Have you ever heard of breakfast being the most important meal of the day? This article will look into the benefits of having breakfast and breakfast ideas for busy mornings or weekend brunches.
Breakfast is the first meal of the day and literally means “breaking” the “fast” - for those of us looking at breakfast choices from an improved health perspective start thinking of that first meal as the first meal to provide nutrition and fuel. The time depends really on your morning preference: the time you wake up, whether you like to eat straight away, if you want to do things like a run first. For a general guide try and aim to eat your breakfast within a few hours of waking; eating regularly allows us to recognise both hunger and fullness signals from our bodies and make more informed choices throughout the day. Breakfast is an opportunity to start your day with sensible choices and include vitamins, minerals and fibre to fuel your daily activities and support your health. It can even help to improve your concentration throughout the day. Additionally breakfast can become part of a healthy morning routine and an opportunity for socialising with friends and family (1).
Breakfast options will vary depending on many factors including cooking skills, time, morning routines and commitments and affordability - you don’t need to try and over complicate it though try and follow these 3 simple food tips (1):
Include some fruit and vegetables
Think about protein sources
Choose high fibre options
Here are some breakfast ideas with additional recipe links from BBC Good Food which I generally find to be good recipes: easy to follow, without over crazy ingredients, cooking times and include the nutritional breakdowns for those looking for macros and dietary guides.
Quick breakfast ideas
Porridge with berries, nuts and seeds
Boiled / poached / scrambled eggs on wholemeal toast (add mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes or avocado) or additional protein choices like smoked salmon
Avocado and tomatoes on wholemeal toast (optional to add bacon strips)
Peanut butter on wholemeal toast with a sliced banana (optional to add sprinkle chia seeds)
Natural yoghurt with porridge oats / muesli / granola (look for low sugar options) with chopped fruits
Protein rich breakfast option - breakfast egg wraps
Overnight oats giving a quick on the go option in the morning - chia and almond overnight oats
Breakfast ideas for when you have more time
Looking for a breakfast idea that’s 3 of your 5 a day, ideal for a relaxing weekend brunch - Mushroom hash with poached eggs
A protein rich and healthy fats breakfast option - breakfast burrito
A sweet breakfast option over morning coffee - banana and apple breakfast muffins
Made ahead of time but something you can grab on the go in the morning - banana bread breakfast recipe
Written by Jade Mottley - Human Nutrition MSc & Sport Science BSc
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