The idea that we were taught from a very young age, and until not so long ago, that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is long gone.
And I ask myself, if it’s supposedly the most important meal of the day, why is it the one we eat the worst, the one we eat the fastest, often standing up, and with the worst foods? Let’s look at some healthy breakfast options to correct this.
A supposed “ideal breakfast” can contain more sugar than we need for the entire day: Milk with industrial breakfast cereals + orange juice, or the more typical “hurried” option: coffee with milk and pastries or “supposedly high-fiber cookies without added sugars”.
We accepted this as a “Complete and Balanced Breakfast” BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT THOSE WHO ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN MAKING MONEY TRY TO SELL US (it had to be said, and it was). Before getting into the matter at hand, I want to clarify:
5 Truths About Breakfasts
- Breakfast is not the most important meal of the day: ALL MEALS ARE.
- You can eat breakfast or not, and it won’t make you gain weight, you won’t lack energy, and it’s not wrong. It’s all a matter of habit. What’s the point of eating breakfast if what you eat isn’t food?
- It’s not the most important, but it’s clear that if you decide to do it right, BREAKFAST IS USUALLY ONE OF THE MOST PLEASANT MEALS OF THE DAY.
- As with all meals, breakfast should consist of REAL FOOD
- Everything in perfect balance: PROTEINS, CARBOHYDRATES AND FATS.
Tips for a Good Breakfast
- Give it the time it deserves. Don’t rush your breakfast, sit down, enjoy it, put your phone away, savor it, talk to your family… there will be time to rush later.
- Look for healthy, easy, and quick breakfast options. You can save the more elaborate ones for the weekend or when you have days off.
- It varies every day. Do you always have the same thing for lunch or dinner?
- You can even prepare it the night before.
My Recommendations for Delicious, Simple and Healthy Breakfasts:
- There’s nothing more Spanish and healthy: 1 or 2 slices of wholemeal or protein bread with tomato, olive oil (oregano, salt and pepper optional) + coffee with milk or 1 yogurt or 1 piece of fruit
- Variations: toast with avocado and chopped boiled egg on top; toast with serrano ham and tomato; toast with cream cheese and chopped strawberries with Peanut Butter.
- A classic: Oatmeal porridge or oat flour + fruit. Heat the oats with milk or plant-based milk and then add fruit of your choice.
- Variation – Overnight Porridge. Overnight porridge is simply porridge that you leave in the refrigerator overnight, allowing the oats to hydrate and making it ready to eat the next day. Add fruits like strawberries or blueberries, or try it with half milk and half yogurt. You can also add chia seeds. Delicious! You’ll have a fresh and nutritious breakfast ready to go.
- Yogurt + Fruit + Seeds or nuts – which you can enhance by adding 1 scoop of your favorite Whey Protein + a touch of chopped dark chocolate on top or sugar-free chocolate syrup
- Oatmeal pancakes with banana and peanut butter – as easy as making an omelet, or several small ones, with egg whites and one yolk plus oat flour. Cook it on both sides and you’re done. Slice a banana on top and finish with peanut butter. You’ll be looking forward to tomorrow so you can have it for breakfast again!
Breakfast Activates the Metabolism.
Eating breakfast first thing in the morning boosts our metabolism, helping us burn calories quickly and speeding up weight loss. So, if you’re looking to lose weight, you shouldn’t skip breakfast for several reasons.
If we skip breakfast, our metabolism slows down to conserve energy, anticipating starvation and preparing to store and reserve it. Therefore, this will NOT help with weight loss; on the contrary, it can actually contribute to weight gain.
Eating breakfast reduces hunger throughout the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. Hunger builds up, so when you skip breakfast, you’ll feel hungry later and crave a quick fix—foods that will instantly satisfy your hunger.
This will likely lead you to choose less healthy foods that aren’t suitable for meeting your nutritional needs, such as cookies, processed meats, or chips, or to eat larger portions at later meals, like dinner.
Furthermore, prolonged fasting can increase the body’s response to insulin, leading to fat storage and, consequently, weight gain. Some studies (1) have shown that people who skip breakfast tend to be more overweight than people who eat a nutritious breakfast.
According to this study(1) conducted with women, skipping breakfast is associated with a higher risk of weight gain and obesity in young people and adults, as well as high cholesterol levels, excessive intake and poor glycemic control.
Importance of Protein in Breakfast
For a breakfast to be healthy and balanced, it must provide amounts of the 3 macronutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.
However, recent research* has found that increasing protein intake at breakfast, compared to a standard cereal-based breakfast, can increase subjective feelings of fullness and satiety throughout the day, thereby decreasing calorie intake over the course of the day.
In the study mentioned above (1), overweight women who consumed protein sources for breakfast five times a week for eight weeks lost 65% more weight and reduced their waist circumference by 83% more than participants who ate a carbohydrate-based breakfast.
When we eat protein-rich foods for breakfast, that protein intake will help prevent cravings for sweet foods like pastries, candy, or sugary drinks later in the day.
7 Healthy Breakfasts for Every Day of the Week
Tired of eating the same old breakfast? Want to try delicious, appetizing, and healthy options that give you the energy and joy you need to start your day? Break free from routine without surprises, enrich your diet, and enjoy the pleasure of starting your morning with a great taste in your mouth thanks to one of these seven easy and healthy breakfasts, one for each day of the week. The energy and vitality your body needs.
1. Acai Smoothie Bowl by Coconuts Bowls & JodiPeak
It’s impossible to resist this brilliant idea from Coconut Bowls: healthy recipes served on your own plate made from 100% coconut. I’m dying to get my hands on one for my super 7 healthy breakfasts!
Here’s a recipe that looks divine
Ingredients:
- 1 frozen banana
- 1 bag of frozen acai (or 2 teaspoons of acai powder + 1/2 cup of berries of your choice)
- 3/4 cup of coconut water
Preparation
- Blend until smooth, pour into your Coconut Bowl, and add your choice of toppings.
- You can add chia seeds, protein powder, nuts, or other fruits to the base for added nutrients.
- This one has strawberries, kiwi, coconut flakes, and homemade peanut butter muesli.
- Top it also with strawberries, kiwi fruit, coconut flakes, and homemade peanut butter.
2. The famous Healthy Pancakes by Sascha Fitness
Don’t you know her yet? She’s an inspiring figure who can motivate you to lead a fit and healthy life. If you’re a mother or pregnant, you’ll be blown away by all the recipes and tips Sascha shares on her YouTube channel and Instagram… Her breakfasts are divine, and she always has a new recipe to share.
Her famous pancakes are super easy to make and you can have them ready in under 5 minutes. Perfect for our 7 healthy breakfast plan this week.
Ingredients:
- 4 Claras (egg whites)
- 1/3 of a banana
- 1/3 of oats
- Cinnamon to taste
- Vanilla
- A splash of almond milk
You can add peanut butter or fruit like strawberries 🙂 Perfect for breakfast
3. Tasty’s 4 breakfasts in less than 10 minutes
I’m blown away by her videos; they’re a daily source of inspiration for creating new healthy dishes and solving any last-minute dinner dilemma. Here’s a recipe for a healthy breakfast I liked from the video; I think I’ll make it this Sunday.
Avocado toast with egg and cherry tomatoes
Ingredients / Preparation
- Sliced two cherry tomatoes.
- Mash half of an avocado with salt. (Use the other half for another toast).
- Prepare the bread in a toaster to obtain the desired crispy texture.
- In a frying pan, fry an egg.
- Spread the avocado on the toast, then the tomatoes, and cover everything with the egg.
4. Spectacular Spelt Crepes with Fruit from YaNoEstoyGorda
What a fantastic find! I absolutely loved her blog! It’s incredibly inspiring, intuitive, and full of great recipes and tips. Vanesa, the blog’s creator, lost over 35 kilos and shares her story. Her website is so comprehensive; she even recommends healthy documentaries! She’s amazing.
Here’s a breakfast I saw on their website. I think I’ll make it on Saturday; maybe I’ll prepare it and take it to Retiro Park for a picnic 🙂 Without a doubt, it’s one of my favorites for our 7 healthy breakfasts.
Ingredients
- 40g of wholemeal spelt flour
- 5 Claras (egg whites)
- 1 tablespoon of whipped fresh cheese
- 1 splash of plant-based milk (whatever kind you use)
Topping:
- Natural protein yogurt with raspberries
- Blueberries
- Kiwi
- Pure cocoa nibs “CACAO NIBS” by Body Genius
Preparation:
- In a shaker mix the flour, the egg whites, the tablespoon of fresh cheese and the splash of plant-based milk.
- In a non-stick frying pan, we put the mixture, making the crepes.
- We cook.
- Once the mixture is finished, decorate to taste with the toppings.
- Done! We now have our Spelt Crepes with fruit ready for our 7 healthy breakfasts
5. My Vegan Diet’s classic Overnight Oats
Quick, healthy, filling, and nutritious. What more could you ask for? This breakfast is a classic in my routine.
I prepare it the day before, and in the mornings, when we’re so busy, it’s perfect to grab and take to the office. It’s perfect to add to our 7 healthy breakfasts of the week.
Ingredients
- Oat flakes
- Oat milk (between 100 and 200 ml)
- Two tablespoons of chia seeds
- A small handful of raw, unsalted nuts / honey
- Fruit that we fancy
- Maple syrup (optional)
- A glass jar with a lid, preferably airtight.
Preparation: Super easy! Just add the ingredients one by one, then add the almond milk and voila!
6. Wholemeal sandwich with smoked salmon and arugula from Objetivo Bienestar
Objetivo Bienestar has blown me away; it has tons of articles about everything related to our health. From healthy recipes to articles on meditation and the mind. Definitely a website/magazine worth browsing for ages.
Here’s a gourmet breakfast recipe I found on their website, and I’m making it this week! Plus, I love salmon!
Ingredients
- Wholemeal sliced bread
- Smoked salmon
- Ricotta cheese
- Arugula
- Spreadable tomato
- Virgin olive oil
Cheese is high in protein and calcium. Salmon, on the other hand, is very rich in omega-3 fatty acids, the daily consumption of which helps maintain normal blood cholesterol levels.
7. Divine Gluten-Free Strawberry and Blueberry Plum Cake from La Celiakita
La Celiakita: Delicious gluten-free recipes. I’m not allergic to gluten, but I know many of you are, and you’re the first to check out blogs like this one in search of new and original recipes to treat your taste buds, so I’m sharing this little discovery with you. This Plum Cake in particular caught my eye because I love blueberries.
I would prepare this breakfast on a day I have training, as it provides us with a lot of energy.
Ingredients for 6 people
- 3 large eggs (if they are medium, put 4 eggs)
- 1 high protein Skyr blueberry yogurt from Lidl (it’s 150g)
- 25 ml of liquid sweetener (if you want to use sugar, use 2 yogurt container measures)
- 1/2 container of sunflower oil yogurt
- 2 measures of the rice flour yogurt container
- 1 measure of the cornstarch yogurt container
- 2 sachets of baking powder (2 sachets with both parts) you can also use a sachet of baking powder (in this case you would need to add a pinch of Xanthan Gum)
- 1 handful of frozen strawberries
- 1 handful of blueberries
Preparation
- Mix the eggs, sweetener, yogurt, and oil in a bowl.
- Sift the flour and the baking powder and gradually incorporate it.
- Then add the strawberries and blueberries and bake.
32+ Healthy Breakfast Recipes – Complete Table
Below is a table of 32+ healthy breakfast recipes (including the 7 detailed above plus additional recipes from the text and variations) with #, Recipe Name, and Key Ingredients.
| # | Recipe Name | Key Ingredients |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Acai Smoothie Bowl | Frozen banana, frozen acai (or acai powder + berries), coconut water, toppings: strawberries, kiwi, coconut flakes, peanut butter muesli |
| 2 | Healthy Pancakes (Sascha Fitness) | Egg whites, banana, oats, cinnamon, vanilla, almond milk, optional peanut butter or fruit |
| 3 | Avocado Toast with Egg and Cherry Tomatoes | Wholemeal bread, avocado, cherry tomatoes, egg, salt |
| 4 | Spelt Crepes with Fruit | Wholemeal spelt flour, egg whites, whipped fresh cheese, plant-based milk, toppings: protein yogurt, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, cocoa nibs |
| 5 | Overnight Oats (Vegan) | Oat flakes, oat milk, chia seeds, nuts/honey, fruit, maple syrup (optional) |
| 6 | Wholemeal Sandwich with Smoked Salmon and Arugula | Wholemeal bread, smoked salmon, ricotta cheese, arugula, spreadable tomato, olive oil |
| 7 | Gluten-Free Strawberry & Blueberry Plum Cake | Eggs, high-protein blueberry yogurt, liquid sweetener, sunflower oil, rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, frozen strawberries, blueberries |
| 8 | Spanish Wholemeal Toast with Tomato and Olive Oil | Wholemeal bread, tomato, olive oil, oregano, salt, pepper, coffee with milk or yogurt or fruit |
| 9 | Avocado & Boiled Egg Toast | Wholemeal bread, avocado, boiled egg, salt, pepper |
| 10 | Serrano Ham & Tomato Toast | Wholemeal bread, serrano ham, tomato, olive oil |
| 11 | Cream Cheese & Strawberry Toast with Peanut Butter | Wholemeal bread, cream cheese, strawberries, peanut butter |
| 12 | Oatmeal Porridge with Fruit | Oats, milk or plant-based milk, fruit of choice |
| 13 | Overnight Porridge (Fruit & Yogurt) | Oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, strawberries or blueberries |
| 14 | Yogurt Bowl with Fruit, Seeds & Nuts | Greek yogurt, fresh fruit, chia seeds or flax seeds, walnuts or almonds, whey protein (optional), dark chocolate |
| 15 | Oatmeal Banana Pancakes with Peanut Butter | Oat flour, egg whites, 1 yolk, banana, peanut butter |
| 16 | Protein Yogurt with Berries and Dark Chocolate | Greek yogurt, mixed berries, chopped dark chocolate (85%), optional whey protein |
| 17 | Chia Seed Pudding | Chia seeds, almond milk or coconut milk, vanilla, topped with berries and nuts |
| 18 | Green Smoothie Bowl | Spinach, banana, avocado, unsweetened almond milk, topped with granola and coconut flakes |
| 19 | Quinoa Breakfast Bowl | Cooked quinoa, cinnamon, almond milk, topped with sliced almonds and fresh berries |
| 20 | Cottage Cheese & Peach Toast | Wholemeal toast, low-fat cottage cheese, sliced peaches, honey drizzle |
| 21 | Egg White & Veggie Scramble | Egg whites, spinach, mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese (optional) |
| 22 | Breakfast Burrito (Healthy) | Whole wheat tortilla, scrambled eggs, black beans, avocado, salsa, fresh cilantro |
| 23 | Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal | Rolled oats, diced apple, cinnamon, a splash of vanilla, topped with walnuts |
| 24 | Peanut Butter & Banana Rice Cakes | Brown rice cakes, natural peanut butter, sliced banana, chia seeds |
| 25 | Tofu Scramble (Vegan) | Firm tofu, turmeric, nutritional yeast, spinach, bell peppers, onion |
| 26 | Sweet Potato Breakfast Bowl | Roasted sweet potato, Greek yogurt, cinnamon, chopped pecans, blueberries |
| 27 | Breakfast Quesadilla | Whole wheat tortilla, scrambled eggs, black beans, low-fat cheese, salsa |
| 28 | Almond Butter & Raspberry Wrap | Whole wheat wrap, almond butter, fresh raspberries, a drizzle of honey |
| 29 | Coconut Yogurt & Granola Bowl | Unsweetened coconut yogurt, homemade granola, mixed berries, pumpkin seeds |
| 30 | Egg Muffins (Mini Frittatas) | Eggs, chopped spinach, bell peppers, onions, low-fat cheese, baked in muffin tin |
| 31 | Soba Noodle Breakfast Bowl | Soba noodles, soft-boiled egg, steamed broccoli, sesame seeds, tamari |
| 32 | Leftover Quinoa & Egg Skillet | Cooked quinoa, eggs, sautéed kale, garlic, red pepper flakes |
| 33 | Matcha Protein Smoothie | Unsweetened almond milk, matcha powder, vanilla protein powder, spinach, half banana |
| 34 | Savory Oatmeal | Rolled oats cooked with vegetable broth, topped with poached egg, avocado slices, and green onions |