Shake It Up: 5 Ways to Upgrade Breakfast
Tired of eating a bowl of cereal for breakfast all the time? Ditch the milk carton and flakes. Make full use of your kitchen and that set of pans that your mom got you when you first moved into your apartment.
Through my years in college, I’ve learned how to upgrade my breakfast meals. I’ve promoted my cooking skills from amateur with toast and butter to breakfast chef with banana and blueberry pancakes.
From Eggs to Omelets
While there are so many ways of making eggs, only eating eggs is not very appetizing.
Here are some things you can mix into your eggs:
•Chopped meat: chicken, ham, bacon
•Chopped veggies: tomatoes, green bell pepper, onions, mushrooms
•Seasonings: salt and black pepper
•Shredded cheese
•Chunky salsa
Click here for a two-minute video on how to prepare omelets — IN A BAG. Can it get any easier to make breakfast?!
From Plain Toast to Avocado, Bacon, & Egg Toast
I am guilty of just spreading butter on my toast in the morning as a lazy “hack.” Paired with a cup of coffee, I can’t think of a more unhealthy breakfast. Unless you’re counting not eating at all.
Toast can be upgraded with very few ingredients. Here are some basic steps:
Step 1: Cook an egg, poached or sunny-side up, and some bacon.
Step 2: Slice, or mash up, half of an avocado.
Step 3: Toast your sliced bread.
Step 4: Place toast on a plate and top it off with egg, bacon, and avocado.
For Step 4, you can order the toppings in any way you’d like. However, I’ve learned that laying the avocado first keeps the egg and bacon firmly in place. Think of it as the glue in your wonderful toast. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and enjoy.
From Oatmeal to Fruit, Nuts & Oats Mix
You are lying to yourself if you say you genuinely like eating oatmeal. No matter how healthy oatmeal is for your heart, its bland taste is just not how you want to start your day.
Luckily, you can always mix any kind of nuts and fruit into your bowl to add some flavor. For those that want to increase their intake of vitamins and minerals, here are some superfoods you can add to your oatmeal for a healthy kick.
From Apple to Assorted Fruit Bowl
Who else is guilty of running out the door with just a fruit from the fruit bowl in hand? Whether you’re rushing to class or late for work, you should know that one fruit will not give you enough energy for a few hours.
Instead, try tossing in various fruits and mixing them in a bowl. Bag the mixed fruit and refrigerate in sizable portions overnight. In the morning, you’ll have a variety of sweet snacks ready to go, and you won’t have to do any preparing at all!
From Banana Shake to Energy Boost Smoothie
During my first attempts at meal-planning, I figured that a fruit shake would make for a quick and easy breakfast trick. Did you know you can save your money on Juiceland or Jamba Juice by making your own healthy smoothies at home?
Researchers and athletes both agree that a shake should be more than just a blend of banana, ice, milk, and sugar. Here are a few tips to strengthening your liquid breakfast meal:
1. Add a green base. You want to eat something that will give you the energy to get through your day. Kale and spinach are great bases to get your dose of fiber.
2. Substitute sugar with honey. The less you eat processed sugar, the healthier and better your body will feel. Honey is naturally made.
3. Freeze your fruit. You can buy bagged frozen fruit or chop up your fruit and freeze them in Ziplock bags.
4. Add half of an avocado. I am not just saying this because it’s my favorite thing to eat. According to Victoria, of Bon Appétit Magazine, “You’ll get lots of potassium, B-complex vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber.” Avocados are also great for satisfying hunger and lowering bad cholesterol.
Consider preparing your smoothie ingredients the night before so you can easily blend them in the morning. (Tip: use your assorted fruit that you’ve already sized and prepped!) You can also make various kinds of smoothies by using different ingredients. Maybe a green smoothie on a Monday and a mango smoothie on Tuesday? Either way, variety is key to not tiring of liquid meals!