A Dietitian’s Top 5 Grab-&-Go Breakfasts

Although it’s debatable whether breakfast is in fact “the most important meal of the day”, there’s no denying the fact that having breakfast can help ensure we get enough fibre (important for blood sugar control, regularity, and controlling hunger), vitamins, and minerals, and can help energize our bodies for the day ahead. So, if you find it tough to make time for breakfast, at a loss of what to have for breakfast, or simply want some more healthy and easy ideas, look no further! I’ve got your back 🙂 Here are my top 5 grab-&-go breakfasts (the top three are what I personally rotate through every couple of days):

1. Whole grain toast with natural peanut butter and a sliced banana on top

This is one the three breakfasts that I rotate through on a weekly basis. It’s super easy, you don’t need any special contraptions or ingredients, and it’s delicious (who doesn’t love PB + banana?!). To maximize the nutritional value, make sure you choose a whole grain bread rather than white or whole wheat bread. When something is a “whole grain” it means that all three parts of the grain are still there — no nutritional value is missing, plus the bran means it contains more fibre, which will help you feel full for longer. This picture from the Whole Grains Council depicts it nicely:

whole grain.jpg — Photo credit: https://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whats-whole-grain-refined-grain

Check the ingredient list on your favourite bread and make sure the first ingredient is “whole grain ______”. And remember, “multigrain” and “whole grain” aren’t necessary the same thing: “multigrain” simply means there are multiple types of grains in the bread (ie. wheat, rye, oats, etc), which may or may not be ‘whole’ grains. To make this breakfast portable, simply wrap it up in some aluminum foil and head out the door!

2. Make-ahead muesli

If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen a post a couple of months ago about this. It’s simple, delicious, filling, and portable (in case you need to take this with you). Here’s what I do:

1/2 cup of muesli (this one is my fav because it contains a decent amount of fibre, is made from whole ingredients, is relatively low in sugar, and readily available at my local Superstore, where I do 95% of my grocery shopping)
1 cup plain kefir (for protein, gut-friendly probiotics, and to soften up the muesli)
1 tbsp chia seeds (for extra fibre and to help me feel full for longer; the chia seeds also absorb some of the liquid of the kefir, so it’s a great consistency by morning)
2 tbsp pumpkin (for extra protein and healthy fats)
1/2 – 1 tsp maple syrup
~1 cup frozen fruit (my favourite is frozen sliced strawberries)

Combine all ingredients except the fruit in a bowl, cover, and leave in the fridge overnight (I do two days’ worth at a time). Same with the frozen fruit: I put some frozen sliced strawberries into a small glass, cover, and put in the fridge. By the next morning, the frozen fruit is thawed. Give the bowl of ingredients a stir, dump in the thawed fruit, and enjoy!

3. Overnight oats

I’m a huge fan of this Oh She Glows recipe for an easy, delicious, naturally sweet, and super filling breakfast! I make a couple of simple changes:

I don’t add the ground flax
half a banana instead of a whole one and add 2 tbsp raisins (and since I’m only using half a banana per bowl, I make two days’ worth at a time)
add 2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds for some extra protein
add about 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and likely a bit more than 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Bonus: I find with the cinnamon, vanilla extract, and ripe banana you don’t even need to add any sugar – it’s naturally sweet! Mix everything together the night before and leave in the fridge overnight. In the morning simply head on the stove for a couple of minutes or in the microwave, so you don’t have to wash a pot (just be sure to cover the bowl with a paper towel so you don’t wind up with a mess), transfer to a bowl and you’re good to go (or to a container and bring it with you)!

4. Scrambled eggs wrap

Every time I make scrambled eggs I’m amazed how fast they are! (I’m talking 3-4 minutes from start to finish!) For this breakfast, scramble two eggs, add in some fresh ground pepper, a little salt, and some cheese if you’d like, transfer it to a whole grain wrap, drizzle some salsa on top, wrap up, and go. Grab a fruit as well and you’ve got a filling, balanced meals, that can be made in literally only five minutes.

5. A (healthier) granola bar, banana, and nuts/seeds

It doesn’t get easier than this! Portion out the nuts ahead of time (1/4 cup) to make it even more convenient. Granola bars can be a bit of a landmine when it comes to nutrition, so choose wisely. Check out my Instagram post about choosing granola bars here. And despite being kind of a ‘makeshift’ breakfast, it totally works! The granola bars for some whole grains and a bit of protein, nuts as your ‘protein’ (particularly almonds, pumpkin seeds, and pistachios), and banana as your fruit.