Eating a healthy breakfast improves your performance at work or school, helps weight loss efforts and sets the tone for a day of nutritious eating. A tightly scheduled morning is no excuse to skip breakfast or to grab unhealthy fast food. With a little planning, you can make your morning commitments fully fueled.
Eggs
Cooking eggs might be out of the question on busy mornings. Hard-boil several eggs in advance and keep them in the refrigerator to grab. Pair two eggs with a toasted whole wheat English muffin or with a serving of whole wheat crackers and an 8-ounce carton of orange juice. One large egg provides 6 g of protein and is a source of B-complex vitamins, the vision-supporting antioxidant lutein and the trace mineral selenium. Whole wheat bread products offer fiber and B-vitamins, and the orange juice counts toward your daily fruit servings while providing you with vitamin C.
Almond Butter and Banana Wrap
Spread a whole-grain tortilla with 2 tbsp. almond butter and top with a small banana. Roll it up and eat it like a hot dog. The almond butter is a source of heart-healthy unsaturated fats and vitamin E. The banana provides potassium and a serving of fruit, and the tortilla offers fiber and B-vitamins.
Trail Mix
When you are in a hurry, grab ¼ to ½ cup of trail mix and pair it with an 8-ounce carton of skim milk. Choose trail mix that contains just dried fruit and nuts and that has no added sugar. You can also make your own by combining almonds, peanuts, pistachios and pecans with dates, raisins and dried apricots. Measure individual servings into plastic baggies to grab and go in the morning. Trail mix provides you with concentrated nutrients, including iron, fiber and magnesium. The milk helps fill you up while giving you bone-building calcium.
Cheese, Pear and Almonds
For a super-quick breakfast, grab a low-fat string cheese, a pear and a handful of toasted almonds. The string cheese provides calcium and protein, while the almonds offer satiating fiber and heart-healthy fats. If you prefer, substitute grapes, strawberries or a peach for the pear.
Yogurt Parfait
Instead of paying premium coffee-shop prices for a yogurt parfait, quickly put together your own at home. In a to-go cup or small plastic food container, layer low-fat vanilla yogurt with ¼-cup low-sugar granola and fresh blueberries. The yogurt provides digestive support through probiotics; 8 ounces of yogurt counts as a serving of dairy. The granola offers the benefits of fiber, and the blueberries are rich in antioxidants.
Unconventional
A healthy morning meal may include non-traditional breakfast foods. Make a turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with sliced cucumber, tomatoes and romaine lettuce to get protein, fiber and a serving of vegetables. Other non-breakfast, healthy morning options include a slice of vegetable pizza or hummus with whole wheat crackers and baby carrots.
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