How to Take the Effort out of Breakfast: Quick Tips

Since you were a kid, you’ve probably been told you shouldn't skip breakfast. But what if it seems you just don’t have time in the morning? I feel the time crunch too, but the way I see it, you don’t have time NOT to have breakfast! It jump-starts your metabolism, helps you think more clearly, and primes you to be productive throughout the day. Don’t worry, reaping the benefits from breakfast doesn’t take a ton of time. Read on for essential information on making quick—and healthy!—morning meals.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

What Makes a Good Breakfast Let’s start with the fundamental building blocks of a nutritious breakfast. Following these guidelines is important for ensuring your breakfast has staying power and doesn't cause your blood sugar level to spike.

• 300–500 calories
• 35–65 grams carbs
• 5+ grams fiber
• 5+ grams protein
• 9–16 grams fat
• <5 grams sugar

Ideas to Make Breakfast Fast and Easy With those guidelines in mind, it’s time to start planning. Here are some ideas to make the morning breakfast routine simple:

Morning Waffles

• Plan a week of breakfasts, and buy any ingredients needed.
• Over the weekend, make a large batch of waffles, pancakes, muffins, or crêpes, and store them in the freezer in a freezer bag. Each morning, remove the right number of servings from the freezer and reheat.
• Make breakfast the night before, or prepare to make breakfast by setting out dry ingredients, your blender jar, a skillet, and anything else needed.
• Mix together the dry ingredients for pancake, waffle, and other mixes. Store in an airtight bag. In the morning, add the wet ingredients and cook/bake.
• Freeze smoothie ingredients in freezer bags. In the morning, dump the frozen ingredients and liquid in your Blendtec blender, and then press “Smoothie.”
• Before going to bed, add 1 part steel-cut oats, two parts liquid, and desired add-ins to a slow cooker. In the morning, you’ll have a hearty breakfast waiting for you.
• Try oatmeal in a jar. (This is on my list of things to try!)

• Greek yogurt—Mix with fruit, nuts, whole-grain cereal, and/or seeds. (Add the ingredients to your blender, and press “Pulse” several times to chop the add-ins.)
• Tortillas—Fill with beans, cheese, and salsa; hummus and vegetables; or nut butter and fruit.
• Whole grain bread—Top with scrambled eggs and cheese or with nut butter and a mashed banana.
• Oatmeal—Cook with chopped fruit and nuts; combine with dried fruit, nuts, and seeds for trail mix; or eat uncooked with milk (many people like to prepare this cold breakfast the night before to give the oatmeal time to soak).