Nutritional experts have referred to breakfast as the most important meal of the day. It is the first meal of the day and is used to break the extended fast from the last meal of the previous day. It is the meal that jump starts your body including your metabolism! In recent studies it has been found that people who skip breakfast tend to eat more calories throughout the day. And those who eat fat and sugar laden breakfast meals, they tend to crave more sugar and fat throughout the day. So, it is important to eat a good healthy breakfast, and start the day off right!
What is a good healthy breakfast? This is a meal that includes foods that are clean (closest to their original state) and not processed; include a fresh fruit or veggie (complex carbohydrate) and lean protein. This combination is easy to create with a little creativity and forethought! A healthy breakfast can actually be super quick, easy to make, easily transportable and help you get on track to eating right!
I find that people are more likely to eat a good healthy breakfast if they PLAN and PREPARE ahead of time. This often means thinking about what you will eat prior to hitting the grocery store, and ensuring that you have all the ingredients necessary before the morning!
Here are some of my favorite healthy breakfast ideas! Enjoy!
- Fat Free Greek yogurt and fresh fruit (you can add some Stevia or Splenda for sweetness).
- Steel Cut Oatmeal with fresh fruit and Almond Milk: I make a large batch of steel cut oats on Sunday night that lasts me through Friday AM. Sometimes I chop various nuts and fruits and include them with the oats during the cooking process; other times I add the fruit and nuts to the oatmeal when I reheat it.
- Homemade Granola / Muesli.
- 3 egg whites / 1 over easy egg served over sautéed greens or tomatoes.
- Egg Salad (3 whites 1 whole egg with Greek yogurt & dill) served over greens or tomatoes.
- Egg White French Toast: whole grain cinnamon raisin bread, egg whites, cinnamon, vanilla. I like to soak my bread over night. I can get 3-4 whites in the bread over night and then cook in a covered skillet on low heat the next morning.
- Baked Sweet Potato with Cinnamon.
- Dry Cereal: BUT beware and read food labels! Make sure you choose a cereal that is low in added sugar and high in fiber! You can add skim ilk, unsweetened Almond or Soy milk!
- Chocolate Espresso Protein Shake: 1 scoop Chocolate protein powder; unsweetened Almond Milk, one shot express coffee, ½ frozen banana; 3 ice cubes. Blend until smooth!
- If you eat breakfast out, a great option is egg whites on whole grain toast with a slice of cheese or tomatoes!
The possibilities are endless. Time constraints tend to be the biggest reason people to not eat a proper breakfast. With a little forethought and preparation you can eat a good meal at the start of each and every day!
