I’m a morning person by decision, not by design. I’m familiar with the “no time for breakfast” quandary, and in my past (and, tbh, my present) have been guilty of skipping breakfast for a variety of reasons.
What’s helped? Having a go-to breakfast that I eat mostly every day.
Keep reading to learn how creating a nutritious, go-to breakfast option can save you time, money, and sanity while helping you enjoy health and happiness throughout your day!
Eating the same breakfast every day saves you time!
One of the strongest tools in your wellness toolbox is meal prepping. But OH MY GOSH it can be so overwhelming! I can barely even decide where I want to go out for dinner, let alone decide my meals for the WHOLE WEEK ahead of time. Meal planning and prepping has always been hard for me. I sit down with a notebook and immediately every food I’ve ever liked disappears out of my brain.
Have you had that experience?
Having a go-to breakfast means that at least one of my meals each day is already planned. I don’t have to think about it. My meal plan becomes less of a blank slate and more of a sudoku puzzle. This saves me time each week planning my meals, as well as the time each day when I’d otherwise be trying to decide what I wanted for breakfast.
Eating the same breakfast every day saves you money!
I also save a ton of money on groceries and eating out when I use a go-to breakfast.
Often, a meal plan with lots of different recipes leaves me needing lots of different ingredients, some of which sit in my fridge and slowly go stale or rotten after I’ve made the meal once. There are several ways around this problem, but one is to eat the same thing several times that week. This way you can buy what you need and use it up over the week making the same thing over and over (or one big batch at the start of the week). If I run out of something I can buy more without guilt, knowing I’ll use any extra next week because I’m eating the same thing!
The other way I save money is by not needing to run to a coffee shop or fast food place halfway through the morning when I finally realize I’m hungry and need something quick! This happens to me frequently if I skip breakfast or don’t get all the nutrients I need. And because I’m hungry and pressed for time, I spend more money than I’d like on food that I probably otherwise wouldn’t really want.
Eating the same breakfast each day can help you stay healthy and energized!
The biggest way my go-to breakfast has helped me is by ensuring I start the day with the exact nutrients my body needs! It’s taken me some practice and revising to uncover my personal wellness rules, but now I know that for a perfect day, I need to start with protein, veggies, and carbs, and maybe some fruits or healthy fats as well.
This keeps me from getting hunger pains in the middle of the morning or running out of energy before lunch. AND I’m more productive and more engaged in my work for the morning.
I’m not a fan of counting calories, but I do try to make sure I eat a good mix of different types of food throughout the day. Starting with a well-balanced breakfast helps tremendously, and sets me on the right track for the rest of my meals. I’m more likely to keep making healthy eating decisions throughout my day when I’m full, happy, and have all the nutrients my body needs.
But what about variety? Don’t you get bored?
Haha! Nope!
My trick is that I vary some of the details of my breakfast, mostly based on what veggies are in the fridge. I know my breakfast will be a slice of toast, and a 2-egg omelette with sautéed veggies. Which veggies I use changes every week or even daily based on what I still have on hand. It’s a great way to use up leftover veggies that might otherwise go bad!
Below, check out 3 ideas for easy, go-to breakfast ideas you can use to get started.
One version of my go-to breakfast omelette. This one has no cheese, but has spinach and orange bell pepper, and is topped with a sprinkle of sea salt.
My All-Purpose Breakfast - Omelette with toast
Keep the same: 2 eggs, one slice of toast
Vary:
veggie mix-ins -I use spinach, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and any other veggies that seem fun!
Healthy fats - I will add ½ sliced avocado if I have a ripe one on hand, or a sprinkle of goat or feta cheese.
My Hubby’s Breakfast Smoothie
Keep the same: protein powder, almond milk, spinach, banana
Vary:
Frozen fruits, which might be strawberries, blueberries, mixed berries, or maybe something more tropical like mango or pineapple
Add-ins, like 2 tbsp of oats to add some carbs, or ½ avocado for healthy fats
(full disclosure, he also adds peanut butter, but I don’t think that always mixes well with all fruit flavors so take it or leave it!)
Easy Oatmeal
This one is great because you can prep a big batch as overnight oats, or make it hot in the morning.
Keep the same: rolled oats, almond milk, chia seeds
Vary:
Fruit toppings - I like bananas, apples, peaches, and berries
Add-ins - You can put in some vanilla or chocolate protein powder to up the protein content, coconut oil for healthy fats, or peanut butter for some savory smoothness!
Are you a breakfast person? Or not? What is your go-to breakfast? Let me know in the comments or email me at megangillmanwellness@gmail.com