In our household, one of the most the important meals of the day is breakfast. John will not let us go a single morning without eating it, which is fine by me because I am one of those that can always eat haha. I think for us, we both grew up eating breakfast every single morning. I remember me and my sisters lining up at the bar in the kitchen and my mom always feeding us, even if it was just cereal.
Here is the breakdown on breakfast: Most people think that eating only two meals is actually better for you (and we aren’t even discussing intermittent fasting – keepin it basic – which would be an exception to my rule). However, breakfast actually helps to awaken your metabolism and get it moving so that when you do begin eating later in the day, it is ready to metabolize our typically “heavier” lunches. It provides you with energy to start the day, can actually aid in weight loss because you are starting your metabolism earlier in the day, and can keep you fuller longer, so that you don’t grab for those high-sugar, highly processed snacks we all crave when we get tired (no self-control) and hangry.
With that, today, I thought I would give you some super easy breakfast ideas that John and I eat ourselves and that stay with us even after a hard workout. These meals keep me full until around noon, but some people may want to include a mid-morning snack so that they can make good choices by the time lunch rolls around.
- Protein shakes – John and I use Arbonne protein powder because it is pea based and we do one scoop of chocolate, one scoop of vanilla (one scoop per person), some almond butter, half a banana, and chia seeds. Sometimes we add oatmeal or almonds as well, for extra staying power.
- Scrambled eggs and bacon bits – This one is simple and easy, but always stays with us. For two of us, we typically use four-five eggs and then add bacon bits and sometimes a little bit of cheese
- Protein pancakes – John’s favorite! We use Kodiak cakes which is super easy. All you do is buy the mix (you can find it at Target and most grocery stores) and add water. If you want extra flavor you can add cinnamon, a little vanilla, some extra protein powder, and/or some coconut almond milk
- Breakfast burritos – We buy some simple ingredient tortillas, scramble some eggs, then add whatever we want to them. We like to keep it simple with bacon, cheese, and salsa, but you could also add onions, bell peppers, spinach, mushrooms, etc.
- Breakfast sandwiches – my mom actually introduced John to these and now he is obsessed haha. Basically you take a bagel, croissant, or toast and scramble some eggs (but the need to be small and stay together on the pan), then place them on your carb of choice then sprinkle some cheese and put the other half on top. My mom used to make these when my sisters and I were younger and had to rush to soccer games and events on the weekends. We would then just eat them in the car. I like mine with a little bit of ketchup!
- Breakfast casserole – I like a recipe in Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines, but there are tons of recipes you can find on Pinterest. This is nice for the really busy family because you can make it ahead and then eat it throughout the week!
- Overnight oats – this is another easy one to make ahead. I like to make two or three at a time and then just grab them in the morning. My recipe is from a cookbook, but Pinterest again, has a ton of options. I then like to top mine off with some fresh fruit!
- Yogurt Parfait – speaking of fresh fruit, this has been on of my favorites the past few weeks. I just buy a larger tub of my favorite yogurt at the grocery store, so it will last me a little bit longer. I then have that with some almond butter, chia seeds, fresh fruit, and some walnuts. It tastes so yummy!
- French toast – while this may not be the healthiest option, it is one of my absolute favorites. Whenever John makes french toast in the morning, I alway know it is going to be a good day
- Last but not least is some eggs and an english muffin – this is my ole’ G. I can’t even begin to count the amount of times I have had this breakfast. I prefer my eggs over easy in this case, and then I mash them all up with salt and pepper and put them on my english muffin or toast. This one reminds me of home because my mom made it for me a lot when I lived there before John and I got married. John still isn’t 100% sure how to make an egg over easy, but we are getting there. In fact, he practiced today haha!
I hope you enjoy these ideas and that they help to make your morning a little more seamless. I would love to hear what your favorite breakfast items are too, so feel free to leave a comment below or head to my Instagram and leave a comment there!
xoxo,
Melissa
