Christine Patrick, County Extension Agent- EFNEP
Although breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it is often missed. Skipping breakfast causes irritability, sluggishness, slow thinking, and inefficiency by mid-morning. For quick energy, you may crave snacks like candy or a cookie. Usually, the nutrients missed by skipping breakfast aren’t “made up” at other meals and will be left out completely that day. If you skip breakfast, what’s your excuse? Common reasons are “not hungry,” “on a diet,” “nothing to eat,” and “lack of time.” Not feeling hungry when you wake up could be due to stress hormones affecting your hunger cues. When lack of time is your excuse, consider that it takes less time to eat breakfast than it does to shave, shower, and blow-dry your hair. Most people eat breakfast in less than five minutes, so a nutritious breakfast doesn’t have to be time-consuming.
Two Minute Egg Souffle:
- Spray a small oven-proof custard dish with cooking oil spray.
- Add 1/3 cup of liquid egg substitute.
- Microwave on high for 1 ½ minutes or until fluffy.
- Sprinkle with shredded cheese.
- Add whole-wheat toast and milk.
Before going to bed the night before, do some breakfast preparation. Set the table, place non-perishables on the table, hard cook eggs and shell them, make a breakfast casserole to reheat in the microwave, mix up pancake batter, make muffins or breakfast cookies with dried fruits and nuts.
Non-Traditional Breakfast Ideas:
What is the most unusual breakfast you have ever eaten? Breakfast does not need to be limited to traditional breakfast foods. You can start your day with some low-fat milk, a glass of juice, and one of the nutritious foods:
- Leftovers from last night’s supper. (e.g., a slice of pizza, burrito, taco, hamburger, a cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, spaghetti with tomato sauce, macaroni, and cheese, stuffed baked potato, or soup).
- Your favorite sandwich (e.g., grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly, turkey or chicken)
- Pancakes with one or more of these added: chopped fruit (strawberries, blueberries, peaches, bananas, apples), nuts, or cubes of cooked meat, such as ham.
- Quick-cooking oats with added dried or fresh fruit, nuts, and brown sugar.
- Grits in which low-fat cheese or soft margarine (not butter) has been melted.
- French toast with cinnamon or nutmeg added to the batter.
- Low-fat milk or low-fat yogurt combined with dried fruit, nuts, and cinnamon.
- Leftover rice, low-fat yogurt, dried fruit, nuts, and cinnamon combined.
For more information about breakfast, visit the Home & Garden Information Center website
The Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service offers its programs to people of all ages, regardless of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital or family status and is an equal opportunity employer.
