Breakfast

You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Whether or not that’s true, breakfast is usually the most stressful meal of the day. Unfortunately, it’s also the most overlooked.

For many people, there’s just too much going on in the morning and not enough time to get everything done. When time gets away from us though, a healthy breakfast might be the first thing we lose. We often find ourselves all too eager to skip breakfast or grab a sugary item at the nearest stop on our way to work. Neither of these options sets us up for a fulfilling day.

When life gets hectic, it’s important to take a step back and realize that what you eat at the start of your day sets you up for the rest of your day. Success starts with that first step. Skipping breakfast a few times a week can also leave you tired, moody, and more susceptible to cravings.

If-Then Planning

If you’re struggling to figure out:

  • why is breakfast important to you specifically
  • which foods are most supportive to the success of your day or week
  • how to plan ahead for healthy breakfast options
  • when to find time to prep something that is grab-and-go ready
  • how to manage time in the mornings, leaving enough to have a healthy and peaceful day

Then it’s probably a good time to try If-Then Planning (Read Always Hungry? pages 130 – 132 for more details).

If-Then Planning helps you:

  • solidify your goals
  • improve your overall sense of success
  • reduce feelings of overwhelm, and
  • overcome any obstacles life throws your way

After just a few quick minutes of planning, you suddenly have more time in the morning for breakfast. Perhaps you’ve stocked your fridge with grab-and-go options, or you’ve designed a few quick breakfast ideas that can be made quickly. This planning prevents you from skipping breakfast and having to deal with high cravings and low energy later in your day.

Remember, your plans don’t have to be complicated. The planning exercise only needs to take a few minutes. The result, though, can mean the difference between creating a sustainable lifestyle of health supportive choices or consistently floundering through stressful days.

For more about If-Then Planning, check out our post on Healthy Habits for Self-Control.

What To Choose For Breakfast?

This is a question we get asked a lot. The simplest step is check out the breakfast dishes in either Always Hungry? (pp. 215 – 216, 220 – 230) or Always Delicious (pp. 81 – 109). Or, try some of the recipes listed below. Breakfast is also a good meal to teach yourself simple meal building (see any of our meal builder templates or graphics here). You can practice putting together meals that fit your lifestyle. A simple vegetable omelet is a good place to start, adding a bit of extra protein, or a side of yogurt and berries depending on which Phase of AH you are in.

Many of our readers need grab-and-go options for their hectic lives though, so the majority of our breakfast options can be made ahead and kept in the fridge or freezer until meal time. Leftovers can also be saved for breakfast. For example, you might make a savory sandwich from our Gluten-Free Waffle recipe, and make a few extras to save for breakfast. Or, just make an extra batch of waffles on the weekend, and freeze them for the week. You can also try one of our many Power Shakes, or Quiche Cups, or Muffins below.

Gluten-Free Waffles

This recipe is a reader favorite! They freeze nicely and are great for make-ahead meal prep.

Power Shakes

Our readers love our versatile power shakes! From our protein powder free shakes to our fan favorite Orange Dreamsicle, these are the perfect way to start your day.

Crustless Quiche

breakfast

We have a few different quiche options in Always Hungry? and Always Delicious that include a chickpea flour crust, but our Crustless Quiche Cups are just as tasty and a great way to add variety to your diet.

Gluten-Free Muffins

These pumpkin spice muffins were originally a seasonal favorite, but we love them so much we eat them year round! Try our Apple Cinnamon Muffins too!

What’s your favorite breakfast food? Let us know in the comments!