What's for breakfast? Here are some healthy options.

With most of us staying home, sales of breakfast cereal have surged. Cereal is easy to buy and store and is simple to eat. Just pour it into a bowl, add milk, and eat. But is it healthy? And what are the healthiest breakfasts? Plus, do we even need to eat breakfast? I contributed to this thoughtful piece for TODAY.com and helped answer these questions. I’ll summarize some key points here.

HOW DO I CHOOSE A HEALTHY CEREAL?

1. Opt for a cereal that is 100 percent whole grain—oat, whole wheat, whole rye should b e the first ingredient.
2. Choose a cereal with at least 3 grams of fiber.
3. Opt for a cereal with as little added sugar as possible (and no more than 4-5 grams which is around a teaspoon.)
4. Practice portion control. It is so easy to eat too much. I suggest eating a 1-cup serving of ready-to-eat cereal like Cheerios or unsweetened whole grain cereal flakes. Granola is much denser so you should opt for a smaller portion and if you enjoy the airy puffed brown rice cereals, you can eat a larger portion. And, I suggest checking the serving size on the food label.
5. Add in berries or other sliced fruit and your portion size will look larger.

WHAT ARE SOME HEALTHY BREAKFAST OPTIONS?

• One cup of ready to eat whole-grain cereal with either low-fat milk or yogurt, topped with fruit and some nuts
• One cup cooked oatmeal (I love steel cut oats) mixed with berries and topped with ground flaxseeds
• A scrambled or hard-boiled egg with a slice of whole-wheat toast and some avocado
• A veggie omelet with a side of melon
• Fruit and yogurt with some chia seeds or flaxseeds
• A slice of whole-grain toast with a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter with a side of fruit

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WHAT IF I’M NOT HUNGRY IN THE MORNING?  DO I NEED TO EAT BREAKFAST?

Here’s my take. As with most nutrition controversies, there is not a one size fits all approach. Children should most certainly eat breakfast when they wake up before heading to school (even if it’s remote school for now!). However, adults don’t have to eat breakfast right away in the morning if they are not hungry or are rushing off to work.  They are better off waiting to eat as opposed to shoveling some food in. However, I would recommend eating something— even a snack or a mini breakfast— within several hours of waking up to keep blood sugar steady. A yogurt and berries or an apple with 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, for example, would be great options.

And as I tell TODAY.com, “If you’re not hungry in the morning, you don’t have to shove it down your throat.”

** If you feel you need additional help with meal planning, food shopping tips, and creating a healthy structure while staying at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m happy to help. I am offering VIRTUAL COUNSELING SESSIONS.  and can reached HERE to discuss your unique needs.