One of the things I have noticed over the last few weeks is that many people either don’t eat breakfast, they don’t eat a BIG ENOUGH breakfast, they think that if they eat a small breakfast they are doing the right “thing”, or they don’t have any ideas of what to eat for breakfast so they just grab whatever is on hand. What is then really interesting is that when we analyse the rest of the day, they have invariably not eaten much for morning tea and/or lunch, and then have ended up STARVING at afternoon tea, after work and dinner – leading to what I call “the HOOVER effect” (you know, the vacuum cleaner that sucks up everything in sight ….). Yes, I have been there too – when you’re (my) blood sugar levels have been so low, you (I) stand in the pantry or in front of the fridge and mindlessly eat whatever you (I) can lay your hands on, while you (I) think about what it is you (I) actually want to eat… Before you (I) know it, you’ve (I’ve) eaten the equivalent of a small, or even large meal!
It’s really easy, when we look back over the day, and look at how much food was eaten, what type of food was eaten, and at what times (or how long between meals) – to understand how the Hoover effect happens. But 1 big way to prevent the Hoover effect, is to start the day with a really nourishing Breakfast that:
- honours what your body has already done
- e.g. a gym workout that morning,
- a big game of sport the evening before
- up all night nursing a baby
- recovering from surgery
- everyday life pressures….
- what it needs to do today
- go to school
- go to work
- operate our brain – our brain requires 120g of glucose just to function each day
So, here are 10 quick and easy breakfast ideas to get your day off to a flying start, to hopefully prevent those times where you find yourself standing in front of the fridge mindlessly eating.
You can find detailed recipes (though they’re actually pretty simple) for each idea, under “Breakfasts” in the Recipes Tab.
- Breakfast Smoothie – mango and banana, banana and peanut butter, mixed berry – all mixed with low fat milk and yoghurt (and ice if desired)
- Toast with toppings – top wholegrain toast with avocado and tomato; smashed banana sprinkled with cinnamon; toasted with cheese and tomato (and ham)
- Bircher muesli: Mix oats, grated apple, milk and yoghurt, along with your choice of nuts and seeds. Make a bulk batch and it will keep in the fridge for a week, making this a super handy, quick, ‘on-the-go’ breakfast
- Muesli with fruit and yoghurt: top natural muesli with your favourite fruit (e.g. sliced apple or banana, fresh or frozen berries, mango or other seasonal fruits and enjoy with Greek yoghurt, or reduced fat yoghurt
- Fruit toast: top with ricotta cheese and a sprinkle of cinnamon
- Homemade breakfast muffins: Fill with grated veggies like carrot, corn, capsicum and zucchini. Freeze any leftovers for busy mornings.
- Coffee + a banana + yoghurt: When time is really short, a coffee can give a quick zing (coffee stimulates the release of adrenaline, so don’t go too hard), and if it’s a latte or cappuccino, the milk provides some protein and calcium. If not, the yoghurt will provide this, and paired with a banana to give your brain some glucose to get firing for the day.
- Eggs on toast: Eggs are no longer on the limited list, so why not mix up your week with poached, boiled or scrambled eggs on toast – or even an omelette filled with rocket, tomato, mushrooms, capsicum – or the leftover veggies from last night. So many people comment that eggs keep them full all morning, and it’s no wonder, as they are a fabulous source of protein.
- Porridge: Another great breakfast that is both highly nutritious and satisfying is porridge. Traditional rolled oats are best, but if you’re short on time, quick oats will do. Oats contains a substance called Beta-glucan which binds cholesterol and transports it out of the body, so it is great for reducing cholesterol levels. It’s also Low-GI so will keep your blood sugar levels nice and even all morning.
- Baked Beans on toast: these are not only packed with protein and fibre, they also count towards your daily serves of vegetables. While the tinned version is really convenient, nothing goes past a traditional Italian recipe!
