Breakfast has been called “the most important meal of the day.” A healthy breakfast refuels your body and helps you function at your peak. Research shows that eating a healthy breakfast improves attention, concentration, academic achievement, and physical energy.
After a night of sleep, stomachs are empty and blood sugar is low. Start your day off right with a healthy, nutritious breakfast for optimum mental and physical wellness. A healthy breakfast should provide complex carbohydrates, protein and a little fat, because this combination will hold off hunger for hours.
Breakfast is the #1 most skipped meal of the day. There are many reasons people skip this meal. Most are excuses. They may sleep too late, not feel hungry in the morning, want to lose weight, or might not like the “traditional breakfast foods.” Those are just “excuses.” None are good reasons to skip breakfast.
If you tend to push the snooze button too often in the morning, there are things you can do to avoid running out of the house without breakfast. You can eat a banana, granola bar, or some peanut butter on toast while you are driving in the car. You can use your new skills with the blender and make a smoothie to take and drink while on your way.
No time to cook eggs in the morning?? Hard boil eggs. Then chop them up and set the mixture on a piece of toast with some shredded cheese. This is one of the easiest ways to get your protein in for the day.
Dieters rarely lose weight by skipping out on breakfast. By mid-morning they are usually starving, and will tend to overeat at the next meal. You are better off to eat a bowl of oatmeal or grab some fresh fruit like a banana.
If you do not feel like eating because you are not accustomed to it, force yourself to start with something. It may be as simple as a glass of milk or a banana. Then the next week add a muffin, bagel, or slice of toast. The following week try adding an egg or maybe some French toast. You will be surprised at how much better you feel when you do eat breakfast.
Planning and preparing a breakfast meal
The best way to become proficient at making meals in the kitchen is by actively doing it. This unit you will plan and prepare a breakfast meal. Don’t worry. Serve it at dinner time so that you are not rushed in the morning.
Things to think about:
- Try and choose a variety of colors for your meal. If all of your foods are white or tan in color, then the meal looks blah. Choose a variety of colors to also incorporate different nutrients into your meal.
- You want to try and choose from the different food groups when thinking about your meal. Keep it simple.
- Choose something from the bread/grain/cereal group—–oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, etc.
- Choose from your protein group—eggs, turkey bacon, turkey sausage, or peanut butter for your pancakes
- Choose some fruit —strawberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, or fresh pineapple.
If you keep with all of these “things to think about” you will mostly ensure a well balanced meal for your family.
