According to some new research from Sussex Innovation Center in the UK, participants had a 61% increased mental performance after consuming breakfast. So why is it the average American will only eat breakfast 3 times a week, while 13% of polled Americans will rarely, if ever eat breakfast?
We've all probably heard these reasons, or some variation of them:
I don't have time
I'm not hungry that early
I just fell hungrier all day when I do eat breakfast
I don't like breakfast foods
So what do breakfast eaters eat?
Well 65% of people eat eggs, 58% drink coffee, and 56% eat cereal.
AKA cholesterol ridden, fat laden, ultra-caffeinated, sugar ridden, and highly processed foods. No wonder so many people struggle with this kind of breakfast! If I had to eat that for breakfast, I'd probably not want to eat breakfast too!
How can we make Quick, Easy, and Healthy breakfast options?
My #1 Go to Option here is to Plan Ahead. One of my weekend routines is to meal prep. I've found that when I spend 10-20 minutes to making a meal plan for the week I stick to healthy options much easier!
10-20 Minute Meal Prep Routine
I pull out some cookbooks, my computer or my phone and search for recipes that look easy to make, tasty, and that integrate whole grains, legumes, and plenty of fresh vegetables. For my husband and I, we've found simply having 3 good quality meals is plenty of variety for us. So usually I'll pick 2 harder dishes and one easier dish (like spaghetti with veggies and lentils). Then I also add a couple breakfast options to my list of meals for the week. As I go through those meals and write them down, I'm also looking at the recipes to see what items I'm going to need and adding those to my grocery list.
Once I'm a the store I try to stick with my list while picking out a realistic amount of fresh/frozen fruit for our snacking and daily fruits. As far as the fruit goes, I will pick out whatever is in season and on sale usually.
When I get home from the store I usually will grab a quick snack from the fridge and get busy on making those meals I planned out for the week. I've found having the meals already made and in the fridge for the week ahead reduces temptation to eat unhealthy options that I may want throughout the week.
Healthy Breakfast Options to Consider
Feel free to mix and match these options here, or come up with your own personalized breakfast options.
Tofu & veggie scramble
Smoothie
Smoothie Bowls
Avacado toast
Overnight Oatmeal
Breakfast Hash
Fresh Fruit
Banana Oat Bread
Lemon Blueberry Buckwheat Muffins
Instead of Reaching for That Cup of Coffee...
Try drinking a big glass of water first thing when you wake up. I've found many times when I'm craving that cup of coffee, if I drink water before I make the coffee, I've waken up and I'm not tempted by that coffee as much.
If you like to drink coffee just for the taste of it, there are some pretty good herbal tea alternatives that will still give you that pick me up with a pretty similar taste. One of those products is Dandy Blend. A note of caution, if you're trying to avoid gluten or have Celiac's this should definitely be avoided as it contains barley, a glutinous grain. The product manufacturer states that it is in fact gluten free, but many with sensitivities or allergies to gluten do react to it.
Another good alternative is to have a cup of warm herbal tea in place of that morning Joe. Any blend that suits your taste works here, but having something warm (or iced) to sip on may help relieve those cravings. I prefer to have a loose herbal tea blend (for higher quality tea) with cinnamon or stevia herb in there for a slightly sweet flavor without the addition of any extra processed sugars.
Take Home Message
If you're really struggling with energy levels, you're feeling like you need several cups of coffee in the morning to get you going, then there may be an underlying health concern. In that case, I would strongly encourage you to reach out to your healthcare provider! Low energy levels can be, well exhausting! And having your doctor on board to help you out can make all the difference!
Ultimately, don't make this any harder than it has to be. If you like eating the same thing for breakfast all week, then stick with what works for you! If you need more variation in your meals to stick with homemade healthy options, then do that!
Hopefully you've found some helpful info in this article, if so please leave a comment below on what you found to be the most helpful!
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