Healthy Breakfast Foods that Keep You Full

We’ve heard it all before, right? “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” While there is some debate regarding that statement, most nutritionists agree that breakfast, as a meal, should not be skipped (even if you’re into intermittent fasting). Most people, if they skip breakfast, gorge themselves at lunch or later in the day. There’s a better way and that way is to eat breakfast foods that keep you full until, and even through, lunchtime. These foods provide steady energy throughout your day, are nutritionally valuable and can help you eat a light, nutritious lunch.

While some of these foods require a little prep time, it’s nothing that should force you to set your alarm an hour earlier. And the ones that do require a few minutes pf prep time are well worth getting up 15 minutes earlier…

• Peanut butter provides you with protein and fiber, two elements that help keep you full for hours. Try some peanut butter toast (the bread will add some carbs), just remember to skip the jelly…unnecessary calories.
• Avocados are another food that go great with toast. The monounsaturated fats in avocados provide you with a valuable nutritional boost and studies have shown that these fats provide the consumer with feelings of a full tummy for hours.
• Oatmeal is another quick breakfast fix that provides some protein and also keeps you full for quite a while. The great thing about oatmeal is that so many additional healthy foods can be added to it to help you achieve your fullness goal. Simply add your favorite berries, chia and/or flax seeds, honey, or walnuts to provide you with even more necessary nutrients and you’re well on your way to avoiding that unwanted 10:30 donut and coffee.
• Eggs have been a breakfast staple for centuries and there’s good reason for that. Their high protein content provides energy throughout your day and they suppress the production of ghrelin, a hunger hormone that sends people to the vending machines or fast food joint well before lunchtime.
• Apples, and many other fruits, provide you with a great combination of fiber and water, two things that keep us feeling full. They also go great with another item on this list, namely, peanut butter. Don’t want one for breakfast? Then carry one with you to eat as a late morning snack. Apples are the ultimate portable healthy snack.
• Hummus is another great spreadable breakfast food that goes well with other healthy breakfast foods such as apples, berries, honey and nuts. The chickpea based spreadable gives a powerful shot of fiber and protein that keeps you full and happy well past noon.
• Non-fat Greek yogurt is another protein-loaded food that should be on your breakfast menu. It is also a great base for your own personalized breakfast concoction, provided you use healthy foods. I usually add honey, cinnamon, nuts (walnuts or almonds) and raspberries. But hey, that’s me…you do you.
• Omelets are another great breakfast dish that can be personalized with your favorite healthy foods while providing protein, fiber and healthy fats, depending upon what you add. Me? I love black beans, red peppers, onions, salsa and some feta cheese. I then avoid breathing on anyone until I’ve brushed at least twice and rinsed with mouthwash for at least 25 minutes.

Look, most of the above foods require little to no prep time. Too often we rush out the door in the morning and hit the nearest fast food joint for our greasy and high-calorie morning fix. The above breakfast foods will help you avoid fast food and keep you full into the early afternoon hours. All that’s required on your part is a little commitment and the loss of maybe 15 minutes of sleep…or, you could just hit the pillow 15 minutes earlier at night. The choice is yours.