Breakfast On-The-Go

I personally don't have tons of time in the morning to eat a full, balanced breakfast like I should. Having an entire bowl of cereal, a piece of fruit, and orange juice takes quite a bit of time - and I know we are all on the go all the time.  This prompts the question, can I eat a healthy breakfast on the go?  The answer, quite simply, is yes.  However, there are many pitfalls in the breakfast on the go route.

Fruit - Just having a simple apple or banana before school or work will give you many of the nutrients you need to start your day off right.  You might miss your morning dose of protein, but overall you're doing okay.

Carnation Instant Breakfast - All you have to do is add the powder to a glass of milk, stir, and drink.  This packet of "No Sugar Added Rich Milk Chocolate" added to 8 ounces of skim milk will only run you 150 calories, give you one-quarter of your daily protein, just half a gram of fat, and no saturated fat.

Bar Food - No, not chicken wings or a hamburger and fries, I'm talking about cereal bars, energy bars, and protein bars.  These are easy to prepare (just tear it open), easy to eat with one hand, and don't make a big mess.  There are dozens of varieties of these types of bars, so buyer beware.  Read the nutrion information on the package - make sure your bar is not so high in fat or sugar that you are essentially eating a candy bar.  Try to buy a product with less than 15 grams of sugar per bar (unless you're going to double up).  Also, if the first ingredient is high fructose corn syrup (essentially high-sugar sugar) then put the package back on the shelf.  Anything with a lot of fiber, grains, and fruit (real fruit, not fake sugary fruit) will help start your day off right.  If you're overwhelmed and don't know where to start, then check out Fiber One, Kashi, and Nature Valley at your local store.


Arguably we can't eat the healthiest foods all the time, but we can try to pick up something that helps pick us up in the morning.


P.S. If you want to pick something up on the road, here's a list of the best fast-food breakfasts out there. 

In the News: Cereal Helps Prevent Hypertension

According to a report my the American Heart Association (AHA), having a bowl of cereal each morning could cut your risk of hypertension by up to 20%.  They added that whole grain varieties of cereal were much healthier and reduced hypertension risk more than non-whole grain varieties.

"Compared with men who never ate cereal, those who averaged one serving per week had a 7% lower risk of hypertension. Those who consumed cereal more frequently had even greater reductions in risk: Two to six weekly servings were associated with an 11% lower risk, and one or more servings per day were associated with a 19% lower risk." (Health.com)

About 1 in 3 adults in the United States has hypertension, a major risk factor for kidney problems, heart attacks, and strokes. The AHA estimates that hypertension costs the country an estimated $90 billion in health-care and other costs each year.