Healthy Breakfast Choices for Busy People in a Hurry

Are you interested in focusing on making better food choices for a healthy breakfast to nourish your whole-body health, but have a hectic busy lifestyle and find yourself eating on the run, more than sitting down for a relaxing meal?

While chatting with participants in my Pilates group training class this week, we got on the topic of food, nutrition, and healthy eating habits.  What to buy, how to shop, and what the heck to eat for a healthy breakfast, when you’re in a hurry.

I believe we really DO know what we should be eating to stay healthy, it’s just there are so many options for tasty crap out there, that we’ve been fooled into thinking we’re actually getting nutrients with our wasted empty calories when we choose to eat fast-food, and junk!

Honestly, it doesn’t take any more time to fix yourself a healthy breakfast than it does to wait in the drive thru lane.  You just might have to actually remember you have food in the fridge and take five minutes before you dash out the door to grab it and go!

I have to admit, I’m just like my clients, and don’t take a lot of time to plan for breakfast (or any meal for that matter!)  And I LOVE to cook.  But don’t always take the time to fix meals.  And with the myriad of food allergies, and health issues I’ve had over the past couple of years, I much prefer fixing my meals instead of eating out!  I can gain 5+ pounds with 1-2 meals eaten out.  Do this regularly and it’s no wonder why Americans getting fatter instead of skinnier.  My whole body feels better with good nutrition, and I know yours does too.  Our bodies are begging us to make better food choices.  And a healthy breakfast is the best way to start the day!

If you’re one of the millions of busy folks out there who eats out more than you fix and pack meals and snacks, I want to encourage you to commit to a week of healthy meals that you make at home and take with you!  Maybe it’s only making a change to fix and pack healthy breakfast meals for the week.  Or go for it – and commit to fix ALL your meals and snacks.  I’d be curious to know how your body feels after only one week of better nutrition.

In my group class discussion about healthy breakfast ideas, one of the comments was, “I’ve got to be able to eat it while I’m driving to work!”  Sadly, too many of us are in this situation…  Multi-tasking meals means you’re not really paying attention to what you’re eating.  Your brain-body connection (stomach-to-mouth) is not the main priority when you’re driving.  The brain has to focus on what you’re doing to dodge traffic and stay safe on the road.  It’s not any different than eating while watching TV or a movie, or “working thru lunch” and chowing down while working on your computer or skimming thru posts on Facebook or Pinterest on your phone.  If you’re disengaged with what you are feeding yourself, you’re not going to realize how many calories you’ve eaten to know when to stop, or even realize when you’re full.  Please keep this in mind my busy friends…paying attention to what you’re eating, and how much, and enjoying every morsel is a part of the nourishing experience of good nutrition.

Taking the “I need to be able to eat a healthy breakfast on-the-go”  comment into consideration, along with being sure that you’re consuming a reasonable amount of calories for one meal (and not a whole day’s total calorie intake during your first meal) consider these four tips for meal planning and prep:

4 Tips for Healthy Breakfast Meal Prep

1. Prepare your healthy breakfast meals in small plastic containers, or small glass mason jars.
2. Snack size zip lock bags can also help with portion control.
3. Prep breakfast for several days (or the whole week) so it’s easy to grab & go.
4. Eat your leftovers for breakfast. Who says breakfast has to be breakfast food?
   (I have a friend who eats a salad every day for breakfast!)  Why not?

Here are 5 of My Favorite Fast Healthy Breakfast Options

1. 4 Dried Figs and 1 oz raw Pecans = 389 calories
2. 2 T Nut Butter, 1 tsp Cacao Nibs, and a sliced Apple. = 301 calories
3. Paleo Wrap + 2 T Nut Butter & 1 T Fruit Spread = 290
4. Coconut Milk Smoothie – 1 C coconut milk + protein powder + 1 fruit = 268 calories
5. 4 oz Sausage + Spinach + 1 oz Mozzarella Cheese = 417

(calorie counts listed here are approximate)

There are so many other options for an easy healthy breakfast…

Granola and Nut Butter plus a fruit, a healthy food bar,  nuts and dried fruit, scrambled egg and spinach, protein pancakes or waffles (easy to make ahead and store in the fridge, smear on a little nut butter and jelly you’re good to go!)  Paleo Balls (another easy to make option that stores and packs easily for a quick snack or a meal.)  Grits are another favorite of mine…I even like them cold.  Grits + cheese + a tsp of jalapeno juice, and if you want a little more protein, add a hard-boiled egg – YUMMY!

If you’ve never experimented with sushi rice, here’s another idea for you.  Follow the directions to cook the sushi rice (sticky rice).  Then choose what you want to mix in.

For a sweet healthy breakfast: Mix in chia seeds or sesame seeds, chopped nuts, dried fruits, and/or coconut flakes, and maybe some nut butter or honey.

For a savory breakfast: Mix in scrambled eggs, cooked chopped veggies, cooked sausage, or chicken, or bacon (pick a protein), and your favorite herbs.

Lay a piece of parchment paper in the bottom of your pan, and put the mixture in and pat firmly.  Let chill, then slice and wrap for a simple healthy breakfast you can grab and go.

I haven’t mentioned oatmeal, or yogurt, or juicing, and who’s to say you can’t eat hummus and veggies for breakfast?  Or drink a nice warm bowl of chicken soup?  Oh and I’m a big fan of meatballs.  You can make a big batch and freeze them in little to-go-bags.  I make mine with chicken and zucchini, or turkey and zucchini, or beef and radishes… Gives me a protein and veggie in every bite.  And meatballs are every bit as good cold as they are heated up.

I’m getting hungry just thinking about all the good things I can eat for a healthy breakfast!  Hope you’re inspired to focus on food and make some healthy breakfast choices this week.
Please drop a comment and share your favorite fast healthy breakfast meals.  Love to see what we can add to this list to help you make healthy breakfast choices with your busy schedule.

We are what we eat.  Feed your body good food.  Start every day out right with a good healthy breakfast to fuel your engine for a fantastic day!