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Food For Thought: Oh Breakfast, Where Art Thou?
Food for Thought is a new column on A Beautiful Ripple Effect! It is written by nutrition + inspiration guru extraordinaire Whitney Ahneman. The column will published every other Monday! Check out Whitney’s introduction video about the series in this post!
I think it’s most appropriate to start off Food for Thought just as I begin every day… with breakfast. Often touted as the most important meal of the day, it is the meal that allows you to start off on the right foot. Breakfast is a time for your body to fuel up for the day. With the introduction of food into your system, your metabolism kicks into gear and supplies nutrients to the body and brain. This is why research shows that children who eat a healthy breakfast often perform better and stay focused in school.
So what does a healthy breakfast constitute? Your best bet is a whole grain, some lean protein, and a little bit of healthy fat. Mixing these three macro-nutrients is important because they work in synergy with one another to fill you up and provide energy for a longer period of time. Plus, there are a multitude of combinations to enjoy! It is important to make conscious and nutrient packed decisions when shopping for this meal.
The notion of waking up to prepare breakfast often doesn’t sit well with people for a number of reasons. Well, I believe it’s time to tackle some of these issues to get more people on board with this healthy habit.
–> Not hungry? Start off with 100% fruit juice, a small piece of fruit, or a slice of whole wheat toast. Prepare for later on in the morning so that you don’t find yourself grabbing something that may be unhealthy by bringing yogurt, string cheese, a whole wheat english muffin egg sandwich, or granola.
–> No time? While grocery shopping consider quick or easy to grab foods such as whole grain toaster options (bread, waffles, english muffins), healthy cereals and low fat milk, instant oatmeal, or yogurt. Think ahead and prepare the night before by cutting fruit and portioning cereal/granola into little baggies to take as you run out the door.
–> Don’t enjoy breakfast foods? Straying from “typical breakfast” items is completely fine, just try to stick to the nutrition principles. Prepare a turkey or peanut butter sandwich on whole wheat bread, pack spreadable low-fat cheese with whole grain crackers, or portion a little bit of last night’s dinner if you enjoy morning leftovers.
–> Nervous about weight gain? Eating a healthy breakfast can help you avoid unplanned snacking on high calorie and convenience foods. Research has shown that skipping meals can lead to nutritionally poor snacks and weight gain.
Food For Thought: Discover and Take Action!
How do you feel about breakfast? Do you find yourself thinking about how you start your day? Try to be conscious of your breakfast routine over the next couple of days and you’ll discover your own attitudes and habits. That process of discovery is the start of cognizant nutrition and health.
Free Download: Breakfast Ideas PDF
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Giveaway Recipient: Leslie! Congratulations, Leslie, you will receive a copy of the latest cookbook by Real Simple editors, Real Simple Best Recipes: Easy, Delicious Meals.
Related "ripples" you might enjoy:
- Food for Thought: You are What You Eat, Literally
- Food For Thought: Energize Your Life
- Food For Thought: Inflammation and You
- Food For Thought: Oh My Omega!
- Food For Thought: Demeanor Determines Consumption
This entry was posted on Monday, July 5th, 2010 at 7:00 am and is filed under Food for Thought, Guest Bloggers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
13 Responses to “Food For Thought: Oh Breakfast, Where Art Thou?”
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Twitter: DyanaValentine
says:
SO fantastic–thank you very much for the pdf–which I’ll be sharing with my students (1st year college) TOMORROW!! The mix/match section is priceless. I’m a big advocate of “dinner for breakfast,” which always gives the youngins pause (and subsequently brain power)!
Dyana Valentine´s last blog ..All Together Now
Twitter: carolynr
says:
Oh how wonderful, Dyana! I am so excited that you are going to use the PDF – how fun! I adore dinner for breakfast as well :).
Thanks Dyana! Glad to hear you’ll be able to use the pdf!
Whitney´s last blog ..Adolescent Eating Behaviors
Thanks, Carolyn, for another thought-provoking post! One question I have is for an item on the breakfast idea pdf. what constitutes “healthy butter”? Is it natural butter or soy spread or something like the butter substitutes with omega3 and no trans fats? thanks!
Twitter: carolynr
says:
That is a great question! And I wish I knew the answer and am interested as well! Hopefully Whitney (the nutrition guru!) will have an answer for us :).
Great question Duff. I think some of the butter alternatives that are available nowadays are a great way to improve upon the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio that is often times so skewed in our diets. The American Heart Association is formally behind them as well! The key is to read the label and find an alternative that you enjoy. Check out the saturated fat content of the package and look for the words “partially hydrogenated” in the ingredient list. Sometimes this is hard to get away from, but it’s a sign of hidden trans fats so weigh the options as best you can!
Hope that helps, let me know if you have any further questions!
Whitney´s last blog ..Adolescent Eating Behaviors
I love the idea of getting a good dose of Food For Thought every other Monday. Great idea Carolyn :) I thought Whitney’s post was really good and informative. I definitely appreciated the tips for different breakfasts in the PDF and the idea to always plan ahead makes so much sense. Thanks for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it Sibyl. Hopefully I can keep informative content coming!
Whitney´s last blog ..Adolescent Eating Behaviors
great that will be healthy :)
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[...] you enjoy this topic, be sure to check out my first Food For Thought post published two weeks ago: Food For Thought: Oh Breakfast, Where Art Thou?. (includes a free [...]
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Thanks, thats very useful to know! I must admit to being a bit hopeless in the kitchen, but I’m trying my best to learn. Admitting iis the first step right!? I promised to cook a whole meal for my wife this weekend for the first time – very exciting! I found some really simple recipe at this website, seems to be designed exactly with people like me in mind, which is great! Anyway, thanks, I’ll be sure to subscribe to your site to read more later.