What to eat for breakfast: balanced and healthy options

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This age-old saying is something you likely grew up hearing and still hear today. Eating a healthy and balanced breakfast offers several benefits, including increased energy, better focus, and the opportunity to fuel up on important nutrients for your health (protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, to name a few). 

While these benefits have a lot of appeal, they also raise some questions: What time should you eat breakfast? What breakfast choices are best? How do I find the healthiest breakfast solution for me?

What time should you eat breakfast?

Breakfast doesn’t have to happen first thing in the morning. That’s good news if you’re not the kind of person who is hungry right when you wake up, or you’re following a time-restricted eating plan. 

Ultimately, the most important thing is listening to your body’s hunger cues, and choosing healthier foods that work with your lifestyle. To break all of this down, let’s start by exploring your current breakfast habits.

What’s your current breakfast routine?

• Consider your routine now. What and when do you eat? 

• How do you feel on days you eat breakfast compared to days you don’t?

• Do you feel different after eating certain kinds of breakfast foods?

• What type of breakfast foods do you find most satisfying and filling?

Regardless of when you choose to have your first meal of the day or what that meal looks like, here are some tips to support you in creating healthier breakfast habits.

How to eat a nutritious breakfast 

Build a balanced plate to ensure your first meal of the day provides nutrients to fuel your body. For example, pair scrambled eggs sauteed with spinach with whole-grain toast, avocado slices, and a side of berries.

• Choose a nutritious protein like eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, poultry, beans, or nut butter.

• Aim for unprocessed, whole foods: Limit processed meats like bacon and cold cuts and sugary cereals or pastries, which can contribute to inflammation.

• Focus on fiber by adding whole grains, fruits, and vegetables: berries, whole wheat bread or tortillas, oatmeal, or unsweetened, whole-grain cereal.

• Include healthy fats such as avocado, nuts, or seeds.

• Incorporate anti-inflammatory foods, which can help manage pain and support joint health: walnuts, flaxseeds, berries, or salmon.

How to prepare a quick breakfast: 5 minutes or less

A quick breakfast doesn’t have to be fast food. If fast food is your go-to breakfast, try substituting one of these quick breakfast options a few times a week and pay attention to how you feel the rest of the day:

• Smoothie: blend fresh or frozen fruit, Greek yogurt, a splash of water, and even a handful of spinach.

• Use the microwave: cook an egg in a cup, or make some instant oats.

• Toast with topping: whole wheat toast with nut butter, avocado, hummus, or egg.

• Yogurt or cottage cheese cup with sliced almonds and fruit.

Try ‘non-breakfast’ foods

You don’t have to limit yourself to traditional breakfast foods. Think outside the box and explore lunch and dinner meal options if breakfast choices don’t appeal to you. You can save even more time by reheating leftovers from other meals!

Prep the night before

If you struggle with time in the morning, take a few minutes to prepare a nutritious breakfast the night before.

• Overnight oats: Combine ½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup yogurt, ½ cup milk of your choice, and flavor to taste with fruit, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, or even peanut butter. Leave it in the fridge overnight and breakfast is ready! 

• Hard-boil eggs for a high-protein option that you can grab and eat on the run.

• Scramble some eggs and add chopped vegetables so your morning omelette is ready to cook.

• Make your own trail mix with nuts, dried fruit, and maybe even a piece of dark chocolate.

The bottom line: There is no one-size-fits-all breakfast solution. Listen to your body, eat when you are hungry, and choose whole, fresh foods instead of processed foods. Experiment until you find a few nutritious breakfast options that you enjoy and establish a routine that you can stick with. 

How Hinge Health can help you

If you have joint or muscle pain that makes it hard to move, you can get the relief you’ve been looking for with Hinge Health’s online exercise therapy program.

The best part: You don’t have to leave your home because our program is digital. That means you can easily get the care you need through our app when and where it works for you.

Through our program, you’ll have access to therapeutic exercises and stretches for your condition. Additionally, you’ll have a personal care team to guide, support, and tailor our program to you.

See if you qualify for Hinge Health and confirm free coverage through your employer or benefit plan here.

This article and its contents are provided for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice or professional services specific to you or your medical condition.

References

1. Hill, L. (2021, April 22). Breakfast benefits: Energy, weight control, and more. WebMD. Retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/breakfast-lose-weight 

2. Tello, M. (2018). What’s a Healthy Breakfast? Harvard Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/whats-a-healthy-breakfast-2018091314705

3. Overnight Oats. (n.d.). Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Retrieved from https://www.eatright.org/food/planning-and-prep/cooking-tips-and-trends/overnight-oats