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Healthy breakfast: Quick, flexible options to grab at home
What to look for in dry cereals
Cereal may frequently be your go-to item for breakfast, whether your grab a handful to eat dry while on the run, or you have time for a quick bowl with milk. But not all cereals are created equal. So when choosing a breakfast cereal, try to put a little thought into your decision by reading the nutrition label and ingredient list. Remember that a serving size is typically 3/4 cup to 1 cup. The key items to look for are:
- Fiber. Choose cereals with at least 3 grams (g) of fiber per serving, but if possible, aim for 5 grams per serving or even higher.
- Sugar. Added sugar doesn't automatically make a cereal unhealthy. But try to choose cereals that have 13 grams or less of sugar per serving.
- Calories. If you're counting calories, choose cereals lower in calories, ideally less than 120 calories per serving.
| Examples of good options for dry breakfast cereals | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cereal, 1-cup serving | Fiber in grams | Sugar in grams | Calories |
| Kellogg's All-Bran Bran Buds | 39 | 24 | 225 |
| General Mills Fiber One | 28 | 0 | 120 |
| Kellogg's All-Bran Original | 18 | 10 | 161 |
| Kashi Go Lean | 10 | 6 | 148 |
| Post Raisin Bran | 7 | 16 | 178 |
| Post Spoon-Size Shredded Wheat | 6 | 0 | 167 |
| General Mills Cheerios | 3 | 1 | 103 |
| Quaker Life Cereal, plain | 3 | 8 | 149 |
Sources: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 21; USDA What's in the Foods You Eat, 3.0
Remember to top off your bowl of cereal with some sliced fruit and low-fat or skim milk. Or if you're on the go, take along a piece of fruit and a carton of milk with your dry cereal.
Cereal bars
Cereal bars also may be a good breakfast option. Just be sure to look for those that meet the same guidelines as dry cereal. Also, don't forget some fruit and low-fat milk or yogurt to round things out. Even fruit or yogurt cereal bars won't satisfy all your nutrition requirements for breakfast.
Quick and flexible breakfast options
Whether you tend to stick with traditional breakfast options or you prefer the variety offered by nontraditional breakfast fare, you have plenty of ways to get in a healthy breakfast each day.
Here are some specific examples of healthy breakfast options:
- Cooked oatmeal with almonds or dried cranberries
- Cold cereal with a side of fruit
- A whole-wheat pita stuffed with hard-boiled eggs
- Leftover vegetable pizza
- Vegetables, salsa and low-fat shredded cheese wrapped in a tortilla
- A smoothie blended from exotic fruits, some low-fat yogurt and a spoonful of wheat germ
- Whole-wheat crackers with low-fat cheese or peanut butter
- A microwaved potato topped with broccoli and grated Parmesan cheese
- A whole-wheat sandwich with lean meat and low-fat cheese
- Multigrain pancakes with fruit and yogurt
- A whole-grain waffle with peanut butter
Fitting in a healthy breakfast
If you skip breakfast because you think you don't have time in the morning, plan ahead. The night before, figure out what you'll eat, and if necessary, get up 10 minutes earlier to enjoy it. Or pack something the night before to take with you the next morning. If your kids don't get a nutritious breakfast at school, don't let them leave home without it.
Also, if you skip breakfast because you want to save calories, realize that you may be setting yourself up for failure later in the day. Chances are you'll be ravenous by lunchtime, which may lead you to eat more or turn to fast but unhealthy options — such as the doughnuts or cookies a co-worker brings to the office.
Your morning meal doesn't have to mean loading up on sugar and fats, and it doesn't have to be time-consuming to be healthy. Keep the breakfast basics in mind and set yourself up for healthier eating all day long.
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