Eating dinner for breakfast isn’t any different from eating breakfast for dinner. Ultimately it’s all about fueling your body through food, no matter what time of day you are eating. Rethink that bowl of cereal and consider more nutrient-dense common dinner plates.
We have all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If that is the case, why are so many common breakfast foods lacking in nutrition? The first meal of the day doesn’t need to be your typical cereal and milk, or bagel with cream cheese. Neither one of those choices is packed with much goodness. They may, in fact, do more harm than good.
Ditch the meal labels
Why not focus on the nutrients you need to get through your morning, regardless of what “meal label” has been placed on them? If it’s OK to have an omelet for dinner, it is perfectly OK to have a soup and salad for breakfast. Just make sure that soup and salad is full of goodness!
Let’s remember that breakfast is touted as the most important meal of the day, yet thousands of consumers fuel their body with typical breakfast foods that do everything but the fuel the body! Take cereal, for instance; there is very little fuel in cereal. Cereal is not going to get you through the morning with the right nutrients. If you haven’t checked out the nutrition label on a box of cereal lately, you should!
Start your day with protein
Always keep in mind it’s best to start your day with high-quality protein. It’s great for your muscles and it digests slowly so you’ll make it through the morning without feeling hungry and reaching for something unhealthy.
It’s also very important to consume organic fruit. The small amount of carbohydrates will restore liver glycogen levels, providing your muscles — and your brain — the fuel they need to function at their peak. Fruit also helps keep your body hydrated, which supports mental clarity.
Getting enough fiber is also of utmost importance. Fiber can slow the absorption of sugar and help improve blood sugar levels.
What to look for in the morning
Try changing your morning meal and see what a difference it makes. I encourage you to look for high-quality organic foods that are GMO-free and as natural as possible. Remember, you may think you’re eating healthy foods, but when the nutrition label takes a while to read and you have trouble pronouncing the ingredients, it is no longer healthy for you. The fewer ingredients, the better!
Dinner meal ideas to eat in the morning
Love Mexican food?
Try organic black bean tacos for breakfast. Mix black beans, avocado, fresh salsa and spinach into blue corn taco shells for a meal full of healthy fats, protein and carbohydrates. Try topping them with fresh mango for a sweet twist and get a serving of fruit at the same time. You can also add some fresh jalapenos, which are loaded with amazing health benefits, such as capsaicin and vitamin C.
Go traditional
Go traditional with baked organic chicken and quinoa with broccoli and carrots. Lightly season with pepper and pink Himalayan salt, and you will be full and satisfied for the next several hours. You are getting your fill of protein, carbs and fiber with a very simple, yet filling dish.
Have pasta
In other countries, having pasta for breakfast is an everyday occurrence. Boil some brown-rice pasta with fresh tomatoes, basil, peas, orange bell peppers and red onions. Brown-rice pasta is gluten-free and full of fiber. Add a rainbow of veggies and you’re ready to start your day with plenty of energy and hydration.
Enjoy a kale salad
Toss red onion, strawberries, edamame and walnuts with almond oil, plus salt and pepper. Add some baked sweet potato wedges on the side and you have a breakfast full of goodness that will fill you up, keep you focused and keep your blood sugar in check for hours.
TIP
If you are a vegetarian/vegan, try adding a plant-based protein to any of the above meals.
On-the-go meal idea
Looking for something quick on the go? Try an all-natural organic peanut butter with fresh, organic strawberry and banana slices on organic whole-grain bread. Rather than use traditional jelly, use real fruit slices. You eliminate the added sugar in traditional jellies and jams, and eating whole fruit in the raw is always best. If you haven’t tried fresh-ground nut butters before, now is the time. Check out your local health food market, where you can grind your own peanut butter. This protein- and fiber-packed breakfast will keep you moving all morning and provide you with the fuel and focus to start the day. It’s the perfect breakfast option for kids!
More nutrition tips
How to eat healthy when you dine out
Haylie Duff’s five healthy cooking must-haves
Whole foods that will help you lose weight
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