In the thick of the school year, creating balanced breakfasts for yourself and your family can be a challenge. Early school times create hectic mornings, leaving little time to whip up a fresh breakfast. If nutrition is the hardest part of your morning, here are a few tips to make balanced, nourishing meals a consistent part of your routine.
Let’s begin with the basics of a balanced meal. Balanced meals contain sources of all three macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Each of these macronutrients have important roles in nutrition and health, so focusing on balance helps ensure we meet our nutrition needs. Keep in mind, balanced doesn’t always equal healthy! Be mindful to include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and unsaturated fats when creating meals.
Keep Recipes Simple
If you have time in the morning to prepare breakfast, stick to simple and fast recipes. Keeping pre-cut vegetables and fruit in your fridge is a great way to quickly add these to your favorite egg dish or breakfast parfait, like these egg rollup and mango chia pudding recipes from Dietitian Jonnell. You can even utilize recipes that don’t require any cooking time. Try granola with yogurt and sliced fruit, or awhole wheat English muffin with sliced turkey, cheese, and greens.
Utilize Make-Ahead Recipes
Make-ahead recipes are a staple for anyone who isn’t a morning person. Putting in the work to create balanced breakfasts when you’re not feeling rushed makes the morning a breeze. When the brain fog is still thick, these recipes require minimal brain power to reheat or serve. Check out this article for a list of 10 make-ahead breakfast recipes, along with a few preparation tips and suggestions. These breakfast egg casserole and pecan pie oatmeal bars are also great places to begin!
Find On-the-Go Favorites
For mornings when your kids (or yourself) hit the snooze button one too many times, have grab and go options available. You can combine individually packaged, convenient items together for a balanced breakfast on the go! Try yogurt cups with a banana and a Dietitians Choice granola bar, or a whole grain toaster waffle with nut butter and a fruit smoothie pouch or applesauce packet. For additional ideas, check out our Healthy Breakfast collection in eshop. If you include nutritious foods that you enjoy, the possibilities are endless!
As dietitians, we know making nutritious, cost-effective, and convenient meals can be difficult. If you have further questions or need more breakfast inspiration, reach out to your Harmons dietitian at dietitian@harmonsgrocery.com.