Today, I’d like to take the time to have another rant. This time, the subject is donuts and breakfast.
Where did we get the ideas that donuts were an acceptable breakfast? Who gave us this idea? And, most importantly, WHY???
It really bothers me when events that occur early in the morning advertise that there will be coffee and donuts available. I’m sorry, what’s wrong with offering a healthier alternative? What is all the fuss about donuts?! No one ever feels good after eating a donut for breakfast, yet we continue to do so. WHY?!
Donuts have no nutrition whatsoever. None. Nada. Zilch. They are basically empty calories in the form a huge sugar bomb.
When we eat a donut for breakfast, we simply set ourselves up for failure. We start the day off in a nutrient deficit, and our body spends the rest of the day trying to make up for that deficit. How so? Cravings. Sounds fun right?!
Furthermore, eating that sugar-coated, caloric bomb donut for breakfast leaves us feeling poor, gross, and “heavy.” Who wants that?
Okay, rant over. Now onto five awesome alternatives for breakfast that aren’t sugar bombs or donuts and don’t set us up for failure:
Eggs, 3-4 of them, scrambled with tons of greens (spinach, kale, etc), peppers, and onions; served with a side sliced avocado, and green tea (make sure you eat the whole eggs!!)
Leftover meat from last night’s dinner (steak, pork, chicken, turkey, etc) with 1 egg, sunny-side up, on top, with a side of roasted vegetables, like carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower, and sliced avocado
Make an egg and vegetable frittata on Sunday and portion it out for the entire week. Simply sauté a bunch of whatever veggies you like until they are tender, add to a bowl of 8-12 raw eggs, pour into a parchment paper-lined baking 9x13" dish and bake at 350 until done (about 25 minutes). Serve it with a side of (you guessed it!) sliced avocado.
Soup! One of the most nourishing foods on the planet, homemade broth combined with veggies and the protein of your choice make a perfect start to your day, especially in the winter. Check out this awesome recipe.
Grain-free, homemade “cereal/n'oatmeal” – check out this archive of recipes here
There you have it, five real food options for breakfast. Don’t overthink it! Pair real food sources of protein, fat, and carbohydrates together and call it a meal! We get so caught up in eating breakfast foods for breakfast; why not just treat breakfast as another meal? By including adequate sources of the three macronutrients that come from real, whole foods, we set ourselves up for a wonderful day, free from sugar crashes brought about by eating crap for breakfast.
Here’s more resources to real food breakfasts that use real food ingredients. There are options for revamped breakfast favorites (like pancakes and waffles) that use real, whole food, as well as options for new and creative breakfast ideas (like soup or a veggie hash). Let’s get cooking together!