Personalize Your Breakfast

Breakfast is a time for building up muscles, stamina and frame of mind. Winter breakfasts might include a hot cereal, toasted bagel or even a skillet meal with an omelet and potatoes. Sometimes it's a time to enjoy yesterday's leftovers, microwave pizza or sandwich. Each of us personalizes the choices.  Like other meals-include a fruit or vegetable, a whole grain and lean protein foods. 

My breakfast parfait above is made with layers of whole grain fruit and nut bread, nonfat plain yogurt and a carrot marmalade. I drink a glass of skim milk with each meal providing high quality protein and hydration to my nutrition profile.

Breakfast is especially important for seniors and those recuperating from illness or injury.   While most Americans eat the bulk of the daily protein later in the day, it's best to to space the intake throughout the day. 

I aim for 20-24 grams of protein at breakfast.  That's more than a cup of milk or a container of yogurt-though that's a place to start. Soy and pea milk each have equivalent amounts of protein per cup (8 grams) as cows' milk.  Almond, rice and coconut milk do not.  Greek yogurt has twice the protein as regular milk.

 

I like to plan my seasonal meals with ideas from magazines. The "Carrot Cake Marmalade" recipe is from Food and Wine Magazine. It is delicious! Because my plans included eating with a bread made with almond paste (also sweetened), I decreased the granulated sugar in the original recipe to 5 tablespoons. 

Eating the same foods over and over can get old-and may not be the healthiest choice. Including different foods can increase nutrient variety and decrease food insensitivity. Here are some out-of-my-normal breakfasts I've enjoyed with ideas from cookbooks and magazines.

Buckwheat Waffles

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl with Fermented Cabbage

Grits and Fruit Bowl

 

Pot Sticker Huevos Ranchero

Green Smoothie

Sourdough Pancakes with Peanut Butter and Banana

Overnight Fruit Cobbler

Teff Porridge

National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.

This year's theme is "Personalize Your Plate." There is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition and health. We are all unique with different bodies, goals, backgrounds and tastes! And a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist can tailor a healthful eating plan that is as special as you are.