As sad as it is that summer’s ending soon, there’s also so much to look forward to in the fall: less humid, sticky days (phew!), crisp air and the gorgeous colors of leaves changing, plus most of us start to get back to our usual routines with the start of school and end of summer traveling.
Around this time too, I’m often asked by clients about easy ways to ease back into the swing of things food-wise. Simple meals and snacks are key – they help you stick to your daily routine without adding extra time (and stress) to your life. When it comes to breakfast specifically, even more so than with other meals, I’m all about easy. In the mornings, most of us are rushing to get to work, go to school and/or even get the kids to school; mornings are definitely not the time to start spending hours in the kitchen.
Instead, easy breakfast options are a lifesaver in the morning, and you can easily make a satisfying one in just a few minutes. Here are the 3 things I look for in any easy breakfast and five 5-minute options to make it happen.
Breakfast Options: What to Look For
With any dish, I always look at what you can add to make it more balanced and nutritiously complete. I like adding components to meals that will help fill you while providing nutrients, and most importantly, taste good. For breakfast specifically, I recommend including: a whole grain, a source of protein, and a serving of fruit.
Whole grains are an important part of your diet. They can provide B vitamins and fiber that helps to keep you full. Additionally, protein is also important. In fact, studies show that protein at breakfast plays a role in managing hunger levels throughout the rest of the day. Finally, I also love adding fruit at breakfast. It’s recommended that most adults eat about 2 servings of fruit per day because of the beneficial nutrients and fiber it provides. While fruit doesn’t typically pair as easily with lunch and dinner, I love it as a simple addition to any breakfast.
Five 5-Minute Balanced Breakfast Options
So, with these components and easy meals in mind, here are 5 simple, but delicious, breakfasts that can be made in 5 minutes or less.
1. Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana slices
This breakfast gives you all 3 of those necessary components and can be thrown together in just minutes. Not to mention, it’s delicious. You can easily mix this one up too by swapping the peanut butter for almond, cashew or sunflower seed butter.
2. Greek yogurt with high fiber cereal and blueberries
I love Greek yogurt because it’s as portable as it gets. Throw it in your bag with a to-go container filled with high fiber cereal and berries, and this breakfast can even be eaten at your desk.
3. Avocado toast with a hard- or soft-boiled egg
Eggs can be time consuming to make in the morning (well, more than 5 minutes, which is the goal here!). Instead, make a few hard-boiled eggs over the weekend or one week night. Then, simply add it on top of avocado toast. Avocado is *technically* a fruit, but you could also add any other fruit on the side, like an apple or pear.
4. Health Warrior Protein Mug Muffin with strawberries
These mug muffins are my absolute favorite. With at least 12 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, they’re made with delicious ingredients and taste amazing. Plus, all you have to do is add water and place them in the microwave for 2 minutes, and you’ve got a warm, gooey mug muffin ready to go! Pair it with strawberries for a decadent and still healthy breakfast. And pro tip: try the Double Chocolate flavor. It just came out and is to die for. (Drizzling peanut butter on top is optional but HIGHLY recommended.)
5. Oatmeal with almonds and peach slices
Oatmeal couldn’t be easier since it comes in single serving packets orin ready to go containers where you simply add water. Add almonds, unsweetened vanilla almond milk and peach slices to your oatmeal – it’s a delicious spin on peaches and cream for breakfast.
This blog post is sponsored by Health Warrior. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
To learn more about breakfast and for more healthy, easy and filling breakfast options, check out my membership program All Foods Fit, available all at once, monthly or weekly (coming soon!).
