It's no secret that many people skip breakfast. When time is of the essence, and you're late for school or work, skipping the most important meal of the day can be tempting. Others also see missing this meal as a misguided attempt to cut calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, skipping breakfast actually increases the risk of weight gain. In fact, people who eat a healthy breakfast tend to eat healthier the rest of the day. It's possible to eat a healthy, low-calorie breakfast that's quick to fix on a busy morning.
Balancing a Breakfast
For breakfast, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health recommends picking at least one food from three food groups: bread and grain; milk and milk products; and fruit and vegetable. Healthy choices from each of these groups provides energy and prevents mid-morning slump.
Quick and Healthy
Cereal makes for a quick, healthy breakfast, depending on the type you pick. Because cold cereals can have a surprising amount of sugar and sodium, it's best to read labels and choose one with no or few additives. Adding milk or soy milk and then topping with fruit increases nutritional value. If hot cereal is preferred, quick-cooking oats takes only a couple minutes in the microwave and doesn't contain the sugar found in individual packets. Substituting milk or soy milk for the water called for and adding fruit provides extra nutrition. For a change from cereal, peanut butter or cheese on whole grain toast accompanied by fruit and a glass of milk or vegetable juice is quick and healthy.
Use Leftovers
Extra steamed or microwaved vegetables from the previous night's dinner can be part of a healthy breakfast. Asparagus, spinach or broccoli, along with onions and tomatoes, is a great addition to omelets or scrambled eggs. Leftover salmon, tuna or chicken breast on whole grain bread makes a healthy breakfast sandwich. Added romaine lettuce, onion and tomato ups the nutrition of your breakfast, as does serving it with fruit and milk or vegetable juice.
Advance Preparation
Keeping chopped fruit in the refrigerator is a quick way to have a variety of fruit available for breakfast. Frozen chopped fruit can be tossed in a blender with low-fat yogurt for a nutritious breakfast smoothie. Previously prepared hard boiled eggs can be chopped with vegetables and tucked into a wrap for a nutritious breakfast. Batches of whole grain pancakes or waffles can be made ahead, frozen, then heated in the microwave or toaster and served with a fruit topping.
Think Out of the Box
Healthy food is healthy no matter what time of day it is eaten. Food traditionally served at lunch or dinner can taste just as good--and be as healthy--at breakfast time. In the case of leftovers, they can be heated in the microwave to save time.
Meat Matters
Traditional breakfast meats, such as sausage, bacon and ham, are loaded with fat, salt and additives. Sausage and bacon can be easily replaced with vegetarian substitutes. They are a healthier alternative without giving up taste. In fact, when they are mixed with eggs or added to a sandwich, most meat-eaters can't tell the difference.
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