Many college students have an excuse to skip breakfast. But breakfast is linked with so many benefits that you should have far too many excuses NOT to skip breakfast. After fasting overnight, your metabolism has slowed down and your brain needs fuel to be able to think and solve problems. Eating breakfast helps kick start your metabolism in the morning and helps you concentrate during class. It also gives you the energy you need to hike up Bascom Hill on your way to class. In addition, eating breakfast helps you manage your weight and has even been associated with lower incidences of chronic diseases.
Here are a few common excuses people use to skip breakfast and how you can overcome them:
- I want to save money on groceries: Many breakfast foods can be bought at very reasonable prices, including oatmeal, cereal, eggs and toast. In addition, eating breakfast may help you eat less throughout the day, balancing out the amount of food you need to buy. If you eat at a cafeteria on campus, you can buy a whole wheat pita or bagel and spread peanut butter on for free!
- I don’t like breakfast foods: You don’t need to eat traditional breakfast foods to have a healthy breakfast. You could eat a turkey sandwich, a bowl of soup, pasta or leftovers for breakfast. It is best to eat foods high in fiber and protein to help keep you satisfied until lunch.
- I don’t have enough time in the morning: Stock your dorm room or apartment with foods that are easy to prepare, such as cereal, instant oatmeal, bagels, frozen waffles, yogurt and fresh fruit. You can even spread peanut butter on a bagel or pour cereal into a bowl the night before to save you time in the morning. If you are really strapped for time, pack a portable breakfast and eat it during your first morning class (if it’s not a lab, of course!)
- I’m not hungry in the morning:Eat something light when you wake up, such as a piece of fruit or some yogurt. Then eat a mid-morning snack when you are hungry. If you have class all morning, pack a healthy snack, such as a whole wheat bagel with peanut butter, a high fiber granola bar or a bag of trail mix.
It is best to mix up what you eat for breakfast to keep it interesting and help you avoid any reason to skip the most important meal of the day. Here are some easy, fun and healthy breakfast ideas you can use to mix up your mornings:
- Yogurt topped with granola and fruit
- Sliced banana wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla spread with peanut butter
- Whole wheat bagel spread with peanut butter or low-fat cream cheese, topped with sliced fruit
- Boiled egg on a piece of toast or an English muffin
- Scrambled eggs made with low-fat cheese and salsa with a piece of toast
- Oatmeal topped with fresh fruit, dried fruit or nuts
- Whole grain cereal topped with sliced fruit in low-fat milk
- Frozen fruit, yogurt and skim milk blended into a smoothie
- Trail mix with cereal, dried fruit and nuts
- Waffle topped with sliced fruit and syrup or peanut butter
- A glass or carton of low-fat milk is a great accompaniment to any of these breakfast ideas