Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper, so they say. We all know that we need to eat breakfast, but it isn’t always that easy. It’s a common routine: hit snooze, jump out of bed, rush to get ready, get the kids on the bus, remember to feed Fido and if you’re lucky, you’ll make it to work on time. No time for a healthy breakfast? You’re not alone.
But before you dash through the nearest fast-food drive-through or grab a pastry at the gas station, think again. You can have a healthy breakfast with your busy lifestyle. It just takes a tiny bit of preparation.
I, like you, struggle with breakfast, even though I’m a writer who works at home. I like to sleep in, get dressed, grab a quick breakfast and bring it to my desk to eat while I delete junk emails, browse Facebook and otherwise start the day by getting up-to-date and organized. I just don’t want to cook or even take the time to make oatmeal. Being gluten-free, the quick options are limited (no toast or bagels or cereal here). Plus, the quick options generally are loaded in refined carbs, sugars and other weird stuff.
If you think you have no time for breakfast, especially a healthy one, it’s time to think again and plan some prep into your routine. Take ten minutes at night to prepare your breakfast for the next morning or set aside weekend time to spend an hour in the kitchen.
Here are six great options from some amazing sources.
Overnight Oats –
This one truly is grab and go. All you have to do is grab your container (mason jars are great) and a spoon and head out the door. This post from Prescribe Nutrition gives a personal touch to this simple recipe.
Pre-Made Smoothie –
I talked recently about making awesome green smoothies, but for a quick grab-and-go breakfast, make your smoothie the previous night. Put it in a mason jar with a tight lid and stick it in the fridge. Come morning, you’re ready to go.
Baked Oatmeal –
I love this recipe from Oh She Glows. Side note: I skip the dry sugar in the crunchy topping and don’t feel like I’m missing anything. This oatmeal reheats really nicely and lends itself to creativity once you have the basics down.
Hard-boiled eggs –
Boiling eggs has to be one of the easiest breakfast ideas. Simply bring some water, your eggs, salt and a dash of vinegar to a boil. Once rapidly boiling, let it boil for a minute or so and then turn off the burner and cover. Let sit for at least ten minutes, but it’s ok to forget about them (I always do). Older eggs peel better. Up the nutrition here by also having some fruit and/or nuts.
Homemade Granola –
The options are really endless here. Make chunkier stuff to snack on from an environmentally-friendly container or throw some in yogurt (if you can handle dairy) or kefir (which is dairy but easier to digest), but watch for added sugar. Plain is best. Throw homemade granola in a green smoothie for an extra nutrition punch. This recipe from Elana’s Pantry is sans oats. This one from Oh She Glows is made from buckwheat. And this one from PaleOMG includes pumpkin and looks to satisfy the sweet tooth.
Healthy Muffins –
Be careful about adding too much sweetness (ahem, chocolate chips) but have fun with some of these muffin recipes. While being the perfect grab-and-go, eat-in-the-car breakfast, they have the potential to become unhealthy if you don’t watch the ingredients. Look for ways to get veggies in the mix (like carrot muffins) or use fruit for sweetness. Think of muffins as a quick breakfast idea that probably isn’t healthy enough for every day but could come in real handy for some days. Here are 41 recipes from Paleo Grubs.
With all breakfast ideas, quick or not, the key is to watch sugar, especially adding refined sugars, and try to find ways to incorporate protein and vegetables. Other than that, play around with recipes, see what your family likes and have fun with it. For an added boost, grab an apple or banana as you walk out the door or toss some blueberries into your granola.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be a drag, nor does it have to be stressful. Find what works for you, but remember, you do have time for a healthy breakfast.
What is your go-to quick breakfast food? Share your favorite ideas and recipes in the comments. I’m really hoping to hear from some of you on this one! {Photo Credit: jules}