Breakfast is commonly said to be the most important meal of the day, but it is classically skipped by students.
The WA Ghostwriter created a poll on Instagram that asked the students of WA two questions: “How often do you have a nutritional breakfast?” and “What is the biggest obstacle in having a full breakfast?”
48% of the 130 students who answered the first question said that they rarely had a full breakfast, and almost all of the 21 students who commented to the second question said that time was the main constraint in getting a full breakfast. Breakfast is supposed to be quick and convenient, but studies from “The International Breakfast Research Initiative” show poor quality breakfast can drastically reduce a person’s daily nutritional intake, and have serious medical consequences.
So, here are four quick breakfast options to make sure you are getting the most out of the most important meal of the day.
1. Granola
If you wake up in the morning and the first thing you reach for is cereal, consider reaching for its healthier, tastier, and more convenient cousin. Granola has around twice the calories of the average healthy cereal and about one third the recommended serving size, while still primarily consisting of healthy toasted oats. That means you can have less of it, have more energy, and all the while have more healthy fats and proteins that your body needs to function. Not to mention that store-bought granola usually contains seeds, nuts, or dried fruit to give it more nutrients and flavor.
2. Yogurt
If you have a spare moment, yogurt is one of the best morning snacks to provide a quick source of protein. Just one cup of Greek yogurt contains around 23 grams of protein. Yogurt is still a good option if you go for the more palatable whole milk yogurt, with just a little less protein. If you have an extra minute to chop up some fruit, maybe drizzle some honey, or even put some of your granola on top, you’ll have a real breakfast coming together in no time.
3. Oatmeal
If you have an extra ten minutes, oatmeal is a great option for a warm and filling meal. The sheer heft of the equal parts water, milk, and oats, is enough to keep anyone full for the morning with energy to spare. And with the milk and oats, it is a good source of protein and slow burning carbs. Try the recipe below for a quick and creamy breakfast option.
Ten Minute Oats Recipe:
- Pour your equal parts one cup water and milk into a sauce pan and let it heat up with a lid over medium to low heat.
- Once the mixture starts to steam, you can add your one cup of oats, and whatever spices you want. Remember that oatmeal does not have any natural flavor, so be generous with your spices; a tablespoon of brown sugar and a full chopped banana should do the trick.
- Stir periodically. You can let the oatmeal sit and cook over medium to low heat, making sure it does not boil over. This means that you can set up your oatmeal, get ready for the day, and by the time you’re ready to go, your oatmeal should be as well.
4. Breakfast Burrito
Most students might not have the time to make a full breakfast, but if you can spare fifteen minutes, the breakfast burrito is a go-to morning meal, as eggs are a staple of a nutritious breakfast, due to their high amount of protein and healthy fats.
Breakfast Burrito Recipe:
- Start by heating a pan over medium to low heat, and while that heats up, scramble three whole eggs in a bowl.
- Season to taste before pouring into the hot pan, and turn the heat up to medium.
- To scramble as quickly as possible, try stirring the pan quickly with chopsticks. Once your eggs have fully solidified, you can turn down the heat to low just to keep the eggs warm while you get your tortilla.
- For extra flavor, spread some grated cheese over the tortilla before placing your eggs in and wrapping it up. Then place the burrito back in the pan over medium heat to seal. Keep in mind that this is the breakfast that makes the most dirty dishes of the four, but if you can take the time, it is well worth it.
