The most common excuses seem to be lack of time or not being hungry in the morning. However, individuals who eat breakfast perform better throughout the day, are less likely to be overweight, and are healthier overall.
Here are some breakfast tips:
Eat within 2 hours of getting out of bed: Make breakfast a habit, even if you are not usually hungry in the morning, and see if you notice a difference in how you feel and the food choices you make throughout the rest of the day.
Make it balanced: Try to include a whole grain, a lean protein, and a fresh fruit or vegetable.
- A boiled egg with whole grain toast and strawberries
- Oatmeal with milk and raisins
- A whole wheat tortilla filled with peanut butter and a sliced banana
- A yogurt parfait with whole grain cereal, fruit, and light yogurt.
Select sensible cereals: Choose cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber, have a whole grain listed as the first ingredient, and have little added sugar. When preparing hot cereal use water, skim, or 1% milk and choose a fresh fruit as a sweetener instead of sugar or honey.
Be prepared: Set the table with bowls and spoons, mix up pancake mix, or put together a breakfast burrito the night before. Stock up on breakfast foods that are easy to grab and eat on the go, such as light yogurt, whole grain bagels or English muffins, fruit.
Eat what you like: If you don’t like traditional breakfast foods, try something different—a grilled cheese sandwich on whole grain bread, cottage cheese with fruit, deli turkey, cheese, and lettuce wrapped in a tortilla, or leftovers from the night before.