Breakfast Tips
Rise & Shine – It’s Breakfast Time !
It’s true that breakfast is the most important meal of the day! Why? It quite literally means to ‘break the fast’. After a night’s sleep, the body has fasted for 8 to 12 hours. Breakfast will help fuel your body and provide energy for the rest of the day. It also helps you concentrate and perform better, whether at school or at work.
A good breakfast includes foods from at least 3 of the 4 food groups:
| Grain Products | A source of carbohydrates and fibre. Choose whole grain products like whole grain cereals, whole wheat bread, toast and bagel, bran muffin, oatmeal, steel-cut oats, etc… |
| Vegetabels and fresh fruit | A source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Choose apples, bananas, dried fruit, 100% fruit juice (not fruit beverage), grapes, pears, oranges, tomatoes, etc… |
| Milk and milk products | A source of protein and calcium. Choose 2%, 1% or skim milk, cottage cheese, cheese, yogurt, kefir, fortified soy beverage. |
| Meat and meat alternatives | A source of protein, iron, zinc, vitamin B12. Choose eggs, peanut butter, turkey or ham, tofu, baked beans. |
Here are some breakfast Ideas from Health Canada:
- Make a shake! Mix in a blender 125 mL (½ cup) 100% fruit juice, 125 mL (½ cup) fresh or frozen fruit such as berries or a banana, 175 g (¾ cup) plain or fruit flavoured yogurt and 15 mL (1 Tbsp) skim milk powder.
- Have it hot! Make oatmeal with quick-cooking oats and a tablespoon each of wheat germ or wheat bran and dried raisins. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve with milk and a small glass of 100% fruit juice.
- Have it cold! Have a whole grain, high-fibre cereal served with milk and orange sections or a piece of other fruit.
- Spice it up! Scramble some eggs in the microwave and roll them up in a whole wheat tortilla with shredded cheese, green peppers and hot sauce or salsa.
- Try something different! Have sardines or baked beans on toast with a glass of tomato juice or fortified soy beverage.
- In a hurry? Take a small homemade wheat bran or oatmeal muffin with a container of juice and a piece of cheese. Avoid buying large commercial muffins which can be higher in fat or sugar and calories!
- Nice and easy! Mix canned peaches or frozen berries with low fat yogurt. Have with a slice of raisin bread.
- Use leftovers! Have some cantaloupe slices with dumplings or wontons with pork and chicken broth with noodles.
- Simply made! Have half a whole wheat bagel with a poached egg or 1 Tbsp of peanut butter and some tomato juice. Try a reduced sodium variety of juice.
Source:
‘Rise & Shine-It’s Breakfast Time!’ fact sheet produced by the Canadian Cancer Society
Health Canada website: www.hc-sc.gc.ca
Dieticians of Canada Cook!, 2011