10 Hacks to Make Your Breakfast More Nutritious
Shandra Martinez
| 3 min read
When we were kids, for a lot of us, breakfast meant a bowl of our favorite cereal or a toaster waffle before we left for school. These days, many of us are grabbing coffee, some toast or – if we’re being good – a piece of fruit before we head out the door each day. What do both of these scenarios have in common? The fact that we’re not putting nutrition at the forefront when it comes to picking our breakfasts. But that can be easy to fix. There are some hacks you can use to make your breakfasts more nutritious.
Benefits of breakfast
Some like to say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day – but is it really? Healthy foods at any time of the day all add up to good news for your body. However, there are some observational studies that show getting a nutrition-packed breakfast can set you up for a healthy lifestyle, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Some benefits of eating breakfast include:
- Having an overall healthier eating pattern,
- Increased alertness and focus.
- Blood sugar is used more effectively in the morning.
- Reduced risk for type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
A healthy start
If you don’t regularly make time for an early meal, the easiest way to nudge yourself toward the breakfast bandwagon is to keep in mind that breakfast is your first chance to get some good nutrition. Picking healthy foods that have protein, whole grains, antioxidants and vitamins will get your day off to a nutritious start. Eat a good breakfast and you know you’ve done something healthy for yourself. Need more convincing? Here are more breakfast facts that will have you serving yourself up some tasty meals at sunrise:
- Most people who successfully lose weight and keep it off typically eat breakfast.
- Eating breakfast can help keep appetite in check until lunch.
- A healthy breakfast is the antidote for waking up with low blood sugar.
- A good breakfast gives you an energy boost to start the day.
10 breakfast hacks
When you’re mapping out some healthy breakfast foods to keep on hand, think about keeping a good mix of fiber, good carbs, protein and healthy fats. Here are some ideas to kick-start components of the first meal of your day:
- A piece of whole-grain toast with a mashed half of an avocado. Sprinkle with a little hot sauce for a wake-up call.
- Spread a whole-wheat pita with hummus, layer on fresh spinach leaves and roll it up for a grab-and-go meal.
- Top a half-cup of Greek yogurt with fresh fruit and a sprinkle of nutmeg.
- Spread a whole banana with peanut butter.
- Make your own layered parfait with low-fat yogurt, fresh berries, and chopped nuts.
- Whip up a fruit smoothie by mixing a cup of fresh or frozen fruit with some yogurt or low-fat milk and ice.
- Pair a whole-grain granola or protein bar with an apple.
- Pick a high-fiber cereal like shredded wheat with low-fat milk.
- Make your own trail mix by combining walnuts, almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and dried cherries or apricots.
- Stir some peanut butter or other nut butter into a bowl of instant oatmeal.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Related:
