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Breakfast Ideas for a Crowd
Make-ahead bakes and self-serve spreads for feeding a full house.
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Plenty of crowd breakfasts can be done the night before. A tater tot casserole and a hashbrown sausage casserole are both assembled ahead and go straight into the oven in the morning, and one Mumsnet poster says Dutch baby batter can be mixed the night before too. Then put out a spread people can serve themselves, which is what the thread's posters suggested for 16 to 20 guests. This list is for a house full of guests or a brunch table, and it leans on bakes and make-aheads. It skips restaurant picks and anything cooked to order.
Why these items are on the list
- Overnight tater tot casserole. Mel's Kitchen Cafe's recipe, per Romper, is cheese, sausage and eggs; assemble the night before, then bake.
- Hashbrown sausage bacon egg casserole. Bake It With Love calls it good for a large family; assemble it the night before, then just bake.
- Overnight French toast bake. Bake It With Love's version soaks the bread in egg mixture overnight, then goes straight into the oven.
- Apple pie French toast casserole. Bake It With Love says you can prepare it in advance, so it only needs baking when guests are up.
- Cinnamon roll casserole. Bake It With Love's recipe uses leftover cinnamon rolls, or refrigerated cinnamon roll dough if you've got none.
- Breakfast enchiladas. Wrap them fully ahead of time, then just heat them in the oven.
- Pumpkin cinnamon rolls. Let the dough rise the night before too, so it's bake-only in the morning.
- Dutch baby. One Mumsnet poster says it gives pancake or waffle vibes with less effort. Mix the batter the night before.
- Pancake traybake. Bake all the batter in one dish instead of flipping individual pancakes.
- Croque monsieur bake. Make it the night before. One Mumsnet poster says it's gone down well with a crowd.
- Baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms. Eggs baked in creamed spinach, mushrooms and parmesan, a good brunch dish.
- Freezer-friendly breakfast sandwiches. Make them on the weekend. Romper says they only take a couple of minutes to warm each morning.
- Bacon, egg and cheese muffins. One-handed food, and you can make a lot of them quickly.
- Banana baked oatmeal cups. Fiber and protein in individual cups, with a texture like a tiny banana bread.
- Fruit and yogurt jar parfaits. Layer fruit and yogurt in jars, and keep the granola in its own container.
- Overnight oats. Prepared the night before, so they're ready to eat as soon as people wake.
- Big pot of porridge, toppings. Set out lots of toppings. CurlewKate's friend served this before a long walk and it went down well.
- Bagels with cream cheese, smoked salmon. Several Mumsnet replies suggested it. Put sweet things out alongside.
- Ham and cheese croissants. One Mumsnet poster suggests these for a last morning, since there's less clearing up afterwards.
- Pancakes or waffles with toppings bar. Maple syrup, berries, bananas, granola, Greek yogurt and honey, with everyone serving themselves.
- Toast with spreads. Butter, marmalade, honey, peanut butter, avocado, tomato slices. Raisin toast adds variety.
- Mini quiches or muffins. Premade works when the kitchen isn't free. One poster planned mini quiches or muffins for about 50 women.
- Fruit salad in a trifle dish. CookingwithMary suggests assorted plain sliced fruit, which looks lovely, with yogurt on the side.
- Quiche Florentine. Spinach, melted cheese and creamy egg in a pie crust.
- Blueberry muffins. Bake a big batch, then warm them up in the morning with butter.
Share it with whoever's co-hosting, and tick things off as they're made so nobody ends up baking the same dish twice.
When to use it
Use it when you're planning breakfast for a house full of guests, a holiday weekend or a brunch, a few days ahead.