September is “Better Breakfast Month”

September is “Better Breakfast Month”

Breakfast is not only the most important meal of the day, it is also the most important meal of the Month in September. Yes, Fall is here and we have football, pumpkin carving and the brilliant colors of Autumn leaves on our minds, but it’s also time to think about why breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Kellogg conducted a study that found only one third of 14,000 people surveyed took the time to fit breakfast into their morning routine.

A Healthy Breakfast May Help Prevent Weight Gain

Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast can help control weight gain. While there is some data which states skipping breakfast isn’t really all that bad, consuming small meals several times a day does help the metabolism going, which leads to more efficient calorie burn. In fact, The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) studied the diets of 4,218 adults. Their amazing results showed that breakfast eaters, especially women, typically have a BMI less than 25!

Starting the day with a healthy breakfast:

• Reduces hunger during mid morning, staving off the temptation to grab a doughnut from the break room or binge on a big, unhealthy lunch.
• Helps people to be more mindful of making healthy choices throughout the day.
• Brings more energy by refueling the body and restoring glycogen in the muscles. Skipping breakfast repeatedly has been shown to actually decrease physical activity.
• Offers an additional opportunity to make sure you fulfill your daily nutritional and fiber requirements.

While more research is needed to fully understand the correlation between breakfast and how it may help prevent weight gain, it simply makes good sense to start your day with a yummy, healthy meal.

Making Better Breakfast Month Count

Incorporating breakfast into your schedule doesn’t mean stacking up the pancakes or ladling up the biscuits and gravy; the important word here is “Better”. Think about these ways to improve your early morning eating habits:

• Enroll in a nutrition course: It could be done online or at a local healthy grocery store cooking class.
• Enjoy a healthy breakfast at a restaurant. Try something new like an egg white and spinach omelette or a nutritional breakfast bowl.
• Put together a healthy meal plan and make sure the ingredients are on hand.
• Get a good blender and learn the art of making delicious breakfast smoothies.

Try This Better Breakfast Recipe!

What better way to observe Better Breakfast Month than to bake these delicious “Freezer Ready Egg White Muffins” from Justataste.com . They weigh in at only 100 calories for 2!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 1/2 cups egg whites
• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 cup diced avocado

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg whites, spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, chives, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divide the mixture evenly among the 12 muffin pan cups.
3. Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the egg whites are fully cooked. Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes in the pan before using a knife to loosen the muffins from the cups.
4. Top each muffin with diced avocado and serve immediately or if freezing, transfer the fully cooled muffins to a sealable plastic bag and store them in the freezer. To re-heat: microwave the muffins for 45 seconds or until thawed then top them with the avocado and serve.