To say that life is busy is an understatement. For many people — especially professionals and parents of small children — life is downright hectic, and it can be difficult to find a moment to breathe, much less make and enjoy a nutritious breakfast. Yet, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it replenishes your body after the “fast” it enjoyed while sleeping and, in the process, boosts your energy levels and alertness. Moreover, a good breakfast can provide your body with much-needed nutrients, kickstart your metabolism and set the stage for good health throughout the day.
That said, most people simply do not have time in their busy mornings to make and eat a wholesome breakfast. If your schedule does not allow you to enjoy The Most Important Meal of the Day, consider alternatives, such as on-the-go breakfasts. Below are a few ideas to use for inspiration.
Bird’s Nests To Go
Made of a base of shredded hash browns and topped with cheddar cheese, eggs and veggies of your choice, these little breakfast delights are easy to make ahead and customize to your flavor pallet. Common recipes call for enough ingredients to make 12 cupcake cup-sized servings, which should be enough for you, a spouse and a child to get through the week. However, it’s easy enough to play with the recipe and expand or reduce it as necessary. The entire breakfast is housed in a paper or silicone cupcake liner, making it a perfect grab-and-go morning snack.
Breakfast Burritos
Like the Bird’s Nests, breakfast burritos are super easy to customize to your dietary needs and preferences. Fill tortillas ahead of time with eggs, black beans, pork, veggies, salsa and/or other ingredients of your choosing. Wrap them up and store them in the fridge to grab and go throughout the week.
As an alternative, you can make the ingredients ahead of time and heat them up each morning. Warm up a tortilla while you’re getting ready, fill it with the heated ingredients, and eat the finished product as you’re ushering the kids out the door in the morning.
Yogurt Cups
You can never go wrong with a cup full of yogurt, oats and fruit for breakfast. A hearty and wholesome meal, yogurt cups are an easy-to-prepare, delicious and filling alternative to a five-course morning meal. Though you probably don’t want to assemble your cups ahead of time, you can chop the fruit the night before and dump everything into a to-go container on your way out the door in the morning for a fast and healthy breakfast.
Breakfast Bars and Muffins
While it would be extremely easy to head to your local grocery store and buy prepackaged granola bars and muffins, know that if you want a truly nutritious breakfast, you should make baked goods yourself. Fortunately, doing so requires just a few minutes of your time on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and a handful of ingredients. Yet, the right ingredients, such as yogurt, fruit and whole grains, can pack a huge punch on both the flavor and health fronts.
In today’s go-go-go society, there is an increasing need for healthy, on-the-go meals. Use the above ideas to create tasty and nutritious on-the-go breakfasts for you and your family.