Let’s Have Breakfast
By Alma Varela
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but did you know it is the most commonly skipped meal of the day. Having breakfast is a great way to start the day off being healthy. Identifying why eating breakfast is important is easy, but making time for it can sometimes seem hard. It helps to plan quick healthful meals using MyPlate. So, why is breakfast important? Our bodies need fuel to work and function efficiently. When we do not eat breakfast we may experience being too hungry to concentrate, staying sleepy or tired, or getting a headache or stomachache. Breakfast provides the nutrition our bodies need to feel alert. The good news is that a breakfast does not have to be a big sit down meal. It can be a ready to go or carry nutrition dense breakfast. It would ideally have food from at least three food groups. In addition, breakfast does not have to be traditional bacon and eggs. It can be last night’s left overs. If you do not feel like eating right away as soon as you wake up that is ok. It may take an hour or two before you feel hungry. An example may be to have a glass of 100% fruit juice and later have a waffle and fruit. Here are some of my favorite breakfast items.
- Bagel with cream cheese spread
- Peanut butter with honey toast
- Scrambled eggs with a side of avocado
- Yogurt with fruit
I hope that this gives you a sense of why breakfast is important. It helps to remember that breakfast includes foods from at least three food groups from MyPlate, breakfast can be small, breakfast can be on the go, it does not have to be traditional, and it does not have to be eaten right away. However, it is important to have something to sustain energy levels and be able to function better throughout the day.
