We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but making smart breakfast choices isn't always easy.
More often than not I find myself rushing out the door a mere 25 minutes after I wake up, and I'm lucky if I grab a banana on the way. I'm starving an hour later, of course, and the free doughnuts in the office start to look pretty damn appealing.
Can you blame me?
Even when you take out the time issue, sometimes it's hard to figure out what to eat. After all, I grew up on bowls of Lucky Charms and Luna Bars and only learned in adulthood that I was packing way too much sugar into my morning.
This is why I consulted some of my favorite nutritionists to find out how they're fueling up in the early hours of the day.
Here's what they had to say.
Make a smoothie bowl happen.
Nutritionist Lisa Hayim starts her day off with a 30-minute cardio session. Then, she loads up on the good stuff.
She tells Elite Daily,
I will either do a smoothie bowl (banana, blueberries, handful spinach with almond milk) or oats, protein powder and a tiny bit of chlorella or spirulina. When I have a bit more time I do my delicious fruit bowl, which is chopped up apple drowned in a light almond milk with a tiny bit of spirulina or chlorella and about half a scoop of a chocolate plant-based protein powder with some granola to top! I also sweeten it with a tad of stevia since my almond milk is unsweetened.
Chocolate for breakfast? Yeah, that sounds good.
Nutritionists do coffee. Lots of coffee.
Bridget Bennett, a nutritionist for New York's Indie Fresh, says when it comes to breakfast, her number one requirement is coffee.
She tells Elite Daily,
I always start with strong dark coffee, real coffee, and add a dollop of coconut oil, whole milk and/or half and half. This is non-negotiable. Mid-morning, I go for a piece of fruit. Here's where adding a little protein is important. I usually have a big handful of raw nuts or seeds added into siggi's yogurt since it's got loads of protein without much sugar.
Totally agree on the coffee front.
Believe it or not, you can have bread for breakfast.
Vandana Sheth, nurtionist and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is all about PB&J first thing in the morning. Well, kind of.
She tells Elite Daily,
Whole grain toast topped with peanut butter or almond butter, banana slices and chia seeds. This is my go-to, easy choice as it provides whole grain carbs (fiber), protein and heart healthy fats (nut butter + chia seeds) and vitamins, minerals and sweetness (banana). The neat thing is that this breakfast takes two to five minutes to put together and can be enjoyed at home or on the go.
Yes, please. I'm always up for peanut butter.
It doesn't get much easier than this breakfast option.
Here's some good news: Coffee can count as part of your breakfast.
Nutritionist Katherine Brooking tells Elite Daily,
Since I travel often, I look for a nutritious 'grab-n-go' breakfast to fuel my morning. My top choice: a 12-ounce soy latte (about 100 calories and 10 grams protein) with a Kind Bar (I love the Black Truffle Almond that has 6 grams protein, 5 grams filling fiber and just 4 grams sugar in 200 calories).
Sounds like my kind of breakfast.
Bring on the yogurt.
Nutritionist and Appetite For Health author Julie Upton loads up on Greek yogurt first thing in the morning.
She tells Elite Daily,
I generally have about 3/4 cup of plain, nonfat Greek yogurt (Chobani) with 1/4 cup of Grape-Nuts and sometimes half a banana, sliced. Together, the combo provides about 25 grams of protein and has about 4 grams of fiber so I stay full for at least three hours. It also has fewer than 400 calories and I try to keep my breakfast to about 400 calories.
Full for three hours? I'm usually hungry every hour on the hour. Sign me up.
Beware of carbs.
Carbs aren't all bad, but beware of the carb-only breakfast.
Nutritionist Michelle Blum tells Elite Daily,
The biggest mistake people make with breakfast is choosing one that is made up of all carbohydrates. I am a big fan of egg muffins, which are little omelettes made ahead of time using a muffin tin. You can make Greek ones with feta and olives, peppers and onions, black beans and corn -- endless high-protein options!
Did someone say muffin?
By the way, butter for breakfast is a good idea.
Elisa Zied, nutritionist and "Younger Next Week" author tells Elite Daily,
One of my favorite quick and easy breakfasts is a whole wheat English muffin lightly buttered and topped with two scrambled eggs (made with nonstick cooking spray) and shredded cheddar cheese. I pair this with half a banana, some fresh grapefruit sections or 4 to 6 ounces of orange juice depending on my mood.
Someone pass the OJ!
I don't know about you, but I'm planning on making all of these breakfasts starting right about... now.
