Breakfast In A Breeze: How To Have A Healthy Start To Your Day

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! It helps get us going after an 8-hour fast.

Tools

By Heather VacLav
By Eric Snitil

Story Created: Aug 5, 2011 at 8:30 AM AKDT

Story Updated: Aug 6, 2011 at 2:22 PM AKDT

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day! It helps get us going after an 8-hour fast. With kids, research shows that skipping breakfast results in reduced learning, reduced attention and poor food choices for the rest of the day. Children and adults who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight because breakfast gets your metabolism going so you’re burning more calories throughout the day. Also, those who skip breakfast almost always make up those calories (and more) by snacking more or eating a bigger lunch or dinner.

 
The downside to breakfast is many breakfast foods are high sugar, high fat and low fiber. High sugar, low fiber foods can raise your blood sugar quickly, but then it comes crashing back down mid-morning. Eating something with some protein and fiber can help you make it through your morning without getting that “got to have a snack” attack before lunch.
 
Most of us are so rushed in the morning, we often feel we don’t have the time to eat a good breakfast, but breakfast can be quick, easy and nutritious! 
 
Here are a few “grab and go” ideas featured by Diane Peck, MPH, RD Community & Evaluation Specialist from Alaska DHSS, Obesity Prevention and Control Program, on the KTVA CBS-11 News Morning Show with Heather VacLav and Meteorologist Eric Snitil.
 
·        Hard-boiled eggs – if you have a little time, make an egg salad sandwich
·        String cheese or cheese cubes
·        Small yogurt cups or “yogurt-to-go” tubes
·        Fresh fruit or single-serving cups of natural applesauce
·        Frozen whole-grain waffles, toasted and topped with almond butter & jelly
·        Mini bagels with slices of turkey, ham or cheese
·        Quick-cook or regular instant oatmeal – add your own nuts, fruit, ground flax seed, cinnamon, etc.
·        Grilled cheese sandwich or a cheese quesadilla with sliced apples
·        Trail Mix – snack-size baggies filled with favorite low-sugar cereal, dried fruit, nuts and a few chocolate chips
·        *Banana Dog – spread peanut butter on a whole-grain hot dog bun, plop in a banana and sprinkle with your “relish,” aka: raisins (Eric and Heather made these live on the show)
·        Breakfast goes well with a glass (or single-serving box) of 100% fruit juice, and low-fat or nonfat milk.
 

Add a comment

Name:

Comment: 1000 Characters Left

KTVA CBS 11 | Anchorage, Alaska News and Weather and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the above comments or other interaction among the users. We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove or edit user-generated content at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so or to monitor any Public Forum.
This content requires the latest Adobe Flash Player and a browser with JavaScript enabled. Click here for a free download of the latest Adobe Flash Player.