Gluten and Dairy Free Breakfast Ideas & Recipes

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If you’re gluten and dairy free, and looking for breakfasts, you’re in the right place. Managing food allergies, dietary restrictions, and/or Celiac Disease isn’t always the easiest walk in the park. A lot of people with food allergies struggle with creating a variety of delicious breakfasts. With that in mind, today we’re going to take a look at gluten and dairy free breakfast ideas and recipes. I’ll also be sharing egg free options, vegan options, kid friendly options, and more.

Great Ingredients to Keep on Hand

Whilst meal prep is one of the best ways to stay on top of meals and not feel overwhelmed, sometimes, just having the right ingredients on hand will make you life much easier. Here are some ingredients that can help you make delicious dairy and gluten free breakfasts.

Alternative Dairy Products (dairy free cream cheese, dairy free yogurt, etc.)
Butters/Spreads (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.)
Chia Seeds & Flax Seeds (especially if you’ll be baking and need egg free options)
Dried Fruits & Freeze Dried Fruits (great for adding to oatmeal, porridge, etc.)
Fresh Fruits/Fresh Berries You Love
Fresh Produce such as Onion, Spinach, and Bell Peppers
Gluten Free Flour such as Cassava Flour, Buckwheat Flour, or an All Purpose Blend
Healthy Fats such as Avocado, Coconut Oil, Nuts, and Seeds
Maple Syrup, Honey, and Date Syrup
Non-Dairy Milk of Choice (almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, etc.)
Seasonings Including Dried Spices, Fresh Herbs, Salt, Smoked Salt, and Everything Bagel Seasoning
Sweet Potatoes & White Potatoes

Stock Your Freezer!

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but we don’t always have time for a full spread. Here’s a short list of gluten free + dairy-free options you can keep in your freezer. This will make your life SO much easier, especially on busy mornings and low-energy mornings..

Gluten-Free Pancakes
Waffles in a Range of Flavours
Safe-For-You Muffins
Hash Browns
Tater Tots

Concerned About Protein Intake?

If you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough protein, first, do the math, especially if this is for a child. It’s really easy to overestimate how much protein you need each day. Make use of online nutrition calculators such as this one. Input your info and find out how much you really need. Most people are surprised to learn they need much less than anticipated.

Once you know how many grams of protein you need each day, you can assess if you’re getting enough protein. Each day, keep a food journal. In our modern era, you can get apps that will run the calculations for you. After a week of logging meals, review the data. It’s important to look at the week rather than one day, as meals vary and balance each other out.

If after a week you still need additional protein, you have two choices. You can mindfully add more protein rich foods into your diet, or you can start using a protein powder in drinks. The upside to option one is that you can continue to tweak your nutrition intake to ensure you’re getting well rounded meals.

Here are some high protein foods that are gluten free, dairy free, and egg free as well:

Beans & Lentils
Fish
Lean Meat
Seeds
Tree Nuts

Easy Recipes for Your Dairy-Free & Gluten-Free Breakfasts

Gluten & dairy-free breakfast recipes can absolutely be easy and delicious. Here are a few simple recipes I think you’ll love.

Cranberry Oat Cubes
Easy Grain Free Salmon Cakes (great nutrition for your first meal of the day)
Strawberry Power Balls (great for eating on the go)
Salmon & Potatoes Sheet Pan Meal (you can cut the ingredients the night before, then bake in the oven whilst you get ready for your day)

Vegan Breakfast Ideas and Recipes

On top of these ideas I’m sharing, breakfasts such as smoothies are a great vegan option as well. Further down, I’ll share links to some great smoothie recipes.

Simple Turmeric & Date Rice (amazing on cold mornings)
Gluten Free Chocolate Coffee Waffles
Lemon Barberry Muffins (great for adding variety, and freezer friendly)
Amazing Banana Bread (an easy gluten free recipe I know you’ll love)

Delicious Smoothie Recipes

If you’re feeding kids and they don’t enjoy veggies in their smoothies, here are a few tips. First, get them involved, and start small. Purchase a small container of fresh spinach. On day one, ask them to help you with an experiment. Have them add ONE spinach leaf to the blender and help press buttons. Talk about how you can’t see it in the final drink, and discuss if you can taste it. Repeat this as often as you can, adding a leaf or two each time. This will also help you understand your child’s tastebuds.

The other big tip is to sweeten the deal. You’d be surprised what 5 mini chocolate chips can get you. Call them fun sprinkles (or use a pinch of actual sprinkles) to get your kiddo excited about smoothies.

Gluten & Dairy-Free Breakfast Options Your Kids will Love

Spinach Gluten-Free Muffins
Mango Cherry Pancakes
Frozen Yogurt Pops (a great recipe your kids can help you make in advance)
Apple Pie Fritters

About those yogurt pops: a lot of people following a dairy-free diet have limited yogurt options. In my case, I was able to purchase a dairy free plain yogurt, then mix in jams my kids love. This added a little sweetness as well as a fun flavour profile. Know that the sky is the limit when it comes to making homemade yogurt pops.

Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Breakfast Ideas for Busy Mornings

A challenge dairy free people often run into is that a lot of breakfast recipes call for milk. What’s great about plant-based milks is that they’re a 1:1 exchange for cow’s milk in just about every recipe (read more about that in this article). That means you can search online for some of the easiest no-cook recipes and use your favourite dairy free milk as needed. Here are some easy breakfast recipes I think you’ll enjoy:

Granola/Breakfast Bars
Gluten-Free Quiche (made in advance so you’re only reheating)
Power Balls
Overnight Oats (there are thousands of recipes for this online, so I’m certain you can find something you’ll enjoy)
Chia Seed Pudding
Porridge

Busy Morning Meal Prep Tip: Set aside a little time each weekend to prep up several breakfasts. To give you an idea, in one hour, you can probably make two batches of power balls, 10 jars of overnight oats, and 5 jars of chia pudding. By having several quick breakfast options in the fridge you can grab, your busy mornings won’t feel as difficult.

Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Breakfast Recipes

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Egg Free Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Amazing Lemon Waffles (refined sugar free, vegan)
Fun Egg Free Breakfast Pizza (featuring JUST egg substitute)
Apple & Bacon Cauliflower Rice

Easy Breakfast Ideas Your Toddler will Enjoy

Many toddlers have a milk allergy or lactose intolerance, along with a wheat allergy. With that in mind, here are some great kid friendly meals for the whole family. These recipes are also egg free since many toddlers also have an egg allergy. If you need more gluten and dairy-free recipes for your toddler, be sure to check out my Top 9 Free Toddler Cookbook.

Homemade Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
Double Chocolate Muffins (Gluten Free, Egg Free, Top 9 Free)
Baked Strawberry Banana Oat Bars
Mini Maple Waffles (Gluten Free, Egg Free, Top 9 Free, Seed Free)

A Few More Easy Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Breakfast Ideas

Milk & Cereal

I know it’s basic, but it’s a valid breakfast. These days, there are so many fantastic brands that sell gluten + dairy free cereal options. One of my kids loves the EnviorKids brand, specifically the Koala Crisps (think chocolate rice cereal). He has that with homemade dairy free milk, sliced bananas, and is a happy little clam. The nice thing is that you can easily jazz up cereal by adding fruit or a small side of something else such as homemade sausage.

Sweet or Savory Oatmeal

If you’ve never had a bowl of filling oats with a savory twist, let me share some delicious ideas and variations with you:

Cooked Oatmeal + Pan Seared Diced Ham + Shredded Dairy Free Cheese + Smoked Paprika
Cooked Oatmeal + Shredded Chicken Leftovers + Crushed Bacon + Quartered Tomatoes
Cooked Oatmeal + Sautéed Onion & Bell Pepper + Pan Seared Trumpet Mushroom Slices

Then, we have some sweet variations on this idea:

French Toast Oatmeal (Cooked Oatmeal + Chopped Dates + Cinnamon + Nutmeg)
Lemon Berry Oatmeal (Cooked Oatmeal + Organic Food Grade Lemon Oil + Wild Blueberries + Organic Maple Syrup)
Strawberries & Cream (Cooked Oatmeal + Vanilla Extract + Crushed Freeze Dried Strawberries or Fresh Diced Strawberries + Organic Maple Syrup)

Hopefully one of these ideas sparks something in you and you give it a try. Whilst oatmeal can seem like a bland breakfast food, the truth is, it’s merely a canvas for your creativity, so unleash it and have fun with new oatmeal combos and flavors.

Potato Skillet

You can do a lot with small diced potatoes, and since it’s a small dice, it tends to cook a little quicker. Alternatively, you could make a “giant hash-brown” by using shredded potatoes and loading it up with a range of toppings.

For my kids who can have eggs, I sometimes make them a breakfast potato skillet with small diced potatoes, diced onion, diced red pepper, and spices. I get that cooked up, then top with shredded dairy free cheese and sliced avocado or organic guacamole (Costco has a great deal on this and it’s made on top 8 free equipment last I checked). They absolutely love this breakfast, and I’ve also made them skillets with sweet potatoes as well.

Loaded Gluten Free English Muffins

Like oatmeal, I see English muffins as a canvas for creativity. There are the basic toppings you can lean into such as jam, dairy free butter, ham, and even a hollandaise sauce with a poached egg.

Then, there’s the creative toppings that you can lean into such as a homemade strawberry maple compote that’s a bit creamy, or minced pork with apples and warming spices such as cinnamon. You could really lean into the savory and make a ground beef with fennel, leek, and cream sauce as well. Sure, this is bordering on brunch food, but it’s still good, it’s free-from, and you can make up quite a bit and have leftovers to enjoy throughout the week.

Jazzed Up Leftovers

When my kids were younger, I would often use dinner leftovers as part of breakfast throughout the week. This was really easy with ingredients such as shredded chicken and seasoned ground meat. I could pair those with traditional breakfast fare and everyone was happy. Remember, you can have all sorts of things on your plate at breakfast time and it doesn’t need to be traditional. It just needs to be safe and delicious.

Related: Dairy Free Desserts

Answering Your Gluten and Dairy Free Breakfast Questions

I have a bit of a sweet tooth, but want to start the day without a blood sugar spike. And sweet breakfasts suggestions that are also gluten and dairy free?

I admire your desire to start the day with a healthy recipe. I have quite a few suggestions for you. The first is a sweet leaning yogurt parfait. You can make an oven roasted crunchy component using certified gluten-free oats (assuming you can have oats). Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, drizzle maple syrup on top, then bake at 350f until golden brown and crunchy.

In a bowl, use lightly sweetened vanilla yogurt, top with sweet-leaning fruit such as ripe strawberries, a few dairy free chocolate chips, and then the toasted oats. This is an easy way to make a delicious breakfast that’s also on the sweeter side without being full of added sugar.

Another delicious way to enjoy a healthy gluten and dairy free breakfast is to make homemade sweet breakfast sausage for yourself. Use a base recipe like this one, and make a big batch of sausage. Then, make something like scrambled eggs and serve with a side of the sausage. Be sure to use an unrefined sugar such as maple sugar to keep your sausages on the healthier side. You can freeze leftover sausage.

Avocado pudding and chia pudding are another great option. You can make amazing puddings with an unrefined sweetener such as maple syrup. The texture that you can get from these types of puddings is divine. On the chia pudding, you can mix it in your blender and it won’t be lumpy like traditional chia seed pudding.

Finally, breakfast cookies and muffins are going to be worth exploring. They may be the perfect way to bring in sweet without overwhelming your system. Make sure you use a low sugar recipe, and use an unrefined sugar such as maple sugar. Then, right before baking, dust with a sprinkle of sugar. The sugar on top adds a little more sweet, but without adding a lot more to the overall recipe. To help balance the meal, serve muffins with vegetables and protein so you stay fuller, longer.

If a pancake recipe calls for gluten free flour, can I use almond flour instead?

No, you won’t be able to use almond flour as a 1:1 substitute in the recipe. The same is true of coconut flour. Both almond flour and coconut flour absorb liquids differently than other gluten free flours. However, you can use almond flour as part of a gluten free flour blend.

If that’s not an option for you, search online specifically for what you need, such as “almond flour pancake recipe” or “egg free dairy free almond flour pancake recipe”. I’m sure there are options available for you that take the special properties of almond flour into account.

Do you know of a good gluten-free tortilla brand?

Maybe. I don’t dabble much in commercial tortillas since just about all gluten-free tortilla options are made on shared equipment with wheat. One of my kids has a wheat allergy and can’t do shared equipment. You can see a review of different gluten free tortillas here that they did a few years ago.

One of the best gluten-free tortillas I’ve seen to date is made by B-Free Foods. It’s flexible, even if it’s not heated. If you’ve been gluten free for a while, you know this is a big deal. The other option is to make a delicious gluten free tortilla at home. They’re actually very easy to make, and can save you a lot of money. This recipe I shared on RAISE is so freaking delicious. It’s simple, flexible, and freezer friendly.

Siete Foods and Mikey’s make a few grain free tortillas that are worth looking into. Be sure to read reviews first, and manage your expectations, as not everyone loves them.

I’m struggling to find protein powders that are dairy free and pea/legume free. Do you know of any?

Why yes I do! My top pick is Zego Foods pure protein powder made from sacha inchi seed. You can use it the way you’d use a regular protein powder. My second choice is sprouted pumpkin seed protein powder. Both of these options are seed based.

If you need something that’s not seed based, I’d suggest venturing into something very unconventional: meat flour. Carnivore Crisps sells ground meat powder (I know!), but you could mix a small amount into a chocolate smoothie and get away with it.

You may be able to find some nut based protein powders as well, but that’s not something I’m too familiar with. A paleo focused or keto focused website may be able to provide more options for you.

Can I batch cook gluten free dairy free breakfast burritos? Will they freeze well?

This is going to be a maybe. In theory, the answer is a resounding yes. In practice, it’s going to come down to each individual component. With gluten and dairy free products, the results can vary wildly. For example, the Siete Foods tortillas won’t be the best choice for a tortilla that will hole up well, freeze well, then reheat well. Personally, I’d go with this homemade tortilla recipe or a B-Free Foods tortilla (they’re very flexible at room temperature when purchased).

Then there’s the filling. Depending on what you use inside of the burrito, it may not reheat and eat well the second time around. Some dairy free cheeses as an example don’t do well when frozen like this. Dry-leaning ingredients also won’t reheat and wow you the next time around.

If I were going to attempt this at home, I’d start with.a large homemade tortilla. Separately, I’d cook up some very crisp small diced potatoes. Then, I’d make a saucy ground breakfast sausage. I’d also crisp up some bacon. Mix everything together, place it on the tortilla, roll it up, and freeze it. If you can’t do potatoes, rice or quinoa would work well in this application. The key will be making sure there’s enough sauce in each of the burritos, to prevent them from drying out.

Do you know of any egg and dairy free breakfast casseroles? Most of the gluten free casseroles online call for lots of milk, cream, and cheese.

I sure do! I know of quite a few. There’s this one on RAISE (featuring bacon), this one on RAISE (featuring ground meat), and this one by Allergy Awesomeness. There’s also this chickpea based breakfast casserole featured on my show, Dang! That’s Delicious. Happy cooking!