It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet many people fail to make time to eat in the morning. Whether you avoid breakfast due to a lack of appetite, or simply can’t think up a good balanced meal, failing to provide yourself with sufficient fuel after a long night’s rest can set you up for a terrible day. Luckily, it doesn’t need to be as difficult as you might think to whip up a delicious healthy breakfast in a matter of minutes, giving you a stable release of energy to power through your morning. I’m sharing some good ideas and concepts that you can try today!
Why Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?
The word breakfast broken down literally means to break your overnight fast (a fast being a period without food), as the time you spend asleep is often the longest period you go without eating. You would never wait upward of 8-10 hours in between your lunch and dinner, so it’s important that you can fill the gap left by sleep whenever you wake for the day. Heading to work on an empty stomach can cause all sorts of issues, both mentally and physically, as you might experience side effects like a lack of focus, fatigue, low blood sugar and potentially a case of the shakes, just to name a few. You’ll be near ravenous by the time your break finally rolls around, meaning you’re more likely to fill up on comfort food that’s high in fat, salt and sugar. You might even experience overeating in the afternoon. Your breakfast should be a large meal containing around 500 calories, so deducting such a number from your daily intake over a considerable length of time can lead to negative side effects.
Savory Breakfast Ideas
There are many savory breakfast ideas that you can make to start your day right. You should aim to base your breakfast around three main features – a large portion of complex carbohydrates, fruit or vegetables and a source of protein. Eggs are often a breakfast staple, so you could make a couple of eggs poached or scrambled (or your preferred way) over toast with a handful of tomatoes or half an avocado (and Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, if you like), or try this delicious Mediterranean egg casserole recipe here! Another tasty option that you can cook up for a healthy start is a breakfast burrito (on a thin tortilla) filled with beans, salsa, veggies and brown rice, which is ideal to eat on the go. I also like egg white bites with spinach and peppers in them as a quick option.
Sweet Breakfast Ideas
The simplest breakfast that you can indulge in when you don’t have much time is Greek yogurt and anything from berries to banana, seeds, nuts, honey and more! If you want something a little more substantial that can power you through a long morning, fresh oatmeal made with organic milk can be the perfect base for a brilliant breakfast – top with anything that suits your taste. A super sweet vitamin packed breakfast option that’s sure to provide you with the ideal start is a frozen fruit smoothie, as you can incorporate several of your five a day in one easy-to-consume beverage that you can drink throughout the morning. Homemade breakfast muffins are perfect to prep in advance, as you can bake up a big batch on the weekend to eat throughout the week!
Eating breakfast is such an important self-care step that you should aim for every day for the benefit of your mental and physical well-being, and it’s never been easier to consume a delicious variety of healthy breakfasts! It’s far better to spend some time making your breakfast meals yourself rather than purchasing ready-made or packet options, as you can monitor the ingredients that you put inside to focus on natural whole foods rather than artificial additives and preservatives.
