I am not a breakfast lover. I don't wake up hungry and excited about cooking up a nutritious breakfast. I am more of a "coffee and more coffee now" kind of girl. But as I have been working on my health coaching certifications I have learned that breakfast is an important meal, especially for kids and for everyone who is getting ready for a busy day. Breakfast helps fuel our days, setting us up for success at school and work. Research also shows that eating breakfast greatly improves our health outcomes.
A recent systematic review of fourteen observational studies showed that eating breakfast every day reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, stroke, metabolic syndrome and more.
So whether you eat right when you get up, or a bit later when you break your fast (which breakfast actually means) one important thing you can do for your health is to consider what that first meal consists of and make it a healthy and nutritious one.
That does not mean that you need to spend lots of time in the kitchen planning and cooking.
Here are my five favorite healthy breakfast ideas to swap out those sugary cereals and breakfast buns.
#1 - Easy Breakfast Smoothies
This is my favorite. I always keep frozen berries and bananas in the freezer (and some baby spinach and kale for extra nutrients) so that I can easily mix one up. I tend to throw in what I have at home but my number one tip for making healthy smoothies is to try to incorporate all three major food groups: protein, carbs and fats. Too many smoothies are just carbs and they will unfortunately not keep you full very long. Try adding nut butters or nuts, greek yoghurt, ground flax seeds or avocado (I recommend adding some lime or lemon if using avocado as the taste can become a little flat).
My own basic recipe is:
1 c. of milk or non-dairy milk
1/2-1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen berries or cherries
1-2 teaspoon nut butter
1 Tbsp ground flax seed
1 handful frozen kale
Mix and enjoy!
For some variation I make it a little thicker, top it with fruits, chopped nuts, and coconut flakes!
#2 - Eggs
I tend to eat more carbs than I need and skimp on the protein. That is why I like starting my days with eggs (on the mornings that I feel like I can operate the stove). Scrambled, boiled or even fried with a teaspoon of avocado oil is a great option for a high
protein breakfast. Put the egg on some whole grain toast with a sliced tomato, maybe some mashed up avocado and/or add some fruit to the side.
#3 - Peanut Butter Toast
This is one of my go-tos for busy mornings.
Spread one tablespoon of peanut butter (or any nut butter you like) on a piece of whole grain toast and top with a cut up banana.
#4 - Healthy Cereal with Greek Yoghurt
When I moved from Europe to the United States one of the big differences I first noticed was how we eat breakfast. Americans love breakfast cereals. And as mentioned above many of them are full of sugars and other additives that we want to avoid. But cereal can still be part of a healthy breakfast. Just check for and chose whole grains and keep the numbers 3-6-3 in your mind. Look for cereal with at least 3 grams of fiber, at the most 6 grams of sugar and at least 3 grams of protein.
Eat your cereal with a serving of unsweetened greek yoghurt for protein and maybe some berries.
#5 - Easy Overnight Oats
Oats are a heart healthy cereal grain that boasts lots of nutrients and health benefits. Recipes for overnight oats have shown up all over in the past few years and it is such a nice treat to have a yummy, healthy and ready-made breakfast in the fridge in the morning. And you can make several at one time and have breakfast ready for the whole family and/or for many days at once!
I really like this recipe from Skinnytaste: https://www.skinnytaste.com/skinny-overnight-oats-in-jar/
In the end...
All the information swirling around about healthy eating can make it feel like a bit of a chore honestly. The most important thing is to listen to your own body and make food that you enjoy and eat at a time when you want to eat, whether that is right when you wake up or a few hours later. And most importantly, enjoy!
If you have any thoughts or questions please reach out to me at linda@simplynordichealth.com
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