Habits of Joyful Eaters- Breakfast
Who has time for breakfast! After grabbing every possible moment of delicious sleep, we rush out of the house and have no time to check in on our hunger. Think of breakfast not as that bowl of Fruit Loops you ate as a kid but instead as an opportunity to feed your body and uplift your day.
Breakfast is when you break your overnight fast - whatever time of day that is. Use this time to set the pace for the day. Those Fruit Loops may set you up for a rollercoaster of fluctuating appetite and blood sugar. Combining protein, healthy fat, and maybe even some fiber will balance your blood sugar and support you the entire day. In addition, eating breakfast will boost your energy and alertness.
Start the day right
Call it breakfast, a snack, or lunch; that first meal of the day is significant, so make it count. A trip to Commons can bring a beautifully balanced breakfast with a veggie omelet, whole grain avocado toast and a side of fruit. But some days, we just want to grab something simple in the dorm or at home. Either way, a balanced plate, or cup, is key. Not hungry when you get up? Pack a sandwich and piece of fruit for when the urge to eat hits you. A balanced breakfast can be your foundation for a balanced day.
What to Include
Water: While you’re prepping your breakfast or getting ready for the day, enjoy a glass of water and rehydrate that body.
Protein: The obvious choice is eggs or breakfast meats. But think outside the box. How about a breakfast burrito using last night's leftovers, or foods we think we should eat for lunch like sliced turkey or chicken salad sandwiches. Think beans, nut butters, tofu, oatmeal with nuts.
Healthy fats: Nuts again, avocado, olives, and olive oil, pumpkin seeds, tahini. Layer these into your grain or protein items.
Carbs – Go whole grain as often as you can. Oats, quinoa, granolas, whole grain cereals are all whole grain choices. Fruits and vegetables are also carbohydrates. So add veggies to your eggs, fruit to your oatmeal and cereal, or as a side dish.
Fiber and Color – Fruits and vegetables offer us fiber, vitamins, minerals and powerful phytonutrients. Aim for 2-3 different colors of plant foods on your plate to assure a varied and diverse assortment of nutrients.
Recipes for Everyone
No Cooking Options
On the Go Option
Dorm Room Breakfast
- Microwave Scramble
- Cheesy Omelet in a Cup Top with veggies and have some fruit on the side
- Microwave Caprese Egg Cups
- 3-Minute Microwave Pancake Muffin Be sure to add protein to balance your plate
- Vegan, Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin
- Blueberry Banana Microwave Oats
- Everything you could possibly want to know about cooking eggs in the microwave
- Not breakfast but who can resist a cookie
Stove Top Breakfasts
- Cook top scrambled eggs
- Samin Nosrat's Power Oatmeal
- For those with some time and dedication to deep nutrition
- Breakfast Salad; why didn’t I think of this!