I’ve been asked three times this week what I had for breakfast. The first question came from my aunty who was visiting who wanted to check up that I’d be eating well. The second came from an audience member at a seminar that I gave last night and the third came this morning on national radio! So, if you are interested, let me tell you about my breakfast eating habits….
I’ve been asked three times this week what I had for breakfast. The first question came from my aunty who was visiting who wanted to check up that I’d be eating well. The second came from an audience member at a seminar that I gave last night and the third came this morning on national radio! So, if you are interested, let me tell you about my breakfast eating habits….
But before I do, I want to tell you a few statistics:
At least once each week, 56% of Australians skip breakfast altogether, with one in three Aussies skipping breakfast more than three times per week. Half of breakfast skippers admit to it affecting their performance and a third state that they feel lethargic by lunchtime.
I agree with the old adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. It ‘breaks the fast’ and gets your metabolism going.
I believe that the perfect breakfast consists of three parts: some wholegrains for energy, some low fat dairy for protein and calcium and some fruit for vitamins, antioxidants and flavour!
But, my main reason for eating breakfast is that I enjoy it. I enjoy the delicious breakfast combinations that I put together, and I enjoy my few minutes of sanity before I head out the door. I am a big believer in starting the day with something yummy! If it’s not enticing, you’ll have no desire to eat it.
So, what did I eat for breakfast this morning? A slice of wholemeal toast topped with feta cheese and thick slices of tomato (remember that tomato is actually a fruit, not a vegetable!). Yum! The toast was ready by the time I got out of the shower and it only took me a few seconds to spread on some feta and slice a small tomato.
I tend to be one of those people that eat the same breakfast every day for a few weeks, then changes to something different. Some of my other recent favourites have been:
- Fruit toast spread with fetta cheese
- ‘breakfast bruschetta’ made by mixing avocado and diced tomato and piling it on top of a slice of toast (my favourite last summer when I had my own tomato plant!), and a milk drink.
- Banana smoothies
- Homemade bircher muesli
- Cereal flakes topped with low fat milk and tinned fruit
- Wholemeal toast topped with low fat cheese and slices of fresh pear, and
- Tomato and cheese jaffles
But, my all-time favourite breakfast option is natural muesli topped with natural yoghurt, low fat milk and some sort of fresh fruit.
Those few minutes when I sit down to eat my breakfast are the only few minutes that I have to think about my priorities for my day ahead. Not only is breakfast important for me physically, but I find it essential mentally too.
To do: Are you a breakfast skipper? Choose something yummy that would be worth getting up 5 minutes earlier for.