12 Brunch Dishes That Travel Well

Brunch isn't an ordinary meal. Just thinking about it evokes pleasure and leisure. It's usually something to have the weekend, preferably a little later in the morning so you can enjoy your favorite foods feeling rested. Brunch foods are often a little more indulgent than your weekday breakfast, so if you only do smoothies or a quick toast during the week, when it's time for weekend brunch, you're probably going to have something a little more special, like pancakes, waffles, or omelet. Whether you have a sweet tooth, prefer savory, or like a mix of both, brunch offers something for everyone.

While it's occasionally made at home, brunch is something we like to take out and share with friends or loved ones. Whether you're doing a boozy brunch potluck at your friend's place or a picnic-like beach brunch, it's likely that you're heading out with a Tupperware or two. While it's not going to be as easy to have the exact hot brunch of your dreams if you plan to enjoy it outside your house, the great thing is that there are plenty of brunch foods that travel well. Plus, if you plan properly, you can still have all your favorites. As an owner of a catering business, I often make brunch for parties, potlucks, outdoor gatherings, and picnics. Over the years, I've found that there are some clear favorites, some dishes that work anywhere, and some that are worth a little extra effort. These are some of the best brunch dishes that travel well.

Quiche is one of the most obvious choices to take to a brunch gathering of any kind. Firstly, it's a crowd favorite, and it certainly embodies the concept of brunch. It's eggs, pastry, cheese, cream, and other delicious fillings that all make up a savory, hearty, and rich dish. And it travels well. Whether you can reheat it or not, it's just as delicious cold as it is warm. If it's well cooked, the pastry crust tends to hold up really well and it's unlikely to get soggy even after a couple of hours. It's also a dish that is incredibly easy to serve. All you have to do is slice it up and people can grab a piece. You don't even need plates or utensils. Guests can simply use their hands and a paper towel. This makes it the perfect choice for a picnic or an outdoor brunch.

One of the most nifty things about quiche is that the fillings are totally customizable. So, if you want to do a bacon or ham filling, you can throw those in, or you can go totally vegetarian and choose spinach, roasted butternut, roasted peppers, feta, or whatever your creativity comes up with. Of course, you can also keep it super classic and go with a reliable French quiche like this no-mess quiche Lorraine recipe.

There is one dish that always comes to mind when I think of making brunch, and that is eggs Benedict. It's a favorite option for many, and it's one of those timeless brunch classics that will always be on the menu, even if different establishments like to jazz it up with creative add-ons. However, it's not the easiest brunch dish to transport. To travel with perfectly poached eggs stacked on an English muffin and topped with the must-have hollandaise sauce is a recipe for a cold and soggy mess. Instead, you can get all the flavors of the same dish with half the trouble by turning it into a casserole. Eggs Benedict casserole is just as delicious as the original. It is made by layering English muffins, eggs, bacon, and scallions, but you can tweak it with spinach, other veggies, or any additional spices or herbs you like. Plus, you still get to have your creamy hollandaise sauce, but you keep it separate until it's time to eat.

The best way to make your eggs Benedict casserole is to stack muffin pieces, eggs, and toppings overnight so it becomes a compact and uniform dish. In the morning, bake it and make your hollandaise that you'll pop in a to-go package. When you're ready to serve, let everyone serve themselves a square of casserole and drizzle some hollandaise on top. People will be thanking you for bringing such a winning dish.

This may be a surprising one, but French toast travels really well, and if you don't have a way to reheat it, it's also delicious when it's eaten cold. Having lived in France for a couple of years, I saw how frequently French toast appeared on picnics and that it was commonly enjoyed on the go. Even if you eat them cold, they always retain the crispy exterior, but they also remain soft and tender, which is something you strive to achieve in a classic French toast. The trick is to fry them until extra crispy, a little more than usual, so they still have enough bite even if eaten cold.

If you don't want to bother by packing syrup and toppings for your French toast, there's a way to make them tasty without extra add-ons. Simply sweeten your eggs with maple syrup and add a dash of cinnamon to give them a nice flavor boost. Otherwise, pack a small bottle of syrup, honey, Nutella, fresh fruit, whipped cream, or even some yogurt to serve your French toast with delicious fixings and creative combos. Make sure to assemble when it's time to eat to avoid mushy and soggy toast. 

While oatmeal has been a reliable breakfast for decades, it might not scream excitement. But the tide is turning on that, and thanks to the internet, we've discovered and fallen in love with overnight oats as the equally delicious, hassle-free version. There are many intriguing and indulgent overnight oats recipes to enjoy, including those that recreate familiar flavors, such as carrot cake overnight oats. The added benefit is that it's one of the dishes that is incredibly easy to transfer. You can make a big bowl and portion on site or use individual cups or jars that also travel really well.

The other great thing about overnight oats is that you throw everything together the night before and the fridge does everything for you. During this time, your oats will absorb all the liquid and flavors. They will thicken up, and in the morning, you can just take them along with you. You can always pack some extra garnishes on the side. Opt for crushed pistachios, pomegranate seeds, coconut flakes, or fresh berries, to make the oats look beautiful before serving.

There's little that says brunch like eggs and bacon. They are a breakfast staple for a reason. The combination makes you feel great after a night out, but you can simply enjoy it because you want a delicious and fatty meal for no particular reason. While a fry-up can be a beautiful thing when it's just cooked, it's not the best thing to travel with or take somewhere as it can be quite messy due to fatty juices and runny yolks. That's why an egg and bacon sandwich is the way to go if you want eat this popular meal somewhere other than your kitchen.

You can use any sandwich bread you like, but a bun tends to work best as it can soak all flavors and juices without becoming soggy or falling apart. You can also try to recreate a bodega bagel by adding cheese, hot sauce, and any other topping you might fancy. I've found that wrapping these sandwiches individually in parchment paper or foil works best for transport. It also allows everyone to get their own portion, which helps make things less messy.

Deviled eggs have lasted the test of time and are still one of the old-school items we're not ready to let go any time soon. Boiled eggs on their own are nothing special, but something about scooping out the yolks, mixing them with all sorts of tasty ingredients, and filling them back up again makes them infinitely more desirable. Just like boiled eggs, deviled eggs are super tasty when cold, and they also travel well. This is what makes them the perfect brunch option to take along somewhere, regardless of whether you're planning outdoor or indoor brunch.

There are multiple contenders for what makes the best brunch dish, and deviled eggs would definitively be on that list. They are a great option if you want to keep everything classy and neat, and you can also show your creativity by experimenting with ingredients that will seriously upgrade your deviled eggs. To transport them easily, lay them in a single layer inside a large container covered with a lid or use a tall glass dish and some cling wrap to cover them. Keep your garnishes separate until you arrive at your destination. Serve these with classic brunch mimosas, and you'll never look back.

If you're showing up to brunch with cinnamon rolls, we can safely say you've won the brunch game. It's rare to find someone who doesn't love the sweet, indulgent, and decadent character of this classic. Cinnamon rolls are also great whether they're enjoyed freshly baked or if you want to munch down them long after baking, making them ideal for packing and taking them anywhere you're going. And if you're not confident making them yourself, it's super easy to track down very good versions in bakeries and stores. After all, why not leave it to the professionals to do what they do best?

If you do decide to bake your own cinnamon rolls, you can keep them in the baking dish and just cover them up with foil or cling wrap while they're in transport. If you want to glaze them, you can do it before or just when you're about to serve them. The version when you glaze them beforehand will allow the rolls to soak up some of that sweet drizzle.

Breakfast burritos are a whole meal packed in a tasty and portable parcel. They usually combine various hearty ingredients such as eggs, meat, and beans, giving you enough protein to fuel and fill you up for the day. The combinations also commonly include veggies, cheese, and many other goodies you can choose to make a dish that fits your taste and preference. What makes burritos great for transport is that all the saucy and sometimes mushy ingredients get wrapped up and completely encased in a tortilla, which helps everything stay inside, preventing any possible mess. Sear your burritos in a skillet to make the perfect seal and allow the tortillas to get a nice crisp. Then, wrap each burrito in aluminum foil, sealing everything in so they are ready to got the location of the brunch. They'll stay warm for a while, but are still really good cold.

Sometimes, brunch foods can seem starchy and beige or even a little one-note in terms of flavor. Breakfast burritos allow you to add different spices and introduce stronger flavors to your mid-morning meal, and even a little heat if that's what you prefer. If you want this to be a nutrient-dense brunch, you can also pack burritos with loads of fresh or cooked vegetables.

Bagels are a winning brunch dish any time of the year, and you can't go wrong with a smoked salmon bagel. Smoked salmon is often considered to be a finer food, so choosing to make smoked salmon bagels can make brunch feel a little more elevated. You can get the bagels at your favorite bagel joint, but they are something that you can try recreating at home. 

To avoid mushy bagels, it's best to prep all your ingredients separately and assemble your bun at the place where you plan to enjoy brunch. This allows your guests to make their own bagels and actually makes your preparation less laborious. Pack some slices of smoked salmon in a box or take the sealed package as is. Prepare some tubs of cream or cottage cheese, pickles, capers, and some chopped spring onion. You can also pre-cut your bagels at home to make the process easier. Remember to pack some lemon wedges so you can squeeze some fresh lemon juice all over your smoked salmon. This will give it a burst of freshness.

Muffins aren't a new invention by any means, but they're still a solid option for brunch. For an interesting twist, savory muffins are the way to go. If you think about it, muffins were always just cake that somehow became an acceptable option for breakfast. Take out the sugar and turn that cake into a savory dish and you will have something just as yummy. You also get the extra bonus with the add-ins like bacon, ham, peas, broccoli, and decadent cheeses like cheddar, feta, or even some gooey Gruyère. They're totally customizable and you can throw in whole cumin seeds, caraway, or other spices to boost the flavor.

If you think muffins are too simple, you won't believe just how popular they'll be at your brunch gatherings. Additionally, due to their shape and size, they are perfect for eating outside. To make the most of it, bake them in individual muffin wrappers. If you want to go without, make sure to assemble them in large plastic containers suitable for transport. If the brunch is designed only for a handful of people, you can also place them in individual paper bags.

Falafel may be a trendy vegan food to eat globally, but in my Egyptian heritage, falafel was the exciting weekend breakfast or the nutritious food that graced our tables during brunch. You can recognize the smell while they are frying before you even know what's on the menu, and when you do, instant excitement fills everyone in the house. We would then try to steal at least one before it was time to eat. I love offering falafel as a brunch item on my menu so that people can see that it makes an amazing brunch dish.

If made well, falafel should be delicately fluffy on the inside and crispy brown on the outside. Additionally, they're not meant to be eaten as a stand-alone snack. Falafel is traditionally served with an entourage of freshly baked pita bread, tahini dressing, a tomato and arugula salad, and some crunchy pickles. All these ingredients are put together to form a falafel sandwich that has all the flavors and textures that make a flavor-packed and balanced bite. Falafel can stay crispy if you fry it fresh on the day of your brunch. Make sure to pack the fillings and pitas separately and allow everyone to assemble the dish with the ingredients they prefer.

Scones may be a British thing, but they're beloved all over the world. A good scone can be satisfying on its own, but to experience its true potential, it's best served with some clotted cream and jam. With just three elements, you can have a decadent brunch. Additionally, the combination is incredibly easy to transport and can be easily assembled wherever you want to sit and enjoy your brunch.

Making scones can be an art in itself, and there are several useful tips you should follow if you want to bake scones at home. However, there's no shame in buying some from your local bakery. Either way, make sure to pack a jar of your favorite jam. You can use whipped cream, but clotted cream is more of a traditional choice. If you're intimidated to make clotted cream, don't be. Your oven and the fridge will do all the work for you. Think of it as baked cream that you let cool and then whip up. It's rich, creamy, and the perfect thing to have on a scone, muffin, or any baked good. Clotted cream also travels really well, since it's really thick and can hold itself together without melting easily. Of course, you don't want to expose it to intense summer heat. Slather it all over your scones along with your jam, and each bite will transport you to a fancy English afternoon tea party.