Three Ways to Have a Nutritious Breakfast on the Go

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Friday, March 13, 2015

Erin Brockmeyer, GoLocalPDX Natural Health Expert

Going out for breakfast on the weekend in Portland is an institution.  You wait outside for 45 minutes sipping coffee and chatting with friends, occasionally wondering how the people who got here after you did got sat before you.  All of this you do gladly because of the fabulous locally-sourced seasonal free-range breakfast that comes at the end.

But what about during the week?  Surely you’ve heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet you forego breakfast all week long.  Or at best, you might grab a coffee and a protein bar while you run out the door.  Neither of these options bodes well for your blood sugar or your productivity.  And if skipping breakfast leads to midday hunger that is so strong you will eat just about anything that is in front of you, it could lead to problems with your waistline.  

Whether you skip breakfast because you want to eek out every last minute of sleep possible, because you don’t feel hungry before 11:00, or because you don’t like breakfast food, here are 3 surefire ways to make your first meal of the day delicious, hearty and fast:

1. Eat Dinner for Breakfast

Think outside the box.  Lots of people are not fans of bagels, cereal, oatmeal or eggs.  It’s why so many breakfast places have sandwiches and hashes on their menus.  This is one of the most overlooked breakfast options, and also one of the simplest.  Just take your leftover stew, pasta, or stir-fry, heat it up and you are ready to go.  It is equally easy to throw some leftovers in a to-go container and take it to the office to heat up later.  Besides the speed of this breakfast option, you are also more likely to get in good amounts of healthy fats and protein that will keep you feeling energetic throughout the morning grind.

2. Smoothies to Go

Smoothies are an obvious breakfast option which is why there are so many pre-packaged ones at the grocery store and coffee shop.  Those smoothies usually full of nothing but fruit, processed soy protein and sugar — basically just a high calorie drink.  Making your own is easy and you can make them in bulk so that you’ve got a week’s worth of smoothies with only about 10 minutes of work.  Not only are smoothies super portable (you can still eat in the car), but you can pack in a huge amount of nutrition in a small package.  Start with yogurt, avocado, and/or frozen bananas for a creamy base, add a handful of greens, some nuts, seeds or nut butter, and some fruit for flavor and you are set.  You can easily pour leftovers into some ice cube trays, put them in the freezer, and have them ready for future breakfasts or snacks.

3. Wraps 

One of the best things about wraps other than their obvious portability, is that you can make them in such a way that you don’t need to heat or refrigerate them so that you can eat them anytime hunger strikes.  Grab some sort of tortilla shell and choose your filling based on when you plan to eat it.  If you plan to eat it immediately you can throw in some eggs, bacon and/or veggies for a more traditional breakfast burrito.  This is certainly healthy, but not as fast unless you make an egg dish ahead of time for the week.  To make the wrap a quicker and easier option, once again you can reach for dinner leftovers — hot or cold —pop them in your wrap and head out the door.  If you are out of leftovers, it is simple to grab some greens, veggies, and a protein, wrap them up and head out the door. Either of these options can be done hot or cold, based on your day, the weather and what is already made and in the fridge.

If skipping breakfast causes you to have blood sugar issues (feeling shaky and light-headed, mid-day headaches can be among the symptoms), or if you are eating poor quality high carbohydrate breakfasts you could be causing yourself undue stress.  Links have been established between poor breakfast habits and a decrease in your ability to handle stress, so it may be time for you to adjust the way you look at the morning meal.  Follow any of the above suggestions and you will be enjoying breakfasts without the 45 minute wait.

Erin Brockmeyer, LAc, is owner and acupuncturist at Solstice Natural Health in downtown Portland.  She creates custom health plans for patients to help them tackle their most complicated health concerns, including infertility, prenatal care, fibromyalgia, thyroid conditions and chronic and acute pain conditions.  Visit her website for more information and to download her free e-book 5 Simple Ways to Improve Your Health Today.

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