Breakfast – it’s the most important meal of the day. So, why is breakfast so important? A healthy breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day while providing important nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It also gives you lasting energy all day long. Eating breakfast has been shown to improve concentration and performance at school and work, and can also increase your metabolism by starting to burn calories at the beginning of the day. It is suggested that eating breakfast helps to reduce hunger throughout the day, which can help with weight management.

Then, why do many people still skip breakfast? For some, it’s a lack of time. Some others may skip breakfast to avoid extra calories, which can actually have the opposite effect since they are often hungrier later. This can also lead to a tendency to grab high fat, high sugar foods instead of a healthy, balanced choice.

So, if you’re often pressed for time in the morning, try waking up a few minutes earlier or plan ahead the night before. Also, protein can satisfy your hunger longer when you add it to your breakfast. This can include turkey, eggs, nuts or nut butters. Here are some quick and healthy choices to help you “break the fast” in the morning!

• Hardboiled egg with a piece of fruit
• Whole wheat waffle with nut butter and banana or strawberry slices on top
• Whole grain cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat or fat-free milk
• Oatmeal topped with nuts, a pinch of brown sugar and sliced bananas
• Whole grain English muffin with peanut butter and a piece of fruit
• Breakfast burrito (see recipe below)
• Yogurt breakfast sundae (see recipe below)