Building a Better Breakfast

The first meal of the day can greatly impact how we feel from that moment on. Traditional breakfast fare in the U.S. typically includes a lot of high-sugar, refined carbohydrate foods, including breakfast cereals, bagels, donuts, waffles, and more. We often accompany those foods with high-fat meats, such as sausage or bacon. Changing the way we see breakfast is one way to build better habits. Understanding the key parts of a balanced breakfast can help you feel inspired to build a better breakfast. 

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Let’s start by choosing one food from each of the following groups:

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Choose a lean protein food

• Eggs
• Greek yogurt
• Nuts and/or seeds
• Nut butters
• Beans and/or legumes
• Lean meat (if desired)
• Tofu

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Choose a complex carbohydrate

• Oatmeal
• Quinoa (+ protein)
• Potatoes
• Fruit
• Whole wheat bread
• Beans or lentils (+ protein)

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Choose non-starchy vegetables (choose more than one!)

• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Spinach
• Bell peppers
• Chili peppers
• Asparagus
• Kale

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Choose a healthy fat (more than one is fine!)

• Avocado
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Nuts and/or seeds (+ protein)
• Nut butter (+ protein)

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Bonus: add herbs and seasonings!

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Now, let’s review some examples of combinations from the above groups. This will hopefully give you some great ideas when planning to prepare breakfast for the week.

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1. Omelet + asparagus, onion, and bell peppers + serving of fruit + avocado
2. Baked sweet potato + toasted lentils + walnuts + sauteed kale + extra virgin olive oil
3. Greek yogurt + chia seeds + almonds + raspberries + cinnamon
4. Tofu scramble + onion, mushrooms, bell peppers + whole wheat toast + avocado
5. Oatmeal + black beans + spinach, onions, chili peppers, tomatoes + extra virgin olive oil