I get inappropriately excited about breakfast. The prospect of eating food is what gets me out of bed in the morning. Just as a lot of people routinely skip breakfast (because they’re either too busy or want to catch that extra 45 minutes of sleep), I can’t function without eating something in the morning. And by something I mean… well, a lot of food. Although Erdman’s breakfast options might seem boring, repetitive or just plain not-very-good, especially for us campus vegetarians, there are ways that we can spice up our plates so that we actually look forward to breakfast — even at Erdman.
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1. Yogurt with sliced banana (or berries) and granola/cereal
Okay, so this might seem basic, but it’s actually one of the better options available to vegetarians at Erdman. The plain Greek yogurt at the salad bar is the perfect base for piling on “Erdgranola,” Cheerios, Raisin Bran or even your own granola (MOM’s Organic Market has lots of interesting blends in stock). To top it off, add some sliced banana, blueberries and/or peaches to get some much-needed vitamins in the bowl for your busy day ahead.
2. Oatmeal with peanut butter, non-dairy milk and banana
If we’re being real, Erdman’s oatmeal isn’t the best — most likely because it has to be made in large batches. To improve the taste, I usually pour some of the excess water out of the bowl into the sink near the coffee machines and add some non-dairy milk, peanut butter and honey in its place. This helps to thicken (and sweeten!) the oatmeal up a bit. Add some banana slices to the concoction if you’d like.
3. Veggie breakfast sausage, hard-boiled eggs and fresh fruit
The vegan/vegetarian breakfast sausage at Erdman was one of the best surprises I got when I came back to campus after my semester abroad. For a protein- and fiber-packed breakfast, I fill my plate with two sausages (make sure you grab the V ones!), two hard-boiled eggs, a grapefruit half and a sliced apple.
4. Slice of whole grain toast with peanut butter, cinnamon and banana slices
Newsflash y’all: CARBS ARE GOOD! Especially in the morning. Load some peanut butter, banana slices and cinnamon on top of slice of grainy toast for some protein, fiber and energy to get you through your first class.
5. Egg scramble with spinach and tomatoes (and cheese!)
The omelet maker at Erdman is, frankly, a godsend. For a quick and protein-packed breakfast, scramble together eggs with tomato, spinach and anything else you’d like, and let the eggs suck up all of the juices and flavor. It doesn’t matter if it’s messy as long as it tastes good!
Honorable mentions: bagels with peanut butter, vegan banana muffins, Monday’s avocado toast (with salt and pepper) and Wednesday’s diced potatoes (with sriracha).