What’s for Breakfast

Breakfast provides an awesome start to our day. We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. “ Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper” I believe that line is attributed to Adele Davis. This is the opposite of what most Americans do and is not practical for many of us.

But, eating in the morning, or within 2 hours of waking,  has value, especially for college students who tend to put self-care towards the bottom of the to-do list. Breakfast is often skipped or taken on the fly. This has some detrimental effects though. It interferes with attention and concentration. It can lead to grumpiness, poor food choices, and overeating later in the day due to hunger. Skipping breakfast may lead to nutrient insufficiencies and contribute to mild dehydration, which also affects learning and mood.

So, what to eat?

Has to be easy right? And quick. A healthy breakfast should keep you full for several hours. This means including protein and healthy plant-based fats that provide satiety and keep us full until our next meal. To balance things out we need some color from fruits, vegetables, and grains that give us fiber, vitamins, minerals, and the all-important phytonutrients. (please link this to phytonutrient article also in this newsletter)

What if I’m just not a breakfast person?

It’s important to listen to your hunger cues. Sometimes they take a while to kick in in the morning, especially if you’ve eaten late at night. The important thing is that when you eat you nourish your body, not just fill your stomach, and that when your body starts sending hunger signals, you listen.

 If you aren’t hungry in the morning, but your stomach starts to growl or your attention drifts away during your morning classes, then a fix is needed.

I’m going to give you suggestions for 3 breakfast strategies – some are traditional breakfast choices and some are not.

• Take it on the run -Quick and easy - eat on the go or enjoy before going out the door
• Campus options
• Yummy and satisfying but takes some planning

Take it on the run - Quick, easy, and balanced

• Sandwich, fruit, -  doesn’t have to be breakfast food
  • Keep the makings for your preferred sandwich on hand - PBJ travels great. Hard-boiled egg, egg salad, or sliced meats and cheese all require a cold pack if you’re keeping them at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Making your sandwich the night before gives you a fast and easy option in the morning.
  • Any fruit works – grapes, an apple or a pear – whatever you like
• Fruit, yogurt with nuts and granola
  • Easy carry fruit or fruit cup
  • Greek yogurt – perhaps with a dribble of honey on top
  • Your favorite nuts or nut mix
  • Your favorite granola or whole-grain cereal
• Overnight oats or Chia Pudding – toss this together at night and grab n go in the morning
• Microwave eggs in a cup – this recipe has great ideas and instructions

Campus Options

• Commons Dining – Breakfast menu
  • Eggs your way every day made to order or pick up the faster option of ready-to-go scrambled eggs
  • Breakfast meats including chicken sausage
  • A rotating assortment of Breakfast Potatoes
  • Oatmeal bar
  • Fresh fruits, cereal and yogurts, bagels, nut butters
  • Freshly baked bagels and toppings
• Hungry Minds – Breakfast all-day
  • Enjoy one of our made-to-order breakfast platters and sandwiches or build it your way
• CBRC
  • Warm croissant with egg and cheese, sausage, or bacon
  • Bagels delivered freshly baked daily
  • Assorted Grab n Go options
• Cool Beans
  • Fresh baked Bagels
  • Assorted grab-n-go items.
• Grab-Go items at satellite locations include
  • Sandwiches
  • Wraps
  • Fruit cups
  • Parfait
  • Yogurt
  • Bagels and pastries

Yummy and Satisfying – Enjoy at home or make ahead and take it with you

• Breakfast Tacos
• Egg Muffins – the perfect make-ahead grab-n-go breakfast
• Frittata –basically sautéed vegetables covered with beaten eggs and cooked in the pan or oven. It’s great right out of the oven or meal prepped for a few days
  • Spinach and Feta
  • Broccoli Frittata
• Savory oatmeal – add nuts or nut butter to your oatmeal, layer in some berries, raisins, banana, and add a dollop of Greek yogurt and/or some avocado on top. this recipe is unusual and interesting.
• Breakfast cookies
  • Sunbutter
  • One recipe – many options
• Go all out with a breakfast bowl
  • this Breakfast bowl with egg, spinach and quinoa, and feta
  • Savory Greek Scrambled Egg Bowl
  • Protein Smoothie Bowl

Breakfast may or may not be your most important meal of the day, but it does have its influence.  The first food you eat can affect your entire day. Include a balance of protein, healthy fat, and plant foods that provide fiber and color. Timing is important. Eat within a couple hours of waking to assure yourself of steady energy and an alert mind.

If you’d like more information about this or any other nutrition topic reach out to UDS Dietitian Terry Passano at thpassano@salisbury.edu.