20 Thoughtful Meal Train Breakfast Ideas
Pack up one of these thoughtful breakfast recipes to deliver with your meal train dinner so that they have something special to enjoy the next morning.
After the birth of my second baby, I was the lucky recipient of a meal train for several weeks. The single most memorable thing one of my friends brought on top of her meal was homemade strawberry scones, raw and ready to be baked or stuck in the freezer for the future.
Having something fresh and homemade out of my oven for breakfast with none of the kitchen mess was such a blessing. She also brought a jar of homemade strawberry freezer jam which was the trigger for my passion for making it myself every year since.
Yes, you're agreeing to bring dinner. But if the family you're serving is going through an especially difficult time, it is an amazingly thoughtful touch to bring something easy for a delicious breakfast the next morning, too.
You could bake up one of these simple breakfast treats so they have something sweet to look forward to at the start of a really difficult day.
Or really spoil them with a heartier breakfast option like pre-made breakfast sandwiches for their freezer that they can grab and heat now or down the road.
Most of these items are perfect for feeding a grieving family because they are comforting, small portions that feel less overwhelming than an entire meal.
Best Breakfast Foods to Choose
If you want to bring something for breakfast as part of your meal train delivery, there are a few things to consider:
- Travel-Friendly: Can you easily transport it to their house?
- Freezer-Friendly or Shelf-Stable: Since this is an "extra" item, make sure they don't have to use it right now if they are overwhelmed with deliveries.
Fresh scrambled eggs? Not a good pick. Freezer-friendly egg bowls? Perfect.
Classic Homemade Granola
A batch of homemade granola can be used to snack on or to make yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit. (Bring the yogurt and pre-washed fruit!)
Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
My lemon blueberry baked oatmeal is prepped the night before and then baked in the morning. You could deliver it ready to be put in the fridge and they just bake it when they wake up. It lasts for several days.
Homemade Freezer Jam
My friend's simple jar of strawberry freezer jam kicked off a love of making my own fun jam recipes every summer. This is such a perfect homemade gift!
Pair one of my 5 freezer jam recipes with any of these quick and easy breakfast pastries for a thoughtful touch to your meal delivery.
The best news is you'll have several more jars to gift or freeze and enjoy with your own family throughout the year!
Banana Zucchini Bread
A loaf of banana zucchini bread sneaks in a tiny bit of veggies to the kids in the family in a sweet bread they'll love. This makes a great meal train snack or breakfast that could be stashed in the freezer.
Cherry Almond Coffee Cake
Bake this cherry almond coffee cake in a disposable pan or deliver it in a dish you don't need to be returned. This is an excellent option if the family is hosting guests that have arrived to help.
Easy Blueberry Scones
My friend brought fresh strawberry scones as our breakfast treat but these easy blueberry scones use dried blueberries and are even easier to prepare.
Frozen Breakfast Sandwiches
Prep a batch of these frozen breakfast sandwiches and wrap them individually. Your friends will appreciate having a protein-packed mini-meal to grab as needed any time of day.
English Muffin Bread
Bake a loaf of my easy English muffin bread and deliver it with a homemade freezer jam like my strawberry freezer jam or blackberry freezer jam.
Pre-slice it and put it in a bread bag and add a label that lets them know they can freeze the entire thing, jam and all. They can toast just once slice at a time as needed.
Sheet Pan Pancakes from Mix
Whip up a quick batch of sheet pan pancakes from mix and then let them cool completely. Slice and store in a zip-top freezer bag with waxed paper in between the layers.
They can heat and eat just a pancake at a time for breakfast or a snack. This would be so useful for kids in the house for a special treat.
Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake with Streusel Topping
It is so nice to have a sourdough blueberry coffee cake on hand when you've got a house full of helpers. It's a comforting breakfast pastry that could be served with coffee in the afternoon, too.
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Make Ahead Egg Bowls with Veggies
Prep these protein-packed make ahead egg bowls with veggies for a heat-and-eat meal that works for breakfast or lunch. A new mom would love this easy to grab nutrition booster.
Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
I love baking a batch of cinnamon streusel muffins because you can freeze them and just thaw one or two at a time to drag the stash out.
Malted Waffles
Griddle up a batch of these crispy malted waffles, let them cool completely and store in a freezer bag with waxed paper between the layers.
They can pop just one or two into the toaster for reheating, spread with butter, jam, or peanut butter and top with prepped fresh fruit for an awesome mini meal or snack.
Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
The same goes with my easy homemade buttermilk pancakes. Prep them and store in a freezer bag, they can microwave or even toast them if they want crispier edges.
Make them slightly larger than dollar pancake sized and they'd make a perfect snack for the toddlers in the house.
Make Ahead Breakfast Burritos
If you know your friends are going to be in the thick of their challenge for a long time, a generous gesture would be to prep these homemade make ahead breakfast burritos filled with sausage, potatoes, and eggs, for their freezer.
They can microwave just one at a time for a quick breakfast on the run to a doctor's appointment as needed.
Easy Quiche
Deliver a simple seasoned easy quiche with any mix of fillings and deliver it with a light green salad. This could be used as breakfast or lunch or a lighter dinner as needed and tastes great warm or at room temperature.
Almond Poppy Seed Bread
I love the simplicity of my almond poppy seed bread, we slice it and toast it before spreading a little butter on top. When your appetite is gone, this is such an easy thing to nibble on and might be just the cozy classic someone grieving needs.
Apple Cider Cinnamon Rolls
You could prep the pan of apple cider cinnamon rolls and then freeze them before baking. Deliver them with a note card on how to bake them in the future. The glaze could be prepared in advance and stored in a plastic bag and frozen right along with it.
The sweet smell of cinnamon rolls baking in their oven is a lovely way to lift their spirits long after the helpful deliveries have stopped coming.
More Meal Train Tips
Are you in charge of setting up a meal train for a loved one? Be sure to review my meal train etiquette tips, they're a good reminder for the entire group.
If you're helping a friend through a season of illness or loss, you'll definitely want to read about how to feed a family who is grieving.
And as you're planning what to bring, you'll love my 30 clever meal train recipes and easy meal train side dishes that travel well.
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