Fuel your day with breakfast
1/28/2019 by Michaeleen Burroughs, RDN, LD
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." How often have you heard that comment?
There are good reasons why:
- Our bodies use up nutrient supplies while we're sleeping, and by the time we wake up, they need to be replenished.
- Breakfast is the first opportunity to refuel.
- Research shows that those who eat breakfast have healthier weights, less risk of heart disease, smaller waistlines and better performance at work and school.
As the New Year gets underway, consider making a resolution to establish a regular breakfast routine. Here are some tips to get you started:
- Eat within a couple of hours of getting up. You don't have to chow down the minute your feet hit the floor.
- Include two to three food groups. Choose from the milk group (milk, cheese, ice cream and other milk-based foods), meat group (meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dried legumes and nuts), fruits and vegetables group, breads and cereal group.
- Any food is breakfast food. Not a fan of traditional breakfast food? Consider a peanut butter sandwich, hard-boiled egg paired with a piece of fruit, slice of cold pizza or leftover rice and beans as part of your wake-up meal.
- Be flexible. Some days you may need to tote breakfast to eat at your desk or on the bus, another day you can relax and enjoy a bigger breakfast.
Breakfast doesn't need to be fancy, but it does need to be doable. Being portable is another plus. Try these combos for starters:
- Two food groups: Yogurt + granola. Add fruits or berries to boost it to three food groups.
- Two food groups: Leftover roasted veggies + whole-grain rice.
- Three food groups: Peanut butter toast + glass of milk.
- Three food groups: Homemade trail mix of dry cereal, nuts and dried fruit.
As you begin your 2019 breakfast routine, remember: Do what works for you, and do it every day. Good luck and good health!
Michaeleen Burroughs, RDN, LD, has worked at Employee and Community Health (ECH) in Family Medicine for 20 years. She currently helps patients at Mayo Family Clinics Northwest, Southeast and Kasson, and Baldwin Family Medicine and Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine (CPAM). Her areas of interest are diabetes and child and adult weight management.