Building the Perfect Breakfast

BuildingNOURISH THE Perfect Breakfast

Breakfast may or may not be the most important meal of the day, but it is the most important one to get right.

People are generally in a hurry to get breakfast over with, but those grabbing a bagel or piece of fruit on the run with their coffee are bound to see their energy ebb mid-morning. Adding protein and fiber will go a lot further in sustaining and satisfying you until lunch. And it’s easier than it sounds!

A LITTLE OF THIS, A LITTLE OF THAT Having a variety of foods at breakfast is the easiest way to get the balanced fueling to get your morning off to a decent start. If you’re going heavy on healthy carbs from oatmeal or wholewheat toast, add a healthy spoonful of nut butter, avocado or other sources of protein or healthy fats to keep your energy levels strong and predictable through the morning. Something as simple as avocado toast with egg and a few berries on the side can accomplish this. LUNCH FOR BREAKFAST If you’ve never been a big fan of breakfast food or have gotten into unhealthy ruts with sweet cereals or greasy bacon, who says you can’t just fast-forward to a healthy lunch? Try a healthy protein bowl of beans and sweet potatoes with some avocado, or toss together a refreshing salad for a cool start to summer mornings. Try sauteing a filet of any fish that sounds good to you in the same time it would take to scramble eggs. Just follow the same principles as you would do for any healthy lunch, and look for ways to shave off a few calories if it begins to sound a bit too heavy for morning.

PLAN AND PREP AHEAD If all this sounds like a lot to think about when you’re still trying to wake up, try prepping ahead as much as you can. Overnight oats, chia pudding and other breakfast faves can be handled the night before, and you can chop veggies and fruits ahead for smoothies, omelets and many more recipes. Or try weekly mealprepping for breakfasts — when it’s just for one meal it isn’t as daunting!