. Raspberry Carob Chip Muffins: There are lots of healthy swaps you can make to your baking cabinet. One that’s totally nom-worthy? Carob chips! Give them a try in any sweet treat, but why not start with these muffins? (via Healthy Recipe Ecstasy)

8. Raw Energy Bars: One of the benefits to eating raw food is nutrients in their highest-wattage form. Case in point: These bars, which combine dates with cocoa to give you a flavor reminiscent of brownies in every energy packed bite. (via Sea Salt with Food)

9. Paleo Breakfast Bars: Paleo is kind of a throwback diet — it looks at caveman nutrition and brings it into our era. If you’re looking for a delicious introduction to the Paleo diet, test out these bars featuring seeds, nuts and a touch of honey. (via Elana’s Pantry)

10. Sweet Potato, Quinoa and Dark Chocolate Muffins: Sweet potatoes team up with quinoa, chocolate chips, coconut and a slew of other yummy foods to make a super stellar muffin. One huge perk that these feature? A quinoa crumble that’ll remind you of coffee cake topping… delicious! (via Half Baked Harvest)

11. Egg Muffins: Maybe you’re someone who enjoys a breakfast of many components. Don’t worry, we didn’t forget you! Here’s a recipe for egg-cellent omelets to-go so you can pack up your platter and bring it wherever you need to go. (via Brit + Co)

12. Superfood Breakfast Bars: If you’re looking for a healthy fix, look no further than these bars. With oatmeal, blueberries, almonds, pumpkin seeds and banana all making an appearance, you can ditch your morning vitamin ritual and charge up your body with all the good stuff these bars have to offer. And they’re pretty. (via A Healthy Life For Me)

13. Spinach Muffins: Need a little extra strength? Channel your inner Popeye and go green with these iron-rich muffins. These are yummy, good for you and a great way to get some veggies in. (via The Green Forks)

14. Bakery Style Blueberry Yogurt Muffins: Blueberry muffins are a classic, and some may hesitate with messing with such an iconic food. But, if you’re looking for that nostalgic taste in a healthier vessel, give these muffins made with Greek yogurt a try. (via It’s Always Autumn)

15. Raspberry Lemon Muffins: If your mornings could use some sunshine, give these muffins a try! With the marriage of raspberries and lemon, these little bites allow you to eat the food equivalent of summer for breakfast. (via How Does She)

16. Carrot Coconut Morning Glory Muffins: You might think of carrots as rabbit food: Ditch that philosophy, stat. Carrots are chock full of vitamins and nutrients and they’re naturally sweet, making them a great base for a nutritious morning treat that is glorious, indeed. (via Ambitious Kitchen)

17. Salsa Egg Bites: If you’re in need of some extra spice in your life, try adding a dose of salsa to your mini egg muffins. It’s like huevos rancheros that you can take with you. Bonus: These can be frozen to save for later in the week! (via Three in Three)

18. Cranberry Coconut Raw Bars: We touched on why raw is good for you earlier, so you already know that these bars are a great breakfast choice. These have cranberries for a little tartness, so pucker up! (via Not Your Standard)

19. Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars: Trail mix is a trailblazer when it comes to smart snacking, so putting it in bar form is borderline brilliant. Add protein-packed peanut butter to the mix, and you’ve got yourself a breakfast choice that’s smarter than Einstein. (via Sally’s Baking Addiction)

20. Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana Muffins: Squash your issues with zucchini, okay? Coupled with banana in this muffin, it’s a great way to get some veggies in and also get tons of vitamins per bite. (via Amy’s Healthy Baking)

21. Quinoa Breakfast Bars With Blueberries: Blueberries are not just a delicious and delightfully colored little fruit. They’re filled to the brim with lots of antioxidants, and teamed up with quinoa, they’re a great addition to a nutritious breakfast. (via Gluten-Free Goddess)

22. Applesauce Oat Muffins: Love apple cinnamon oatmeal? Whip up a batch of these muffins to make those flavors portable. With filling oatmeal and Greek yogurt both making an appearance in this recipe, you can nosh on ’em guilt free. (via Lovely Little Kitchen)

23. Quinoa Breakfast Bars: If you’re a grab-and-go type, these quinoa granola bars are a great morning option. This recipe calls for dried fruit and nuts, so consider making your own combinations to get all your favorites into one bar! (via Yummy Workshop)

24. Skinny Tropical Muffins: Bananas. Coconut. Pineapple. Citrus. Pretty much everything yummy is included in this one. These muffins are also pretty good for you, with under a cup of the sweet stuff in the whole batch and yogurt as a swap for oil. You sold yet? So are we. (via Sally’s Baking Addiction)

25. Olive Oil + Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins: Olive oil and Greek yogurt unite to bring you a blueberry muffin that’s light, but includes a dash of protein and antioxidants. Skip the streusel topping to save even more calories and dig in! (via Let The Baking Begin)

Got any winning good-for-you breakfast recipes of your own? Tell us about your own creations —we’re hungry for more!

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Ashley Lee

Ashley is a homegrown New Englander with an affinity for artwork living in the Boston area. She loves painting with watercolors, the city of New Orleans, and like most Bostonians, she enjoys her iced coffee year-round. See her latest creative works on her Etsy shop, Oh My, How Lovely!

25 Healthy Breakfast Bar + Muffin Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Are muffins a healthy breakfast? ›

"They can be packed with added sugar and low in fiber, sending your blood sugar levels on a roller coaster before you even get to work," says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT. Yet, muffins can be a healthy breakfast option if you make them at home yourself.

What makes a muffin healthy or unhealthy? ›

What Makes a Healthy Muffin? Signs of a healthy muffin recipe are whole-food ingredients like fruit, veggies, nuts, seeds, eggs, and low-fat milk and yogurt (or a dairy-free alternative).

Is muffin good for diet? ›

Muffins can help you lose weight if they are high in protein and low in calories and added sugar. High-protein muffins are a good option if your goal is weight loss. One Naked Bake muffin has 15 grams of protein and only 180 calories.

What to eat with muffins? ›

Common accompaniments include coffee, tea, fresh fruit, yogurt, scrambled eggs, and spreads like butter, jam, or cream cheese. Are muffins for breakfast or dessert? Muffins are versatile and can be enjoyed at breakfast, as a snack, or as a dessert, depending on their flavor and toppings.

Are muffins better for you than bread? ›

English muffins tend to be a little healthier than bread since English muffins have less carbohydrates, fats, and sugar than bread. While bread does contain slightly more fat when compared to English muffins, both options have 1 gram or less of total fat.

Is it OK to eat a muffin at night? ›

Having some complex carbs like oats (try a quick bowl of fruit topped oatmeal) before bed can be helpful for sleep. But any grains, cereals, muffins, or granola that has a lot of added sugar will be stimulating, making it harder to fall asleep.

What is the best flour for muffins? ›

Self-Rising Flour: Flour to which baking powder and salt have been added during milling. Long a Southern staple, self-rising flour is generally made from the low-protein wheat traditionally grown in the South. It's best for tender biscuits, muffins, pancakes and some cakes.

Are muffins or donuts worse for you? ›

When it comes to calories, carbs, and sugar, there's a clear winner: doughnuts. The fried rings have 155 fewer calories, half the carbs, and 21 fewer grams of sugar than muffins. Muffins don't lose out completely, though: They have 1 g more protein than doughnuts—and half the saturated fat.

Which is healthier muffin or cupcake? ›

Cupcake recipes generally contain much higher levels of sugar and fat. This makes cupcakes sweeter, and juicier with finer crumbs. Muffins usually have fruit, nuts, and other ingredients mixed into the batter to compensate. Because of this, muffins are usually considered healthier than cupcakes.

How do you reduce muffin belly? ›

Managing stress, sleeping well, and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle to shrink that muffin top. Incorporating High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), compound exercises, targeted abdominal exercises, and lower back and oblique workouts in your fitness routine.

Are homemade muffins healthier than store-bought? ›

Weight for weight, the one thing that stands out is the amount of fat and sugars in the bought muffin. Even comparing just half of the bought muffin, it packs a punch at more than double the amount of fat and sugars.

What do muffins do for your body? ›

Support gut health

Thanks to their fiber content, whole wheat English muffins may help your digestive health. In fact, some research shows that consuming enough fiber could be beneficial for people who are dealing with chronic constipation. This may also help prevent hemorrhoids (8).

What is the most popular muffin? ›

Blueberry muffins are probably the single most popular muffin of all time. They are like the Beyonce of muffins. And this recipe is called "To Die For" for a reason. Generously sized with a little bit of crunch in the sugary topping, these are the blueberry ideal.

What are the 2 main types of muffins? ›

There are two types of muffins: bread-like and cake-like. Each type has its own technique for mixing the batter. Less sugar and butter makes a bread-like muffin.

What is the healthiest thing for breakfast? ›

The healthiest breakfast foods include a protein, healthy fat and source of carbohydrates, according to Smolen. For a healthy breakfast, consider eating foods like oatmeal with nut butter, avocado toast with an egg, chia seed pudding or a greek yogurt parfait with nuts and berries.

Why do we eat muffins for breakfast? ›

A small muffin or other hot bread might have been a kind of breakfast side dish in the days of full breakfasts at home, so it could be recognized as breakfast food. Sara Lee offered frozen muffins that could be heated up in a toaster oven, which was itself a new item in the 1970s.”

What type of breakfast is best for weight loss? ›

To avoid cravings and aid weight loss, choose nutritious options like eggs, yogurt, fruit, vegetables, and healthy grains. When you're trying to lose weight, breakfast can set the tone for the rest of your day.

Are muffins healthier than donuts? ›

When it comes to calories, carbs, and sugar, there's a clear winner: doughnuts. The fried rings have 155 fewer calories, half the carbs, and 21 fewer grams of sugar than muffins. Muffins don't lose out completely, though: They have 1 g more protein than doughnuts—and half the saturated fat.

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