11 Canned Foods That Make A Surprisingly Good Breakfast

We've covered the benefits of incorporating canned foods in your menus (financial, physical, and even taste positives), and we've even given a rundown on which canned foods are the best, considering criteria like health value, quality, and cost. But what about when it comes to which canned foods can hold their own in the breakfast arena? Before you dismiss the idea, take a breath and open your mind to the thought that maybe, just maybe, the can isn't necessarily the enemy of a good morning meal. In fact, that canned good in your pantry right now just might be your post-sunrise shortcut to breakfast success.

Canned foods also have the added advantage of near-seamless ease, for those early mornings when time, or even your pre-coffee functionality, is in short supply. With canned foods, all the slicing, dicing, peeling, and beyond are removed from the equation. All you have to do is simply pop that lid open and let the breakfast games begin.

Of course, not every canned food belongs on your breakfast plate (in fact, we will concur that many don't seem to belong even remotely near it), but that said, some are indeed better than others (a few of which may actually surprise you). The trick is knowing which canned pantry picks can make early mornings sing, and which ones you should maybe can-cel until the evening rolls around. Here are a few of the canned foods that make a surprisingly yummy breakfast.

Let's talk about canned pumpkin puree. We should start by saying this is not pumpkin pie filling we're talking about (folks seem to get those two confused). When it comes to the ingredients in canned pumpkin puree, they're far less saccharine-sweet than dessert-forward (and sugar-laden) pie filling. In fact, the ingredients list of most canned pumpkin purees only contains cooked, then mashed squash and pumpkin varieties (no added sugars or spices at all).

While you can certainly make pumpkin puree from scratch, grabbing a pre-prepared can at the store is a seamless way to get the foundation for many incredible breakfast options that taste so good your family and guests will think they're made from scratch. In fact, at Aldi, canned pumpkin made our list of cheap canned foods that should be on your radar. The fact that pumpkin puree is indeed pretty neutral as a starting point (sans extra sugars) is exactly what makes it so useful in the breakfast realm.

Stir a spoonful into porridge or oatmeal with cinnamon, vanilla, and maple syrup, or blend it into pancake batter for sensational stacks. It also works beautifully in French toast, turning ordinary thick-sliced bread into an autumnal-inspired morning masterpiece. For bakers, pumpkin puree can add moisture to everything from quick breads to muffins and more. And if you want to get extra adventurous, try using it in a savory cheese sauce for a pumpkin-inspired breakfast croque monsieur.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of our next choice, you might want to brush up on which canned tomato brands are actually worth buying (we'll give you a moment). Now, once you have a can of good tomatoes in the cupboard, breakfast suddenly has a lot more possibilities. Eggs in purgatory is an eggs-ellent place to begin, whereby simply simmering tomatoes with garlic and a little chile, then settling eggs into the bubbling sauce until the whites firm up while the yolks stay soft, is your surprisingly express ticket to the AM-track.

Then there's the similarly skillet-produced classic, shakshuka, pairing tomatoes with spices and eggs that cook right in the pan. A few slices of perfectly toasted bread turn either dish into a scoop-worthy, super-satisfying meal. For something even easier, try tomato toast. This recipe is a real snap — simply heating canned tomatoes with olive oil and garlic (plus a sprinkle of salt and pepper), then spreading the mixture over generously buttered toast, results in a wonder of a breakfast bite.

You can even get a little fancy, adding grated cheese at the final moment and letting it melt over the top for a tasty finale. What the heck, maybe even up the ante with a fried egg. As for the seasonings for your toast, you can keep things simple (a sprinkle of salt and pepper perhaps), or reach for the big guns (looking at you, cumin, paprika, chile, and more).

Talk about a canned food with real superpowers. Canned coconut milk is a pantry staple with a remarkable knack for making everything it encounters instantly richer. Thick and creamy, this canned liquid is like cupboard sorcery when cooks are seeking something comforting and fabulous, yet don't fancy spending all morning sweating over the stove.

For a make-ahead option, you can turn canned coconut milk into chia pudding. Just stir coconut milk with chia seeds, vanilla, and a bit of maple syrup, then let the mixture rest until it creates a primo, spoonable pudding. You can even add berries, nut butter, toasted coconut, or whatever else excites you for a fully customizable, canned food-based breakfast. Rice gets an equally delicious transformation when paired with this canned food. In this scenario, simply simmer rice with coconut milk and water until creamy, sprinkling in cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, or a smidge of salt as you go. Raise the bar by adding a sweet dollop of fruit preserves, or even fresh fruit or nuts. Think of it as porridge with a pleasant chewiness instead of your everyday oats.

But coconut milk does not have to stay on the sweet side. It can make an incredible savory breakfast when used in lieu of water alongside broth or stock when cooking grits. This creamy concoction provides a fabulous foundation for any number of toppings (fried eggs, scallions, sautéed vegetables, bacon bits, and beyond).

In the world of canned foods, sweet potato puree has plenty in common with pumpkin puree, but some breakfast recipes get a distinctly different personality from this orange pantry princess. Because sweet potato possesses a naturally sweeter taste than pumpkin, it can reduce the amount of added sweetener needed in recipes and also provides a beta-carotene boost that gives it immense nutritional benefits.

As for specific recipes infusing canned sweet potato puree into the mix, pancakes are an especially easy starting point. Whipping these stacks up is as simple as stirring your puree into a basic batter (the barest of recipes combine roughly a cup of puree with a pair of eggs, and that's it), then cooking this mixture in a lightly greased pan. In a matter of minutes, you will have a stack of flapjacks just begging for mouthwatering maple syrup, yogurt, chopped nuts, or fruit to provide the finishing touches.

Oatmeal is another perfect breakfast match for this canned food. Even novice home chefs will find no difficulty in heating milk with sweet potato puree, cinnamon, vanilla, and a preferred sweetener, then adding oats and simmering until creamy. Peanut butter can join the party, too, along with dried fruit, nuts, and even a drizzle of maple syrup (the topping options are nearly endless). So, whether it lands in pancake batter or gets stirred into oats, that canned sweet potato has breakfast covered from that first bite to the last spoonful.

Kimchi possesses this breakfast-worthy canned food list's loudest personality, bringing everything from fermented zing to chile heat, and even a bit of literally loud crunch to the table. Let's just say this canned food brings some big, savory energy to the morning meal, with near limitless ways to be put to excellent use.

But why not start with eggs? Breakfast can be whipped together in a snap by sautéing a little kimchi in butter before adding beaten eggs and folding everything together. The heat kicks the kimchi's flavor into high gear, and its acidity is the perfect counterpoint to the rich, buttery profile of the egg scramble. You can even add some greens and slices of toast for a fuller meal, or opt for kimchi-covered boiled eggs alongside soy sauce, scallions, nori, mayo, furikake, and more for even more ohhh myyyy appeal.

Kimchi also turns pancakes into a savory affair when mixed into a quick batter and pan-fried until crispy around the edges. It can also be spooned onto toast (a fried egg on top would be all the better), and even made into kimchi fried rice. It's pretty incredible, but before you go thinking you have cracked the code and discovered some new canned food breakfast revelation, just know that kimchi has been a beloved breakfast staple in Korea for basically eons, folks. So, welcome to the party — centuries and centuries late, but it still totally counts.

While the world's full of overpriced canned goods you're better off not buying (looking at you, costly smoked salmon), there are a few canned meat alternatives that offer excellent price points as well as tasty flavors. Spam is among these. In fact, if given the chance, Spam just might surprise you with the wealth of wondrous breakfast masterpieces it can make. For starters, a classic American favorite, the breakfast English muffin sammie, gets a tasty spin with Spam. Just slice it, brown it in a skillet, and tuck it inside an English muffin with scrambled eggs (and whatever else floats your boat) for a fast morning meal that easily fits in your paw.

Or you can keep the combination simple with pan-fried Spam, eggs, rice, furikake, and scallions (just be prepared for a pleasant shock at how well the salty meat product dances an epic flavor cha cha with the savory seasonings and richness of the oh-so-soft eggs). And speaking of Spam selections that fit in your mitts, for a Hawaiian-inspired Spam breakfast, turn that can into a musubi. For those not yet familiar, Spam musubi pairs glazed slices of Spam sandwiched with rice and nori, creating a quick sammie-style meal that's easy to eat by hand. A teriyaki-style glaze is a popular option for giving the Spam its glossy, savory-sweet coating, while furikake adds some "Office Space"-worthy flair to the Aloha State mainstay.

Canned biscuit dough may seem like a one-trick pony, but that refrigerated tube of buttery goodness has a surprisingly far-reaching range that refuses to be limited to your granny's biscuit basket. For example, the dough from a biscuit tin transforms into the foundation for a breakfast casserole fit to serve a crowd, shape-shifts into a speedily whipped-up waffle, or segues into a stellar breakfast sandwich (no measuring spoons or flour flung everywhere required).

For a sample canned biscuit breakfast casserole that will likely rock your world, simply arrange your canned biscuit dough across the bottom of a baking dish, then add preferred fillings (like browned breakfast sausage), before pouring beaten eggs and milk across everything. As a final dash of deliciousness, scatter cheese on top, then bake and prepare for canned food breakfast bliss.

Then there's the canned biscuit wonders of the waffle iron – including, of course, classic waffles (just with a yummy biscuit-in-lieu-of-batter twist). First, place portions of canned biscuit dough directly onto a preheated waffle maker, then simply cook until golden and crisp. Serve them sweet with butter and syrup, or make your morning a savory waffle affair (there are no rules in the biscuit waffle world). You can even split biscuits after baking them from a can, then construct completely customizable breakfast sandwiches. Stuff them with scrambled eggs, bacon, cheese, and beyond, and you're ready to head right out the door and tackle your day.

Pop open a can of apple pie filling, and breakfast instantly welcomes in that gourmet bakery energy. The tender bits of apple have already been cooked and oh-so-seriously-cinnamon-seasoned, and rather than having to toil away in the kitchen (coring, peeling, chopping, simmering) at the crack of dawn, you can skip those pesky steps and jump to the good part: deciding which recipe to spoon all that apple pie goodness into.

Overnight oats are a great pick. Just fold your canned apple pie filling through a bowl of oats and milk before refrigerating overnight. When you awaken, roll out of bed, pull out that bowl, and add any preferred extras. That could be vanilla yogurt for an apple-pie-à-la-mode vibe, nuts for a crave-worthy crunch, or maple syrup for maximum indulgence. Not much of an oats-in-a-bowl fan? That same filling makes incredible apple oat bars. Create a crumbly oat mixture (rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt), press half of it into a baking dish, spread apple filling over it, then cover with the remaining crumble and bake. Once cooled, slice it into bars, and you've got breakfast treats that rival bakery versions, bite for bite.

You can even make donut-esque apple pie bites courtesy of the air fryer. Simply flatten a piece of canned biscuit dough, tuck a spoonful of apple pie filling inside, pinch the corners closed, then air-fry until golden. Brush the still-warm bites with melted butter, then roll them in cinnamon sugar for an unforgettable, melt-in-your-mouth finish.

If hominy has never appeared beside your breakfast eggs, consider this your official invitation to give this under-appreciated breakfast canned food a shot. These large, chewy corn kernels are a longtime Appalachian cupboard mainstay, and a hot skillet can turn them into a savory morning side that just might curl your toes. To create the simplest of breakfast side dishes, drain the hominy thoroughly, then cook it in a skillet with butter or bacon grease. Season with salt and pepper, then simply allow the kernels enough time over the heat to develop browned, crunchy spots. Adding a dash of chili powder or other preferred seasonings can add an extra flavor punch if preferred.

Plate the fried hominy with eggs (scrambled, fried, poached — you pick!), or add crumbled sausage directly to the pan while cooking for a far more hearty entree. Bacon works beautifully, too, particularly if you use the rendered fat as your hominy cooking base. What makes this pantry ingredient especially interesting is its regional character. Hominy has long been used in Appalachian cooking, where pan-frying it provides a lesser-known alternative to more familiar corn-based breakfast dishes, like grits.

So, if there's a can of hominy hiding in that cupboard, don't save it just for soup or stew. Give those kernels some mountain magic treatment, courtesy of a skillet, some fat, and a little seasoning, and breakfast suddenly has a wonderfully old-fashioned, comforting soul.

There are mornings when you wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed, ready to conquer the kitchen and whip up some scratch-made breakfast magic. Then there are days when you want to smash that alarm clock into smithereens and have zero desire to spend one iota of energy on your morning meal. On those less-than-bouncing-out-of-bed days, canned rice pudding is an almost ridiculously easy canned food breakfast option.

Literally all you have to do is open the can, nab a spoon, and get to noshing, because this breakfast is done. It's hard to find any fault in this fabulous canned food find, as it's got all the goods (creamy, sweet, filling, and is giving serious dessert vibes for that first meal of the day). And who doesn't love dessert? In fact, when it comes to this effortless breakfast, the biggest "problem" you might encounter is simply figuring what temperature you prefer your top of the morning treat. Some people happily eat their rice pudding straight from the can, enjoying its cool, creamy goodness without doing anything beyond popping open that lid. Others? They prefer to warm it up in a bowl or saucepan, instantly transforming it into a cozy, comfort-food kind of brekkie.

Once you have chosen your warm or cool temp, you basically have a blank-canvas base for customization. The sky is really the limit here, whether you fancy stirring in some raisins, tossing on some nuts, dusting a sprinkle of cinnamon on top (the list goes on).

Canned chestnuts might be a bit of a curveball on this breakfast list, but hear us out. These underrated gems can truly turn an ordinary, ho-hum breakfast into something extraordinary, particularly when you take inspiration from the French. After all, they are known for having a knack for making cuisine feel downright decadent. So, channel your inner Jacques Pépin and begin by draining your canned chestnuts and pureeing them with warm milk, honey, vanilla, and a smidge of salt until the mixture is velvety smooth yet thick enough to spread over toast. 

What you're getting is a homemade nod to crème de marrons, the sweetened chestnut spread that has long been a cherished mainstay in French kitchens ("marrons" means chestnuts in French). Likened by some as tasting quite toffee-like, this luxurious spread is the sort of creation that makes you wonder why chocolate-hazelnut rivals get all the breakfast-toast glory (nothing against Nutella, but this little diva schmear delivers). The great news keeps going, as you don't have to limit this French treat to standard toast. You can spoon it into a bowl of oats, accompanied with any manner of accouterments, such as honey, maple syrup, and cinnamon.

But if you really want to delve into the French breakfast psyche, use your just-made chestnut cream with French favorites like crêpes, waffles, croissants, and more. One bite, and it's a good bet you'll agree that this canned food breakfast tip is très délicieux!