Easy breakfast for dinner ideas the whole family will love! From pancakes and egg bakes to cozy casseroles and theme nights, it’s perfect for busy weeknights!

A collage of breakfast foods including pancakes, quesadillas, cinnamon rolls, French toast, frittata, and waffles, with the text “Breakfast for Dinner Ideas” and the website pumpkinspice.com.

It’s 6 p.m., everyone’s hungry, and you’re out of dinner ideas… until you remember pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

Breakfast dinner ideas (aka “brinner”) isn’t just easy…it’s comforting, budget-friendly, and always a crowd-pleaser.

Whether you’re craving something sweet or savory, these simple breakfast for dinner ideas will bring a little fun back to weeknights. Looking for more egg breakfast ideas? Check out this recipe collection for over 20 different recipes!

Want to try some recipes without eggs? You’ll love these no egg breakfast recipes!

So grab your skillet and let’s get cooking!

Quick and Easy Breakfast for Dinner Ideas for Families:

When time’s short, breakfast recipes save the day. Most take 30 minutes or less and use ingredients you already have.

A close-up of breakfast quesadillas filled with scrambled eggs, cheese, and vegetables, stacked on a wooden plate. More breakfast quesadillas and green bell pepper slices are blurred in the background.

Breakfast Quesadillas: Crispy tortillas stuffed with eggs, cheese, and bacon. It’s wildy popular around here and so easy to make.

A close-up of baked egg squares with spinach and tomatoes, cut into pieces on parchment paper. A spatula lifts one square, showing the colorful vegetables and seasoning on the eggs surface.

Sheet Pan Eggs: Cook once and then slice for the whole family. This simple breakfast recipe is easy to customize!

A close-up of breakfast sliders made with golden buns, scrambled eggs, sausage, cheese, and bacon, stacked and cut to showcase the mouthwatering layers inside these breakfast sliders.

Breakfast Sliders: Fluffy rolls filled with eggs, bacon, sausage, and melty cheese.

A stack of air fryer breakfast taquitos filled with scrambled eggs and sausage, arranged on a round wooden board and garnished with parsley.

Air Fryer Breakfast Taquitos: Crunchy, golden, and perfect for dipping. This is a breakfast for dinner ideas easy and simple to make.

Three turkey egg cups garnished with chopped parsley sit on a round wooden board, with fresh parsley and eggs in the background.

Turkey Egg Cups: Protein-packed and meal-prep friendly.

Make it a meal: Add roasted sweet potatoes or a fruit salad on the side.

Make-Ahead & Meal-Prep Friendly Brinner Recipes

Prep once, eat twice! These dishes taste just as good the next night and make weeknights effortless.

Mini hash brown egg cups topped with melted cheese and chopped herbs are arranged on a dark surface, with one muffin in the foreground and others blurred in the background.

Cheesy Hash Brown Egg Cups: Crispy hash brown nests filled with fluffy eggs, cheese, and your favorite mix-ins. It’s the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or fun “brinner” bite everyone will love.

A slice of cheesy sausage hashbrown breakfast casserole with eggs, potatoes, and chopped chives on top, served on a wooden plate with a red bell pepper and casserole dish in the background.

Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole: This hearty make-ahead casserole combines savory sausage, golden hash browns, and melty cheese for an easy crowd-pleaser. It’s also freezer-friendly and makes hearty leftovers.

Three baked oatmeal cups with visible oats and strawberry pieces are displayed on a round wooden board, alongside fresh strawberries for a delightful touch.

Strawberry Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups: Sweet, fruity, and healthier, these baked oatmeal cups are soft, portable, and perfect for a cozy dinner for breakfast idea.

Two square slices of breakfast pizza recipe with eggs, topped with scrambled eggs, melted cheddar cheese, bacon bits, and herbs, served on a wooden plate with a blue and white checkered napkin nearby.

Bacon Egg Breakfast Pizza: Breakfast meets pizza night in this delicious mash-up loaded with crispy bacon, eggs, and cheese on a golden crust. It’s a fun and easy way to serve a breakfast pizza for dinner!

A cast iron skillet filled with a smoked salmon frittata made with eggs, red onion, feta cheese, and fresh herbs, sits on a countertop next to a striped kitchen towel and stacked white plates.

Smoked Salmon Frittata: Elegant yet effortless, this salmon frittata is filled with tender eggs, creamy cheese, and fresh herbs. It’s perfect for a light meal and easy to customize.

Mini sausage quiches with golden crusts and melted cheese, garnished with chives, arranged on a wooden serving platter.

Min Sausage Quiches: Flaky, bite-sized quiches packed with sausage, eggs, and cheese make the ultimate make-ahead meal. It’s perfect for dinner parties or busy weeknights.

panini on a white plate with red grapes and green melon

Prosciutto Egg Panini: Crispy, melty, and full of flavor, this egg panini turns simple ingredients into a cozy, café-style meal that works any time of day.

Time-Saver Tip: Bake on Sunday, slice and reheat for fast weeknight dinners.

Overnight Oats, Oatmeal, & Lighter Options:

Lighter doesn’t mean boring! These recipes are full of flavor, color, and comfort.

A slice of spinach and cheese frittata, reminiscent of a spinach and feta frittata, sits on a decorative white plate, with a fork holding a small bite, atop a green and white striped cloth.

Spinach Feta Frittata: Light, flavorful, and packed with veggies, this dish is a simple one-pan meal that’s perfect for meatless dinners or weekend brunch.

A mason jar filled with tiramisu overnight oats, topped with a layer of mascarpone yogurt and a dusting of cocoa powder, sits on a table with a blue and white cloth in the background.

Tiramisu Overnight Oats: Creamy, coffee-flavored overnight oats layered with cocoa and mascarpone for a no-bake twist on classic tiramisu. Dessert lovers will adore this easy recipe!

A close-up of a square slice of cherry chocolate chunk baked oatmeal with visible cherries and oats on a white plate, a fork holding a bite-sized piece in the foreground.

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Baked Oatmeal: Rich, chocolatey oats baked with juicy cherries and melty chunks of chocolate. It’s a cozy, cake-like breakfast that doubles as a sweet brinner option.

Two peanut butter banana baked oatmeal cups are stacked on a wooden board, with two slices of banana on top. The muffins have a hearty texture, and another baked oatmeal cup is blurred in the background.

Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal Cups: These soft, protein-packed oatmeal cups combine creamy peanut butter and ripe bananas for a grab-and-go meal that’s quick, hearty, and kid-approved.

A mason jar filled with creamy apple pie overnight oats, topped with small diced apples and a sprinkle of cinnamon, placed on a blue and white cloth with fresh apples and cinnamon sticks in the background.

Apple Pie Overnight Oats: All the warm flavors of apple pie in a creamy, make-ahead oatmeal. It’s spiced, cozy, and perfect for busy weeknights when you crave something sweet yet on the healthier side.

A metal spatula lifts an almond butter oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips from a baking sheet. Other cookies and a wooden bowl of oats are visible in the background. The cookies look soft and chewy.

No Bake Almond Butter Oatmeal Cookies: Chewy, nutty, and ready in minutes, these no-bake cookies make a quick energy boost or a sweet grab-and-go breakfast!

A slice of toasted bread topped with mashed avocado, a fried egg, and sliced cherry tomatoes, served on a wooden plate with another plate of fried egg and avocado toast and bowls of tomatoes in the background.

Fried Egg & Avocado Toast: Crispy toast topped with creamy avocado and a perfectly fried egg. It’s a simple, satisfying meal that works for breakfast, lunch, or brinner.

A glass filled with layers of granola and creamy yogurt creates a delicious yogurt parfait recipe, topped with fresh strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, placed on a small burlap mat with a spoon nearby.

Berry Honey Yogurt Parfait: Layers of creamy yogurt, fresh berries, and a drizzle of honey make this parfait a refreshing, no-cook meal that’s light yet filling.

Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal: Creamy, comforting, and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor, this easy oatmeal tastes like dessert in a bowl…perfect for a cozy breakfast or a sweet breakfast-for-dinner treat.

A mason jar filled with creamy cherry overnight oats, topped with cherries and crumbled graham crackers. In the background, there are fresh cherries, graham crackers, and a blurred yogurt container.

Cherry Pie Overnight Oats: Sweet, creamy oats infused with cherry pie flavor. It makes a deliciously easy make-ahead breakfast that feels indulgent enough for dessert.

Baked Banana Bread Oatmeal: Warm, cozy, and lightly sweet, this baked banana bread oatmeal tastes just like your favorite quick bread. It’s soft on the inside, golden on top, and perfect for breakfast or an easy brinner treat.

Pancakes, Waffles, & French Toast Ideas:

A close-up of fluffy Belgian waffles stacked high, topped with two pats of butter and drizzled with syrup, with a bowl of blueberries and a striped napkin in the background.

Fluffy Belgian Waffles: With thousands of rave review on Pinterest and the recipe, these waffles are crispy on the outside, soft and airy on the inside, and are so easy to make.

A close-up of a stack of fluffy pancakes topped with a pat of butter and drizzled with syrup, sitting on a white plate. Syrup flows down the sides of the golden-brown pancakes.

Cake Mix Pancakes: Fluffy, golden pancakes made with boxed cake mix for a fun, sweet twist on breakfast…perfect when you want dessert vibes for dinner!

A stack of waffles topped with banana slices, with a golden fork beside them. A bunch of bananas and a ceramic cup are in the background. Syrup is drizzled over the waffles.

Banana Waffles: Crisp on the outside, soft on the inside, and full of banana flavor, these waffles make a cozy, feel-good meal any time of day.

A stack of apple cinnamon pancakes topped with diced cinnamon apples and syrup, served on a white plate, with more apples and a glass of milk in the background.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes: Fluffy pancakes filled with tender apples and warm cinnamon spice. It’s the ultimate comfort breakfast that tastes just like fall.

A white baking dish filled with cinnamon roll French toast casserole sits beside a glass mug of coffee and stacked white plates on a light-colored table.

Cinnamon Roll French Toast Casserole: All the gooey, cinnamon-swirled flavor of a cinnamon roll baked into a warm, custardy French toast…it’s aan easy make-ahead favorite.

Close-up of a rectangular strawberry banana pancake casserole in a white dish. The casserole is golden brown with pieces of strawberries visible. Sliced strawberries garnish the top. A knife and cup are seen in the blurred background.

Strawberry Banana Pancake Casserole: Soft, fluffy pancakes baked with fresh strawberries and bananas is an easy, oven-baked way to serve pancakes for a crowd.

Two slices of pumpkin spice French toast topped with a pat of butter and syrup on a white decorative plate. A small pumpkin and part of a blue and white checkered cloth are nearby.

Pumpkin Spice French Toast: Cozy fall flavors shine in this pumpkin-spiced twist on classic French toast. It’s warm, fluffy, and perfect for chilly nights.

Mini pancake bites topped with sliced strawberries, a drizzle of nutella reminiscent of Nutella pancakes, and powdered sugar, arranged on a dark surface with a whole strawberry in the background.

Nutella Stuffed Pancake Bites: Soft, fluffy pancake bites with a surprise Nutella center. It’s easy to make, fun to eat, and perfect for kids and adults alike.

Three thick slices of French toast, reminiscent of classic french toast sticks, are stacked on a white plate, drizzled with syrup and sprinkled with cinnamon, served with fresh blueberries. A bowl of blueberries and a jug of syrup are in the background.

Baked Cinnamon Sugar French Toast Sticks: Soft on the inside and perfectly crisp on the outside, these baked French toast sticks are coated in cinnamon sugar for a fun, dippable dinner or breakfast treat.

A stack of fluffy strawberry pancakes topped with sliced strawberries and strawberry sauce sits on a white plate, with a colorful napkin and fresh strawberries in the background.

Strawberry Greek Yogurt Pancakes: These thick, protein-packed pancakes are bursting with strawberries and creamy Greek yogurt for a fresh spin on a classic.

A plate of croissant French toast topped with caramelized banana slices and sprinkled with powdered sugar, served on a white decorative plate.

Cinnamon Banana Croissant French Toast: Flaky croissants meet caramelized bananas and cinnamon for a decadent, bakery-style French toast bake that’s perfect for any time.

A slice of crumb-topped strawberry cinnamon pancake casserole on a white decorative plate, garnished with syrup and fresh strawberry slices, with a fork holding a small bite in the foreground.

Strawberry Cinnamon Pancake Casserole: A cozy baked pancake dish layered with cinnamon, strawberries, and maple syrup that’s perfect for weekends or easy brinner nights.

Breakfast for Dinner Sides:

A white dish filled with roasted, cubed sweet potatoes, with a fork lifting a portion. A wooden spoon and a glass are blurred in the background.

Roasted Maple Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes: Sweet, caramelized, and coated in maple syrup and cinnamon, these roasted sweet potatoes make a cozy, fall-inspired side that pairs perfectly with any spread.

A stack of three glazed maple donuts sits on a wooden board, topped with a bitten donut. In the background, a glass container of chocolate sauce is softly blurred.

Glazed Maple Donuts: Baked to perfection and coated in a silky maple glaze, these donuts are soft, sweet, and ideal for pairing with your morning (or evening) coffee.

A close-up of several pancake mix muffins with a crumbly streusel topping, stacked on a blue cloth. The muffins are golden brown and look freshly baked.

Cinnamon Pancake Mix Muffins: Warm, fluffy muffins made with pancake mix and a hint of cinnamon. It’s an easy, kid-friendly recipe that’s perfect for busy mornings or breakfast-for-dinner nights.

Several almond croissants topped with sliced almonds are arranged on sheets of vintage-style music paper. The almond croissants are golden brown and flaky, with a textured almond filling visible on top.

Almond Croissants: Flaky, buttery, and filled with sweet almond cream, these croissants taste bakery-worthy but come together in minutes with simple shortcuts.

A close-up of several apple banana muffins on a cooling rack, with one muffin in the center unwrapped and partially eaten, showing its moist, crumbly interior.

Apple Banana Muffins: Soft, fluffy, and perfectly spiced, these apple banana muffins are a cozy mix of two favorite flavors and are great for breakfast, snacks, or a sweet dinner bite.

A cast-iron skillet filled with freshly baked chocolate chip biscuits, drizzled with white icing, with a glass of milk and a bowl of dessert in the background.

Chocolate Chip Biscuits: Flaky, buttery biscuits with a sweet twist, these biscuits are soft, golden, and the perfect mix of breakfast comfort and dessert indulgence.

Theme Night Inspiration:

Keep dinner exciting all week long with fun theme nights:

DayThemeIdea
MondayMake-Ahead Egg Bake NightReheat Sunday’s casserole and relax.
TuesdayTaco Tuesday: Breakfast EditionBreakfast quesadillas or tacos.
WednesdaySweet Brinner NightPancakes or waffles + fresh fruit.
ThursdayMuffin NightTry my popular strawberry banana muffins or bakery style blueberry muffins.
FridayBrinner Bar NightSet up a DIY pancake or oatmeal station.

Tips, Tricks & Ingredient Swaps:

  • Swap bacon for turkey sausage or plant-based versions.
  • Use leftover roasted veggies in egg dishes.
  • Make it dairy-free with almond milk or vegan butter.
  • Boost flavor with everything bagel seasoning or fresh herbs.
  • Add a green salad for a fresh, light balance.

Having breakfast during dinnter time never gets old. It’s comforting, quick, and guaranteed to make everyone smile. Whether you go sweet with pancakes or savory with eggs and hash browns, there’s no wrong way to do brinner!

Which recipe will you try first? Tell me in the comments below or tag @pumpkin_n_spice on Instagram. I love seeing what you’re cooking up!