Are you eating the most important meal of the day?

As a Mom, I am guessing you have a similar routine to mine in the morning. Wake up (if you’re lucky, reeeaaalllly lucky, your littles are still in bed), stumble to the coffee pot and attempt to finish even a half of cup before chaos ensues. By chaos, I mean cartoons, hustling to get breakfast prepared, teeth brushed, and clothes on—both for yourself and your minions. Every morning may not be as successful as others in these tasks, but if your hungry heathens are like mine, they never let you forget they need to be fed. With all the go go go in the morning, it’s easy to forget that you need to be fed, too—and unfinished Poptart crumbs,  a handful of Cheerios, or that half cup of coffee are not going to cut it.

Your whole life you’ve heard “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”—you know it gives you fuel to start your day right and decreases your poor eating choices out of hunger later in the day, so if you’re not making breakfast a priority, chances are you think you don’t have time or you don’t know what to choose.  When it comes to the breakfast, think protein and fiber. Aside from supporting your muscles, protein energizes the body and amps you up to conquer the day. Fiber keeps you fuller longer, aids your digestive system in working smoothly, and also provides added energy. Combining these two things creates the perfect breakfast to keep you movin’ and groovin’—because as a Mom, there is no slowing down. You can find protein in eggs, nuts, nut butters, meat and dairy products (and of course the many protein powders on the market). When you think fiber, think fruits & veggies, beans & lentils, and whole grains. Here is a list of some possible breakfast combinations that will satisfy both your taste buds and your bods need for speed.

Whole grain bread and nut butter, topped with banana

Whole grain bread topped with avocado and a scrambled egg

Oatmeal topped with walnuts, fruit, cinnamon, chia seeds

Fruit smoothie with protein powder, or peanut butter banana smoothie

Oatmeal banana muffins   

Yogurt parfait (Greek yogurt with nuts and fruit or healthy granola topping)

While all of these ideas sound amazing, I know the morning hustle might not allow for such delicacies. When I’m trying to get out the door fast, if I don’t have healthy muffins made and ready to grab, my go to is a Square Organics protein bar, topped with peanut butter, and a banana on the side. The bars alone have 10-13 grams of protein (depending on the flavor), they’re plant based, even have a tiny bit of fiber, and they taste amazing.  Once you find something that tastes good and is good for you,  make it part of your morning routine. Your body and maybe even your kids (since nobody likes an angry mama) will thank you.

-B Ham, RD