Healthy non dairy breakfast ideas are probably one of the trickiest things to plan, mainly because so many people are allergic to milk and other common breakfast ideas. My blog helps you find your favorite healthy recipes and enjoy a tasty meal every day.
High Protein Dairy Free Breakfast
Avocados and Eggs
They can be made in different ways. Avocados alone aren’t enough to give you protein (but they’re high in fiber). Therefore, notch up your traditional avocado toast. How about adding some eggs to it?
Some people also add salmon instead of eggs to increase the protein content of this simple toast. If not toast, how about baking your eggs in an avocado? They not only look interesting but taste great too!
Breakfast Bowl
Breakfast bowls are a very interesting way to make a protein-packed breakfast. You can add in a lot of interesting elements to make it better. Use black beans or chickpeas along with roasted sweet potatoes.
You may also use avocado, spinach, and some nuts to make this better. Adding egg will make this breakfast bowl rich in protein. Don’t forget to season it with your favorite herbs and spices to make it to your liking.
Protein Oats
Whether it’s overnight oats or traditionally cooked, protein oats are a delicious way to start the day off right. Mix your oats with your favorite protein powder, chia seeds, and peanut butter (or powdered peanut butter).
Add some bananas and maybe a sweetening ingredient of your choice.
Another option would be savory oats baked with eggs.
Muesli
Having muesli for breakfast is a high fiber and protein option. It’s filling and super easy to make. You can have it raw or toasted. Fill your rolled oats with nuts, fruits, and seeds of your own choice. Don’t forget to add chia seeds and dry fruits like apricots and flavor it with spices like ginger or cinnamon.
Enjoy it with almond or soy milk as a substitute for regular milk.
You can up the protein content by mixing in protein powder with the milk.
Salad
Fitness enthusiasts love salads. However, that’s not a surprise since your salads are as protein-rich as you want them to be. Be it eggs, avocados, kale, or sweet potatoes, you can add all your favorite ingredients together.
You can totally have a breakfast salad. Just because it’s not traditional breakfast food, doesn’t mean that you can’t have it for breakfast. It’s just a time of day.
Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
This delicious and healthy dairy free breakfast casserole is made with dairy alternatives, loaded with vegetables, and it is gluten free. Made easily in the oven it’s perfect for breakfast, any day of the week!
Delicious Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole
Breakfast casserole is totally comfort food, isn’t it? Well, that is when we consider a traditional breakfast casserole that is smothered in cheese, and filled with ham, eggs, cream, and more of those classic ingredients. This delicious dairy free breakfast casserole still feels like comfort food but is a whole lot more healthy and good for you!
Egg and potato are the stars of this dish, as they are in most breakfast casseroles, but in this recipe they are combined with crunchy bell peppers, flavourful green onions, fresh herbs, iron-rich spinach, and the perfect amount of dairy-free cheese.
How To Make A Breakfast Casserole Dairy Free
Traditionally, breakfast casseroles are made with cream, half-and-half, or milk, along with loads of cheese and the rest of the ingredients. This doesn’t fit the bill for those who have a dairy intolerance or choose not to eat dairy for any other reason, so my dairy-free casserole recipe is a great option for those who still love the idea of a breakfast casserole but need to go sans dairy!
When it comes to making a dairy free version of a breakfast casserole that still tastes rich, hearty, and delicious, here’s what you can do:
- Swap cream/milk for coconut milk or water: Using coconut milk whisked together with the eggs gives the same rich texture to the casserole as using regular cream. If you don’t want the coconut flavour in your casserole (although it is subtle) you can also use a little bit of water to whisk with the eggs and that helps to fluff them up.
- Switch regular cheese for a dairy-free alternative: Luckily, there are tons of dairy-free cheese options on the market now! A shredded dairy-free cheese such as Earth Island or Daiya brand will work, or you can choose a cashew or other nut-based cheese. I went with a mix of shredded dairy-free mozzarella and cheddar cheeses I found at my local grocery store for this recipe..
- Skip the butter and use oil: Instead of using butter with the potatoes or hash browns, use olive oil.
Dairy Free Breakfast Casserole Ingredients:
To make your own breakfast casserole at home, as long as you stick to the tips in the previous section, you can really do whatever your heart desires when it comes to additions. I chose to go with the following ingredients but the sky’s the limit for vegetable, herbs, and protein add-ins.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Olive oil
- Russet potatoes (swap for sweet potatoes for a delicious twist!)
- Red bell pepper, green onion, and spinach (swap for other veggies of choice if desired)
- Fresh dill (swap for fresh basil if desired)
- Free-range eggs
- Water (or canned coconut milk for extra creaminess)
- Dairy-free shredded mozzarella and cheddar (or another one of your fave dairy-free cheeses)
- Salt, pepper, and dried parsley
Making A Breakfast Casserole in the Oven:
There are a few different methods when it comes to making a breakfast casserole. Most people choose between tater tots, hash browns, or regular potatoes for the base of the casserole.
I chose to keep it healthier with whole-foods and used diced russet potatoes rather than frozen bagged tots. The casserole needs to be baked in two steps, potatoes first, then the egg, cheese, and veggie mixture second. This way you end up with perfectly tender potatoes and a light and airy egg layer.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Toss the potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and dried parsley and spread evenly in a baking dish.
- Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes (flipping once halfway through) then remove from the oven.
- Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over the baked potatoes and give a quick stir.
- Bake for 15 minutes in the oven, or until the middle of the casserole is firm and feels spongy to the touch.
Dairy-Free Toddler Breakfast Ideas
- Banana roll ups – aka Banana sushi. This is a fun breakfast idea that is also dairy-free. Lay out a tortilla and spread with peanut butter (or other nut butter), sprinkle with ground flax seeds, cinnamon, and raisins. Add a banana, roll up, and cut into slices. I added extra raisins on top.
- Avocado toast – avocado toast is huge in our house! Its quick, easy, and great to add in some extra healthy fat. We really like avocado toast on Dave’s Killer Bread. Served with a side of mandarin oranges.
- Pear oatmeal – ditch those oatmeal packets and make your own healthy versions! Here I used quick oats, diced pear, peanut butter, honey, and cinnamon. Check out more of our favorite oatmeal recipes in this post: 8 Easy Toddler Oatmeal Recipes
- Cereal with non-dairy milk – we really love Kashi Cinnamon Harvest cereal. To make this classic non-dairy simply serve with non-dairy milk; we like unsweetened Ripple Milk. I like to make it a little more fun by topping with bananas and/or blueberries.
- Veggie Egg Fritters – I love adding veggies to normal foods to make them packed with nutrients. Here I took 1 egg and added peas and carrots. Add a spoonful to a greased pan (coconut or olive oil are good choices for toddlers) and cook until set, flip, and cook until cooked through. Side of sliced pears.
- Peanut butter & jelly mini bagel – mini bagels are great because they are toddler-sized. Double check the ingredients of your particular bagels to make sure they don’t contain dairy. Side of halved grapes and avocado.
- Waffle with jelly – waffles are one of or go-to foods when we need to be out the door quickly in the morning. Van’s is one of our favorites for dairy-free waffles (many other waffle brands contain whey). Side of kiwi.
- Banana French toast – a fun way to spice up your normal French toast recipe; add banana to the egg batter. Remember to double check your bread for dairy. You can find the full recipe here at Pinecones & Pacifiers.
Delicious Dairy-Free Breakfast Recipes For Busy Mornings
Chia Seed Recipes
Chia seeds are a nutrient powerhouse. Add in a few ingredients and common kitchen staples and make an easy morning meal or accompaniment.
Delicious chia seed recipes include a sippable chia keto smoothie and spreadable gluten-free chia seed berry jam. Oh,
Smoothies or Smoothie Bowls
Smoothies cannot be rich and creamy without milk is simply a myth! A dairy-free smoothie fortified with protein powder can pack a powerful punch that keeps the morning moving right along. Frozen fruit makes this the coolest option of them all.
Not a fan of fruity-flavored smoothies? No problem, because a chocolate and mint smoothie cannot go wrong. Hide a handful of leafy greens in there to up the vitamin level without altering the flavor.
Blueberry does a great job at masquerading the green flavor, too. Try a blueberry-pomegranate power bowl with toasted quinoa croutons recipe for a protein-packed, antioxidant-rich breakfast dish. Simply substitute dairy-free yogurt to make it dairy-free.
Protein Shakes
Why not have dessert for breakfast for a satisfying yet quick breakfast option? Bursting with flavor and lasting energy beyond the morning meal, a chocolate banana protein shake is an easy crowd-pleaser.
To add a bit of spice and seasonal festivity to the morning’s activities, try a pumpkin pie protein shake. Also, feel free to experiment with other favorite flavors and combinations while aiming for at least 20 grams of protein.
Breakfast Quinoa
Quinoa is neutral in flavor and pairs pretty well with just about anything. Just add a dash of dairy-free milk, a favorite fresh fruit, coconut flakes, and a natural sweetener of choice (i.e. agave).
Breakfast Cookies
Dessert for breakfast? Yes, please!
Breakfast cookies are typically made with some combination of nut butters, dates, bananas, and coconut flakes. Great for eaters with allergies, these healthy bites are perfect for breakfast.
Muffins
Muffins packed with nutrient-rich ingredients like bananas and nut flour already come packed in the ideal, transportable package. Usually quick to cook, dairy and egg-free muffins can be easily made with a couple common kitchen staples.
Slow Cooker Oatmeal
Is there anything better than slow cooker oatmeal? Practically dump all the ingredients in, walk away for a few hours, and come back to a delicious dish.
Great for the morning meal or an afternoon snack, slow cooker oatmeal is a self-sufficient dish.
Acai Bowls
Acai bowls can be fortified with protein powder, nut butters, or nut milks of choice. Almost everything is customizable, including the creaminess, mix-ins, toppings, and more.
Try experimenting with different ancient-grain granolas on top to add even more protein and flavor to the breakfast bowl.
Dairy-free & lactose-free breakfasts
Cow’s milk may be essential breakfast ingredients in many households every day but for people who need to eat lactose-free or dairy-free, it is off the regular menu. People often need to eat dairy or lactose-free if they are lactose intolerance or have dairy allergies. But don’t fret if this is you, you can still a healthy and nutritious brekkie without consuming cow’s milk in the morning.
Dairy-free milk options
- Soy milk
- Almond milk
- Coconut milk
- Rice milk
- Oat milk
People who are lactose-free along with the list of dairy-free milk above can consume lactose-free milk. Lactose-free milk is regular cow’s milk that has had the enzyme lactase added to help break down the lactose sugars within the milk, that way the body does not need to break it down.
Dairy and lactose-free breakfast recipes
Pancakes is one of those items that usually contains dairy meaning they are off the menu for people who need to eat lactose-free or dairy-free due to allergies and intolerances. They don’t have to be completely off the menu though as you can simply substitute cow’s milk for one of the dairy-free milk options above or why not try our 3-ingredient banana pancakes? Wondering what to do with your overripe banana? Whip up these super easy and super tasty 3-ingredient pancakes. All you need to add is an egg and some flour.