July 14, 2020

5 easy ways to speed up breakfast

Sometimes we need a little nudge, like a study, to find ways around our typical excuses for skipping breakfast. Although we are all guilty of occasionally missing the first meal of the day, it turns out that men aged 19-30 are the least likely to eat breakfast with about one in 5 skipping breakfast.

In 2012 the Harvard School of Public Health reported that after following over 29,000 “healthy” men from 1992 - 2008 (16 years), those who skipped breakfast had a 21% higher risk of type two diabetes than did men who ate breakfast. This was true even after accounting for known risk factors including BMI (Body Mass Index - weight/height ratio).

Although this was a study of men and the effects skipping breakfast has on their bodies, the results give absolutely everyone something to think about. We often feel we don’t have time for breakfast but the alternative of living with diabetes requires much more effort than a quick morning meal!  Prevention is easier. Pass the eggs – we’d choose breakfast!

If you’re looking for some tips on making time for breakfast, here are 5 easy things you can do:

  1. Pack a breakfast to-go.
  • Baking a batch of breakfast muffins for the week is an easy way to have something ready to take with you on the way out the door.
  1. Rise and shine just 7 minutes earlier.
  • Think about it – that’s all it really takes. How many minutes do we need to slap together a yummy sandwich or scramble up some eggs? Plus, when you start the day off with a little extra morning motivation, you can bring it with you throughout the rest of your day. What a great way to inspire productivity!
  1. Have everyone’s gear (knapsacks, lap tops, etc.) at the door the night before.
  • At one point or another, we’ve all experienced a hectic morning with everyone scrambling to get out the door. It almost seems as though mornings go quicker than any other time of day. Whatever you need to take with you in the morning, have it ready at the door – you’ll have a better morning with extra time to eat.
  1. Always keep hard-cooked eggs in the fridge and French toast in the freezer.
  • This is such a key point! On the weekend, hard-cook as many eggs as you need for the week (that’s how long they’ll keep in the fridge). This makes for an easy snack and the protein in the morning will keep you sustained until lunch. If you’re looking for a fancier morning dish, do the same on the weekend except with French toast! Cook up enough to last for the week and simply heat it up in the mornings – easy.
  1. Always keep a bowl of fruit handy.
  • Sometimes things come up in the morning despite our best efforts. Cue the fruit bowl! Even if it’s an apple or a banana, grab it on your way out – these small actions will make a difference in your long term health.  Add a hard-cooked egg and you have a power-packed breakfast that will fuel you all morning long!

Tip: Not hungry in the morning? Try this. Start small. Think mini meal. Maybe just one hard-cooked egg or half of a breakfast muffin. In time you’ll be used to wanting to eat in the morning.

Reference: Eating patterns and type 2 diabetes risk in men: breakfast omission, eating frequency, and snacking. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. March, 2012