Overhaul Breakfast, Not Your Entire Diet
Although it’s common to hear of people overhauling their entire diet in the beginning of the new year, we’re fans of taking small, meaningful steps towards eating healthier.
Why start slow? Well, creating a simple plan increases the likelihood of sticking to it, and decreases the likelihood of quitting or becoming overwhelmed and unmotivated. You’ll have ample time to commit this new behavior to habit so that when you take on your next healthy eating goal, this one is already part of your lifestyle routine!
This year, we’re going to start by cleaning up our breakfasts. We’ve included healthy tips, recipes, and even a shopping list to keep you on track during the new year.
Make A Quick Plan
Decide what your breakfasts will generally include for the week to make sure you’ve stocked up on necessary ingredients. Next, spend a bit of time at the beginning of the week to prepare. Pre-slice your fruits and vegetables and pre-cook items like bacon, oatmeal and hard boiled eggs. Keep these in tupperware and store them in the fridge so you have less to do in the morning.
Tip: Fresh berries are an easy addition to elevate the nutrition of your breakfast. Keep these on-hand to add to your main dish or to have on the side.
Hydrate First Thing
Each night, fill a glass of water and leave it on your bedside table. You’ll be more inclined to drink it the moment you wake up, which replenishes the fluids you lost overnight through sweating, breathing and, generally, being alive. You’ll start the day off hydrated before your feet have even touched the ground.
Tip: Squeeze fresh lemon juice into your water to alkalize your digestive system and add an extra punch of nutrition.
Rotate Base Ingredients Each Week
Base ingredients are the foundation of your breakfast. Typically, the base is a protein such as eggs, yogurt or protein powder (for smoothies), or it can be a carbohydrate such as oatmeal, quinoa, bagels and toast. Deciding what base to use each week will help you prepare ahead of time.
If you had grain-based oatmeal bowls last week, try switching to a protein-based omelet this week. Changing bases helps to keep your appetite up. There’s nothing worse than wasting food because you’ve gotten tired of the same meal every day.
Warming Oatmeal Recipe
- ¼ Cup rolled oats
- ½ Cup water or milk of your choice
- ½ Tsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tsp. maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. chopped roasted pecans
- ¼ Cup berries
- Sprinkle of cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
If you’re making oatmeal at the beginning of the week, multiply the amount for oats, milk and salt by the number of servings you’d like to prepare. Brown sugar and maple syrup can be added while cooking or held off to the morning during assembly if you’d like to change up the sweeteners on different days of the week.
When you’re ready to assemble, add the brown sugar and maple syrup to the oatmeal and heat in the microwave or on a stovetop. Top with roasted pecans, berries, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and serve.
Loaded Bagel Recipe
- 1 Whole wheat bagel
- ½ Avocado
- 1 Egg
- 3 Cherry tomatoes
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Slice and toast the bagel. While the bagel is toasting, add one tablespoon of olive oil to a nonstick pan on medium heat. Crack and fry the egg.
While the egg is frying, slice the cherry tomatoes in halves or quarters (but hopefully you did this ahead of time and they’re already chopped!). Slice and peel half of an avocado. Smash and spread the avocado over the bagel as you would with cream cheese. Top with the fried egg, sliced tomatoes, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper, to taste.
As a bonus, and to make shopping easier, we’ve included a simple shopping list to add to your weekly grocery haul that includes some staple ingredients for breakfast.
Simple Shopping List
- Organic pasture raised eggs
- Rolled oatmeal
- Whole wheat bread or bagels (buy extra and freeze it)
- Fresh berries: raspberries, blueberries, strawberries
- Bananas
- Lemons
- Scallions
- Cherry tomatoes
- Arugula or spinach
- Avocados
- Cream cheese
- Milk of your choice
- Turkey bacon
- Brown sugar and/or maple syrup
- Roasted, unsalted pecans