You’ve heard the old adage, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” — so is it true? Is it important to start your day with a hearty breakfast, or is it better to wait it out? Today we’re diving into how to build a better breakfast so that you can be best equipped to tackle your day whether you’re heading to the classroom or the boardroom. 

We’ve been there — you wake up late and race out the door. Or, you spend all morning caring for the little ones so that somehow it’s 3:00 pm and all you’ve had to eat is coffee and a bite of someone’s half-eaten muffin. Getting breakfast in your system can be quite the colossal task — and that’s not even aiming for a “balanced” breakfast. So what is one to do when they have very little time, very little energy, and a lot of things fighting for their attention.

Don’t Wait

If you postpone breakfast until “after that meeting” or “as soon as I finish this errand,” it will be lunchtime before you know it. A reliable way to combat this breakfast procrastination is to make a plan. Find a time, a task — anything — that can remind you to start your day with something to munch on. For example, maybe you have a short (or long) commute to work — use that time to sip on a smoothie or some blended overnight oats. If your commute is from the kitchen to your office, grab a bowl of cereal with your cup of coffee. If you’re making breakfast or lunch for your kiddos, make an extra portion for yourself! By starting to instill a breakfast routine in your schedule, you’ll start to find yourself naturally reaching for something to fuel your day, no matter where your schedule takes you.

What happens when you skip

Research is a bit mixed about what happens when you skip breakfast. For some people, it can lead to an overall calorie deficit throughout the day — but they can be left feeling irritable, sluggish, and have an increased, insatiable appetite later on. This inconsistent cycle is why skipping breakfast has shown an association with obesity. Not giving your body the proper fuel it needs throughout the day may also increase risk of health challenges like heart disease. 

Irregular meals can also be dangerous with folks who have diabetes and whose bodies rely on them monitoring their intake of specific nutrients. You may be tempted to skip breakfast to lower overall calories, but the composition of your breakfast has a lot to do with what you choose to eat the rest of the day. Starting your day with a balanced meal can give your body the energy, fiber, vitamins, and minerals it needs to power your brain, muscles, and organs through your busy schedule. 

It’s no surprise that we are creatures of habit so our bodies like following routines and being consistently fed nutrients. A high quality breakfast can even contribute to higher health-related quality of life and lower perceived stress and depression. You can remove one less mental and physical stressor from your life by finding a breakfast routine that works for your body and your lifestyle!

Build A Better Breakfast with Basics

Your breakfasts don’t need to be fancy, complicated, or require extensive prep time. Think less about which foods to exclude and more about building a more balanced plate. Pair together complex carbs with protein, then add in fruit or veggies as you see fit to build your better breakfast!

Protein ideas: eggs, deli meat, Canadian bacon, sausage, tofu, greek yogurt, flaxseed/flax beverage, nut butter, hummus, cheese, nuts, cottage cheese

Complex carb ideas: whole wheat tortilla, english muffin, muffins, toast, bagels, cereal, waffles, grits, oatmeal

Fruit and veggie ideas: berries on yogurt, toast, tortilla, waffles, or oatmeal; chopped tomatoes, onion, peppers, or spinach in scrambled eggs or an omelet; blended into smoothies, cooked apples, orange slices, clementines, canned mixed fruit, whole fruit (apples, bananas, pears, etc), dried fruit

Mix and match as you please and as your pantry allows. Whether you like to have the same breakfast every day or keep your taste buds on their toes, choose breakfasts that are both tasty and satisfying!

Recipe Ideas

Make Ahead

• Vanilla Chai Overnight Oats
• Easy Flaxseed Cereal
• Blueberry Overnight Oats
• Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats
• Pumpkin Spice and Cranberry Baked Oatmeal
• Chewy Fruit and Nut Lactation Cookies

Prep the Morning of

• Whole Grain Flaxseed Waffle
• Vegan French Toast
• Gluten Free Flax Pancakes
• Apple Pie Smoothie
• Toast 5 Ways
• Sweet Potato Pancakes
• Pancake In a Mug
• Gingerbread Flax Protein Pancakes

Anytime Breads

• Cran-Orange Quick Bread
• Six Muffin Recipes
• Classic Pumpkin Bread
• Zucchini Flax Bread
• Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
• Banana Flax Loaf
• Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Next time you build a better breakfast, snap a photo and tag us @manitobamilling. 

Check out even more breakfast recipes featuring flax here!