Literally meaning to break the fasting period that began the prior evening after dinner, breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day, giving us the energy we need to get up and get going. Foods we associate with breakfast here in the west include eggs, sausage, bacon, toast, hashbrowns, and pancakes, usually served up with a side of juice and coffee. I think we can all agree that these breakfast foods are delicious, so why does it feel like you’re being a rebel by enjoying them outside the normal breakfast or brunch hours? It’s time to break free from these arbitrary menu constraints because the truth is, breakfast for dinner, also known as ‘brinner’, is a great idea for many reasons:

• It’s affordable: common breakfast items like eggs, potatoes, toast, pancakes, etc., are all inexpensive to buy.
• It’s easy: whipping up a veggie omelet doesn’t require the skills of a top chef.
• It’s healthy: provided you go easy on the bacon and don’t drown your meal in hollandaise.
• It’s fun: switching up your regular routine can make cooking at home more interesting, and who doesn’t love to break the rules once in a while?

Whether you like your breakfast foods savory or sweet, you can find numerous recipes that work just as well for your final meal of the day. You can even experiment with different breakfast foods from around the world to keep your taste buds stimulated. Here are a few options that will have you making breakfast for dinner a lot more often:

Spanish Tortilla with Bell Pepper: No, not the corn tortillas that hold your favorite taco ingredients. The Spanish version involves preparing potatoes, vegetables and eggs in a skillet, then baking them all together into golden deliciousness. Get Martha’s recipe here.

Breakfast Pizza: Why not combine two of the world’s most enjoyable edibles: breakfast and pizza?! Sounds like perfection to me. This recipe from the Food Network involves bacon, red onion, sundried tomatoes, fresh herbs, cheese and a fried egg, all on top of mini flatbreads, but you could use any toppings your heart desires.

Smoked Salmon Scramble: Smoked salmon adds a dimension of salty goodness to your creamy scrambled eggs. I never thought I’d be into it but it’s an absolutely divine combination of flavors and textures. All you have to do is add some bite-sized pieces of smoked salmon to your eggs in the pan just before they’re done. Sprinkle on some chives for garnish and serve with a few slices of rye toast, or pile on top of a toasted bagel or English muffin.

Breakfast Nachos: Enough said.

Buckwheat Pancakes: Naturally gluten-free and super nutritious, buckwheat gives your pancakes a unique, hearty flavor perfect for a batch of dinner pancakes. For an even more epic flavor explosion, try these Buckwheat Pancakes with Blue Cheese, Bacon and Maple Syrup. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, you could easily substitute a milder cheese.

And if you’re running out of time to prepare something, try these simple breakfast hacks at dinnertime, or grab any of our good-for-you breakfast meals.

What’s your favorite breakfast for dinner recipe? Share them in the comments or on Twitter at @luvoinc.