Christmas Day brings a culinary paradox. Nobody wants to spend all day in the kitchen, but we all want to eat well.

That’s why these make-ahead breakfast ideas are the key to enjoying the holidays. You can set yourself up for success for breakfast, or my preference, brunch.

I’m more than happy with a pot of coffee for most of the morning (with a few sugar cookies popped into my mouth). I ply the girls with smoothies to sip as they open presents to eliminate risk of low blood sugar.

Come 10 a.m., everyone’s ready for something more substantial, sweet or savory–or both.

5 Best Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes

Here are my top picks for a pre-made holiday breakfast. With only two days to go, I’m still deciding among them for myself:

1. Holiday Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread Not too sweet and made with a hefty proportion of whole wheat flour, this is my go-to holiday snack. I already have some stashed in the freezer.

2. Ham, Cheddar & Scallion Strata On the savory side, this baked egg dish is a life saver. Here’s a formula for making a savory bread pudding–called strata–with whatever you have on hand with tips for creating your own savory strata recipes.

3. Spinach Sausage Gravy For something a little indulgent, classic sausage gravy gets a spring makeover with spinach. Make ahead and reheat for serving over and a change up on the biscuits or over roasted potatoes

4. Whole Wheat Sourdough Waffles Make this sourdough batter the night before for a near-instant breakfast. Take it to the sweet side with fruit preserves, poached fruit or maple syrup with yogurt or go savory by making it the “bread” for a great egg sandwich.

5. Pear Spelt Streusel Coffee Cake A slice of fruity, not-too-sweet coffee cake with a wonderfully crunchy streusel topping. A most welcome contribution to any holiday brunch.