Cheap and easy family brunch ideas

Cheap and easily family brunch ideas for the perfect way to start the weekend or spoil the whole family on a special occasion such as a birthday or bank holiday

Homemade beans on toast
(Image credit: TI Media Limited)

Our cheap and easily family brunch ideas are exactly what it says on the tin, affordable brunch recipes that are simple to make at home when you want to feed a crowd.

Cheap and easily family brunch ideas for the perfect way to start the weekend or spoil the whole family on a special occasion such as a birthday, Mother's Day, Easter or a bank holiday.

Brunch may sound a little fancy but it doesn't have to be. It's one of those meals that we can have without really knowing it - usually at the weekends when you've had a lie in (or at least tried to!). It's a combination of breakfast and lunch and is often a hearty meal that's bigger than your average breakfast to keep you going well into the afternoon.

What types of food do you serve for brunch?

From frittatas to wraps, from waffles to salads, brunch is a wonderful time to experiment with some cafe-style dishes in the comfort of your own home.

We've got plenty of mouth-watering brunch recipes to choose from including some healthy brunch options too like our Morrocan tomatoes, delicious bubble and squeak with smoky egg or how about a quick and easy fruit salad.

Cheap and easy family brunch ideas

Brunch is the perfect time to get friends and family together. Why not open a bottle of bubbles and serve with orange juice to make Buck's Fizz? Brunch is a treat after all! Take a look through all of our cheap and easy brunch ideas for inspiration...

Homemade beans on toast

(Image credit: TI Media Limited)

Try our classic Homemade beans on toast

Skill level: Easy

Pimp baked beans for a quick and easy dinner for the whole family that’s ready in just 20 mins. You can make these homemade baked beans on toast any night of the week.

Full English breakfast pizza

Full English breakfast pizza

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What better way to start the day than with a hearty fry-up. Eggs, bacon, mushroom, sausages - what more could you want? Well, how about serving this whole meal on a pizza-style base? This recipe uses a cut of French boule loaf as the base and tops with a classic full English menu. You could even serve the whole thing on an actual pizza base if you like. The kids will love it!

Get the recipe: Full English breakfast pizza

Build-your-own tarts

Build-your-own tarts

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The whole family can dig in to create their own brunch tarts with this easy recipe and simple topping suggestions. Make them with whatever you have in your fridge!

Get the recipe: Build-your-own tarts

Banana muffins

Banana muffins

So easy! Banana muffins take just 15 mins to prepare before you pop them in the oven and are delicious served warm. A naughty-but-delicious family brunch ideathat you could even make ahead.

Get the recipe: Banana muffins

Bubble and squeak with smoky egg

Bubble and squeak with smoky egg

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Perfect for a bank holiday Monday, this classic bubble and squeak recipe can use up the leftovers from your Sunday roast. Our version combines potatoes, cabbage and spring onions and top it with a paprika-infused fried egg as an added bonus.

Get the recipe: Bubble and squeak with smoky egg

Quick farmhouse fry-up

Quick farmhouse fry-up

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This one-pot dish combines potatoes, mushrooms, chard leaves and egg

to make a super filling brunch the whole family can tuck in to. And

what makes this meal even better? It only works out at 221 calories per

serving - result!

Get the recipe: Quick farmhouse fry-up

Breakfast pancakes

Breakfast pancakes

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These all-day breakfast pancakes are simply delicious. Top with a gooey fried egg, a couple of rashers of bacon and cherry tomatoes. Pancakes don't have to be sweet every time!

Get the recipe: Breakfast pancakes

Morrocan tomatoes

Morrocan tomatoes

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If you love tomatoes, you must try this dish, it's so simple and tastes delicious. Just like an omelette, you cook your veggies first (the asparagus tips and large tomatoes in this case) and then instead of whisking the eggs you just crack them into the pan and let them cook. This brunch recipe would be ideal served with a cut of crusty bread for dipping in the yolks.

Get the recipe: Morrocan tomatoes

Scrambled egg and salsa wrap

Scrambled egg and salsa wrap

You wouldn't think to put scrambled egg in a wrap now would you? Taking a breakfast classic and lunchtime favourite and combining the two is a genius move for brunch. A freshly prepared salsa made from spring onion, tomatoes and a dash of balsamic vinegar gives this brunch added flavour - you'll be crazy not to try them.

Get the recipe: Scrambled egg and salsa wrap

James Martin's bacon and maple syrup waffles

James Martin's bacon and maple syrup waffles

If you're lucky enough to have waffle maker, waffles should definitely be on the menu for brunch. You can top with anything from bacon to fruit and if you're don't have a waffle maker, you can buy them readymade from the supermarket - shhh, we won't tell if you don't!

Get the recipe: James Martin's bacon and maple syrup waffles

Almond and apricot croissants

Almond and apricot croissants

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These warm buttery croissants are filled with sweet, soft apricots and sprinkled with flaked almonds and dusted with icing sugar - can brunch get any better?!

Get the recipe: Almond and apricot croissants

Florida fruits with toasted brioche

Florida fruits with toasted brioche

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If you fancy something light and refreshing for brunch, this Florida-inspired fruit salad should do the trick. Fresh grapefruit, segments of orange and a sprinkling of ruby red pomegranate seeds makes this fruity brunch a perfect treat for a warmer morning. Serve with a couple of slices of toasted brioche.

Get the recipe: Florida fruits with toasted brioche

Buckwheat pancakes

Buckwheat pancakes

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This buckwheat pancake recipe is one of our favourite brunch ideas. Once

you've perfected the batter and cooked up those soft, fluffy pancakes

you can experiment with all sorts of toppings like fresh fruits or even

bacon and maple syrup. You can go sweet, you can go savoury or you could

have a little of both - the choice is yours!

Get the recipe: Buckwheat pancakes

Annabel Karmel's ratatouille omelette

Annabel Karmel's ratatouille omelette

What's brunch without an omelette? This omelette is better than your usual breakfast omelette as it combines eggs with homemade ratatouille. Aubergine, spring onion and courgette are only a handful of the ingredients used in this recipe, making it a filling and healthy one-pot option.

Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel's ratatouille omelette

Veggie eggs Benedict

Veggie eggs Benedict

This veggie eggs Benedict is the perfect weekend treat. A light,

homemade Hollandaise sauce, soft English muffin buns and one gooey

poached egg - doesn't it sound heavenly? This dish is just a little too

rich to be breakfast, so that's why we've nominated it as one of our

brunch favourites.

Get the recipe: Veggie eggs Benedict

Cinnamon toast with raspberries

Cinnamon toast with raspberries

With a hint of warming cinnamon and handfuls of fresh berries this delicious cinnamon toast recipe is realyl simple to make and can be rustled up in 10 mins.

Get the recipe: Cinnamon toast with raspberries

Kedgeree cakes

Kedgeree cakes

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Kedgeree is a dish made from fish, rice and hard boiled eggs - it may sounds strange but it tastes delicious. These kedgeree cakes are the perfect example of how to serve this classic dish for brunch. Serve with fresh salad leaves, baked beans or even sandwich between two buns - whatever you fancy.

Get the recipe: Kedgeree cakes

Poached egg and bacon salad

Poached egg and bacon salad

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This delicious dish combines two favourites - poached egg and a healthy salad. The poached egg will give you all the protein you need to keep you fuller for longer and the salad, which combines baby plum tomatoes, celery and mixed salad leaves, will give you the health-factor.

Get the recipe: Poached egg and bacon salad

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich

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Whoever first thought to put these three foods together and sandwich them between thick cuts of bread is a genius. This classic BLT (bacon, lettuce and tomato sarnie - in case you didn't know!) is a great way of using up what you've got in the fridge. You can make this sandwich even better by toasting the bread slightly before assembling. It's a balanced breakfast and lunch in one. Try adding a little egg to the sandwich to give it an extra brunch-y feel.

Get the recipe: BLT

Grapefruit, beetroot and avocado salad

Grapefruit, beetroot and avocado salad

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You wouldn't think to put these three ingredients together; grapefruit, beetroot and avocado, but they really do work like a dream. The grapefruit adds a refreshing, citrusy flavour to the mix which makes the chunks of avocado even creamier than usual. The beetroot also adds to the sweetness of the dish while giving it some added colour too.

Get the recipe: Grapefruit, beetroot and avocado salad

Sausage and spinach frittata

Sausage and spinach frittata

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Cooked in one pot, this sausage and spinach frittata is so simple and ready in 40 mins - with hardly any washing up! Now that's a great start to the weekend.

Get the recipe: Sausage and spinach frittata

Panettone French toast

Panettone French toast

This delicious Panettone French toast has taken French toast to the next level, that's why we'd class it as brunch instead of breakfast.

Get the recipe: Panettone French toast

Spinach, onion and egg bake

Spinach, onion and egg bake

Whip up 6 of these mini egg bakes in just 25 mins. Perfect if you've got a few people round for brunch or if you're feeling super hungry you could have 2 each!

Get the recipe: Spinach, onion and egg bake

Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 11 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies