By Annika Altura
In the face of 8 AMs, pure, utter, laziness, and the lack of any culinary skills, skipping the first meal of the day, and drowning yourself in some food truck rice bowl once the hunger rolls around a few hours later is completely understandable. Even I find myself guilty of throwing on clothes, grabbing my keys and biking to class with a grumbling stomach.
You’ve heard it a bunch of times: “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Personally, what’s in the back of my mind is Spongebob chanting ~“breakfast is the most important meal of the day, serving it up, Gary’s way!”~ In high school I remember running out the door with three hours of sleep behind me, making sure I could get out as fast as possible to make the bus.
Going back into eating breakfast every morning was a little bit of a struggle at first, because it forced me to get up a little bit earlier and sacrifice my beloved sleep, but I realized that having something in my stomach spiked my metabolism and replenished my glucose levels, overall making me more energized for the rest of the day. Here’s a few ways that you can get your food fix without having to spend too much time making it in the morning:
- Granola Bars
Granola bars are honestly one of my pantry staples in college. They’re light, easy to take around, and they taste amazing too. Kids health states that these snacks are a great way to satisfy hunger and get all the vitamins that your body needs without overfilling you for later. There are so many out there that you can choose from, and they aren’t too expensive if you buy them in bulk. My personal favorites are CLIF’s Nut Butter Filled Bars, and KIND’s Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Bars. The slight sweetness of the bars, and the high protein content from the nuts will keep everyone going until their next meal. Pair with a piece of fruit to balance this on-the-go meal.
- Yogurt parfait
Try this: Greek yogurt, honey, nuts, any fruit that you want, and even chia seeds if you’d like to be a little bit fancy. This breakfast is refreshing and filling without having to be heavy, and according to the Dairy Council of California, Greek yogurt both has probiotics and high protein content, as well as both calcium and potassium, making it a great combination to start your day.
- Overnight oats
This might require a little bit of prep. Take ½ a cup of oatmeal, ½ a cup of milk, and mix it together in some kind of mason jar or any container. From there, you can add whatever you want to it! My favorite combinations are chocolate, peanut butter, or mango and coconut. Once you’re done, refrigerate it overnight, and stick it in your backpack in the morning. Don’t forget a spoon too! The whole grains council states that oatmeal is great for breakfast since it’s high in fiber and helps prevent heart disease.
- Frittata
Everyone loves eggs in the morning, not everyone has the time to make them. Luckily, frittatas can be made ahead, and are good not only for breakfast, but for any time of day. Once you make the frittata, cut it into wedges and refrigerate. Heat it up in the morning however you like, and you’ll be on your way. Here’s a link to a great, simple and easy frittata recipe as well: http://spoonuniversity.com/recipe/fontina-frittata
Breakfast doesn’t have to be a chore. Plan ahead! You don’t want to skimp on nutrients. Your brain will thank you later when you’re trying to use it to memorize all those formulas.
Resources:
http://spoonuniversity.com/recipe/fontina-frittata
http://www.livestrong.com/article/404122-the-importance-of-eating-a-healthy-breakfast
http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/brain-food-breakfast-6820.html
http://kidshealth.org/en/teens/healthy-snacks.html
http://www.healthyeating.org/Milk-Dairy/Nutrients-in-Milk-Cheese-Yogurt/Yogurt-Nutrition.aspx
Healthy Aggies at UC Davis 