Everyone has those mornings: the kind where you snooze your alarm 8 times, throw on a t-shirt and Nike shorts and somehow manage enough time to grab a coffee and if you’re lucky, a sugar-laden muffin before heading out the door. While the coffee might perk you up enough for that 9 am class, the sugary muffin is doing no more than preparing you for an energy crash. So the next time you hit the snooze one too many times, grab one of these easily prepared, healthy breakfast options to keep you energized beyond 10 a.m.
1. Overnight Oats
This is my personal favorite breakfast recipe. By simply combining 1⁄2 cup of oats with a tablespoon of chia seeds, 1⁄2 cup of milk with a sprinkle of sweetener (I love honey), and a splash of cinnamon in a mason jar to refrigerate overnight, you can wake up the next morning and have yourself a delicious oatmeal to go. In the morning, top off with fruit or nuts for extra nutrition.
2. Smoothies or Shakes
If you have a blender, a morning smoothie or shake is a great option for someone in a hurry. My favorite smoothie consists of one frozen banana, a half cup of frozen berries, a spoonful of almond butter, a cup of almond milk and ice. For more of a protein kick, combine half a frozen banana, with a scoop of vanilla protein powder, a cup of almond milk, and ice. (The key is to freeze your bananas into slices ahead of time for good consistency.) Another time saving tip is to prep all the ingredients the night before so in the morning, all you have to do is throw it together!
3. Breakfast Trail Mix
If you are looking for something that’s readily made and utensil free, try making a breakfast version of your favorite trail mix. Instead of having the basis of your trail mix be nuts, use a whole grain cereal such as Honey Nut Cheerios and mix in a handful of nuts and dried fruit. For those of you who can’t live without chocolate in their trail mix, try mixing in a handful of dark chocolate.
For a busy college student, breakfast is important. It helps you fuel yourself for a day’s worth of learning, testing and activities. Skipping breakfast only makes you more tired, and contributes to unnecessary cravings before lunch time strikes. So before you find yourself in a stressed-out hurry again, try preparing one of these healthy breakfast the night before, so you don’t have to find yourself running on coffee and an empty stomach.