The age-old adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day rings true on so many levels. As its name suggests, breakfast is the first meal we eat to break the night’s long, slumberous fast.


After a good night’s rest, our minds and bodies are refreshed and ready for action. Whether you’re a morning person or not, a delicious breakfast will give you an incentive to jump out of bed and take on the day. The smells of coffee brewing and bacon sizzling are enough to wake even the laziest sleeper. Whether you want to enjoy a decadent weekend brunch or fry up a quick breakfast at home, the most popular breakfast foods to fuel the day ahead are below.


1. Eggs


There are so many ways to eat eggs, from scrambled to over easy to fried to hard-boiled. Here is a hack for the best scrambled eggs is one that stole from Gordon Ramsay: Add a dash of crème fraîche and butter for richness and top them with chopped chives for flavor.


2. Biscuits and Gravy


If you’re taking the time to make something decadent for breakfast, it should be biscuits and gravy. As a novice, it might take you a little while the first time, but it’s going to get so much easier from there. Just remember to start with cold butter – frozen if you can. For even faster prep, try making and freezing a batch of biscuits, so all you’ll have to do is pull out your portion and bake.


3. Bacon


Perhaps the most beloved breakfast food in the world, bacon deserves the first spot on the breakfast food list. Its crunchy, salty, and utterly savory flavor is unparalleled and instantly upgrades any dish or meal. Bacon has always been the star of the show and a crucial centerpiece of breakfast dishes that run the culinary gamut from continental breakfasts to breakfast sandwiches to doughnut toppers. You can even use bacon drippings to fry eggs, grits, potatoes, or veggies. Even if you don’t eat pork, turkey bacon and veggie bacon are popular breakfast products that allow any dietary preference the opportunity to enjoy bacon’s distinct and decadent flavor and crunch.


4. Sausage


Everyone knows that a good breakfast has the perfect balance of carbs, protein, and fats. Get the second two with some sausage, which is as tasty as it is filling. If you have a stand mixer (like the cult-favorite KitchenAid), you can even make your own sausage at home using a food grinder attachment.


5. Easy Breakfast Burritos


As far as breakfast-on-the-go goes, burritos are a fantastic option. Make a big batch and freeze them so you can pull one or two out whenever you need them. Loaded with bacon, sausage, egg, and cheese, these will fuel you right through lunch. Make them veggie-friendly by replacing the meat with sweet potato and maybe some mushrooms. Or amp it up with some chorizo and jalapeños.


6. Pancakes


Pancakes are the ultimate comfort food and a fun, easy breakfast food project for a lazy Sunday morning. Pancakes are also a versatile breakfast food that you can make with many ingredients, from the classic buttermilk recipe to savory potato or cornmeal cakes. In addition, health-conscious eaters or vegans have created delicious two-ingredient banana and oat pancakes. Plus, you can throw any fresh fruit, nut, protein, or dessert into the mix. So whether you want blueberry-pecan, chocolate chip-banana, or mascarpone and lemon, the sky is the limit.