The 600 Year Old Japanese Breakfast (Meal Prep Style)

The first time I experienced a traditional Japanese-style breakfast was back in 2008 during a trip to Tokyo. It was a revelation consisting of fish, miso soup, rice, vegetables, and pickles. While making that spread from scratch every morning is a challenge for anyone on a busy schedule, I recently decided to "crack the code" on making this breakfast practical for daily life. Inspired by the benefits of a savory start to the day. Specifically how the body craves water and salt when waking up to restore electrolytes lost during sleep. I set out to create a meal prep routine that front-loads the day with hydration and protein.

The foundation of the traditional Japanese version is the miso soup, which is super easy to batch cook. Instead of making stock from scratch, I used dashi granules (instant bonito stock) to create about 15 cups of base liquid, adding the miso paste only at the very end to avoid overcooking it. For protein, I added medium-firm tofu, though I only cut up one package at a time to keep the rest fresh for later in the week. To ensure the soup stays fresh for days, I froze a portion of it in Souper Cubes silicone molds and kept the rest in deli containers.

Rounding out the meal is rice, eggs, and vegetables. I steamed white rice in a rice cooker, but a crucial tip for meal prepping rice is to let it cool completely to room temperature before freezing it; otherwise, it holds too much heat and turns to mush. For the eggs, I utilized an egg steamer, a "one-use" gadget that steams eggs in about 7 to 8 minutes with almost no effort, allowing me to prep other ingredients while they cooked.

The vegetables brought everything together. I prepared a quick cucumber pickle by marinating thicker slices of cucumber in salt to draw out moisture, then tossing them with sugar, rice wine vinegar, chili flakes, and crushed garlic. However, the real flavor revelation was the butter miso edamame. I used frozen edamame that was heated in the microwave, sautéed that in butter and then stirring in miso paste, you create a rich, homogeneous sauce that turns a simple high-fiber vegetable into something incredibly savory and satisfying.

Recognizing that not everyone has access to dashi granules or wants fish stock in the morning, I also designed an "American-style" equivalent that hits the same nutritional notes of high protein, savory liquid, and fiber. For this version, I swapped the miso soup for a chicken soup made by doubling the broth in the Pulled Chicken recipe from Cooking With Chaos, to make sure the breakfast has a ton of hydration.

In place of rice, I used roasted Russet potatoes. Nutritionally, potatoes are a powerhouse, offering more potassium than bananas and providing significant satiety and fiber. The potatoes were seasoned with olive oil and one of my favorite spice blends - BBQ Wonder Rub from Sugarpine Drive-In. Roasting the potatoes in the air fryer is a pro move in my opinion. Use it if you have it.

I paired this with roasted cauliflower seasoned with olive oil, salt, and pepper (also roasted in the air fryer) and replaced the Japanese pickles with sauerkraut or kimchi to maintain that beneficial fermented element. This combination resulted in a bowl containing chicken soup, roasted vegetables, and a side of tangy fermented cabbage—a hearty, accessible alternative to the traditional Tokyo breakfast.

The ultimate test was the morning routine. After waking up with a fridge full of cold meal prep, it took only about 7 minutes to reheat and assemble the Japanese breakfast, and roughly the same amount of time for the American version. The traditional meal clocked in at around 480 calories with 44 grams of protein, providing a balanced mix of fats, carbs, and hydration. Whether opting for the comforting miso broth or the warming chicken soup, moving toward a savory, hydrated breakfast proved to be a game changer that keeps you full and energized, preventing the mid-morning crash often caused by sugary cereals or pastries. 

But hey, everyone likes a donut every now and then.