Why You Should Start Eating Breakfast This Summer

Somehow, we survived 2020 and are almost halfway through 2021. Even though it feels like this year just started, it’s almost summer already. That means seeing your friends (hopefully), long days at the beach, and watching the sunset as late as 9 or 10 pm. You might be taking a summer course for the first time or starting a new summer job. It could also be the start of you having breakfast every morning.

I know you may be skeptical of the idea; maybe you’ve never really been a fan of breakfast. It could be that you’re never up for it, or you feel like you just don’t have time for it; whatever the case, I’ve been there. I don’t like bread, milk, or eggs. This eliminates so many of the classic, go-to breakfast options (or a lot of the easy ones, at least). However, being at a residence where I am offered a full meal plan (breakfast, lunch and dinner every day), I figured that since I am paying for it, I might as well try it.

Ergo, I started eating breakfast every day, whether it was when I woke up at 8 am for meetings or when I managed to scrounge myself up at 10 am. I made it a part of my day, and while doing so, I realized not only how many options there really are, but the benefits that come out of eating breakfast, too. Not to mention, there is scientific evidence to back up the pros of breakfast, which is reassuring.

Let’s start off with all the choices. First, there are your classic breakfast options, like eggs, toast, and cereal. Personally, as I already mentioned, I’m not a fan of any of those. However, I find that I really enjoy almond milk over regular milk, which helps make the cereal taste loads better. And with eggs, if you make it into a cheesy omelette with some onions, it tastes so much better. Some more options that I’ve become aware of are fresh fruit (berries, cantaloupe, fruit salad), grilled veggies, croissants, pancakes/waffles, oatmeal, and yogurt, just to name a few. And then, of course, there’s always a smoothie, which tastes great and leaves you feeling refreshed. You can be as creative as you want; the options are endless.

So now that you have some options for what to eat, here is why you should eat breakfast. After first starting to eat breakfast, something that I noticed was an increase in my energy level. Now, I’ve never been a morning person; I can wake up early, but that doesn’t mean that I’m happy about it. However, eating breakfast shortly after I wake up helps me feel that extra boost that prevents me from passing out a few hours into my day. I was hesitant at first to even believe that my energy increase was due to my consumption of breakfast, but after looking it up and reading countless articles and studies that all said the same thing, I now believe it. In addition to finding this benefit of breakfast online, I also found many others.

Most breakfast foods are really high in important nutrients that your body needs, like fibre, calcium, and iron. If you eat breakfast, chances are you’ll be receiving and possibly exceeding the recommended intake for your size and age, which can lead to further health benefits and leaves you better off than going without breakfast. 

After eating breakfast, I found that it not only stopped me from snacking throughout the day, but also from eating after dinner. Your body isn’t designed to eat three big meals every day, and it certainly isn’t designed to eat a meal and pass out an hour later; your body has to digest. If you eat breakfast, it starts your metabolism earlier and can help you feel more full and snack less throughout the day. This leads me to my next point: eating breakfast can actually help you control (and even lose) weight, because it manages your glucose levels and snacking, which affects your appetite.

If you’re still hesitant, try eating breakfast for your brain! You may feel sluggish and tired throughout the day, distracted from your schoolwork, and wishing you could take a nap. Studies have shown that by eating breakfast, there can actually be an increase in your mental performance. This can help with your attention, memory, focus, and more.

Personally, eating breakfast helps me feel great both physically and emotionally, and I can definitely feel most, if not all, of these positive effects. However, everybody is different, so make sure you do what is best for you. If you struggle with any of these problems, maybe now is the time to start eating breakfast. With summer coming, you’ll want to be as healthy and happy as possible, so why not start it off right with breakfast every morning?  

• breakfast
• food
• summer