There’s a lot of pressure associated with New Year’s Day brunch. It’s the first meal of the new year so you want it to be delicious, but it also happens to fall on the day many use to kick off a year of healthy eating. That’s a big load for one morning meal to carry. We have good news: There are plenty of Sporked-approved brunch foods—from whole wheat English muffins to turkey bacon that won’t bum you out—that taste indulgent even if they aren’t. Here are some New Year’s Day brunch ideas that’ll kick off the year on the right foot.
- Specially Selected Indulgent Greek Honey Vanilla Yogurt
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Having “indulgent” in the name seems like a cheat code. But it’s a cheat code I’ll happily take advantage of for New Year’s Day brunch. Sporked managing editor Gwynedd Stuart described this yogurt as “basically like a creme brulee custard…so rich and creamy with a rich, toasted vanilla flavor.” Layer it with some fresh berries and granola to make a fancy parfait and you’re eating well for New Year’s brunch.
Read the full ranking of the best Aldi Greek yogurt
- Jennie-O Turkey Bacon
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Everyone loves bacon, but bacon doesn’t love everyone—and that’s OK. Swapping out pork bacon for turkey bacon is a great way to cut some cals from our New Year’s Day brunch. And this stuff is good. Like really, really good. And because the slices of this turkey bacon are so nice and thin, you still get that signature crispy crunch that bacon is known for. Whether you’re making a bacon benedict or you just need a meaty side to go with some scrambled eggs, this turkey bacon will make you feel optimistic about the year to come (or fill you up until dinner at the very least).
Read the full ranking of the best turkey bacon
- Stone & Skillet New England Style English Muffins Wheat
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Benedicts are a classic for special occasion brunches. And what better occasion is there than New Year’s Day brunch? If a benedict was on your list of New Year’s Day brunch ideas, there’s one brand of English muffin that you should be grabbing. Stone & Skillet’s wheat English muffins are super soft and buttery in the center—they’re doughy in a way that makes them taste freshly baked, unlike most English muffins. It gives them chew and makes them taste super indulgent. This screams New Year’s brunch. And they just so happen to be whole wheat, which you can feel good about.
Read the full ranking of the best English muffins
- Latitude 45 Atlantic Salmon
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Having good smoked salmon on hand for New Year’s Day brunch gives you tons of options. Maybe you want to take it easy and throw together a nice little bagel spread or go all out with a plate full of lox eggs. The world is your oyster! Or rather, your salmon? Either way, Latitude 45 Atlantic Salmon is the smoked salmon to buy for New Year’s brunch. It’s extremely silky and gorgeously rich. It melts in your mouth. New Year’s Day brunch ideas should make you feel like you’re eating at a fancy brunch spot without the hassle of waiting in line, and this salmon is fancy as all get out.
Read the full ranking of the best smoked salmon
- Trader Joe’s Blueberry Waffles
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Skip the regular waffles today because we’re eating healthy for New Year’s brunch. Oh, you don’t think a few blueberries make frozen waffles a healthy food? Well, we’ll have to agree to disagree, my friend, because I think this is a great add to our list of New Year’s Day brunch ideas. These waffles are packed with fresh blueberry flavor, so I’m going to bat for them. Top these with some almond butter or some agave nectar—delish and highly easy.
Read the full ranking of the best blueberry waffles
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!