Breakfast is probably the most hotly debated meal of the day. Everyone has very individual preferences when it comes to eating in the morning. Some prefer sweet, others savoury. Some don’t have an appetite and prefer to completely skip it altogether. I’ll share my thoughts and experiences on breakfast here, but I think the most important thing is finding what works best for you in supporting your goals and food enjoyment.
For me, I always wake up thinking about and looking forward to what I’m going to eat. And as a footballer with a days training ahead of me, I always try to tick off a lot of nutritional boxes at breakfast to fuel me optimally. Simply, this means a slow release carb source, protein, some healthy fats, and fruit/veg of some sort. Consistency is key here. If you can find 2/3 breakfasts that tick most of these boxes and that you enjoy then you can simply rotate them as you please and have a good start to the day.
For about the last 5 years (until recently) I’ve had the same breakfast for about 80% of the time, overnight oats. After dinner each night I would simply mix together oats, chia seeds, frozen fruit, peanut butter, vegan protein powder (just because I tend to eat a lot of other dairy throughout the day), honey, cinnamon and a pinch of himalayan salt with some plant milk and water. In the morning I would just take it out the fridge, add some mixed nuts (or fresh figs I happened to have below) and enjoy a very convenient and filling breakfast.
However, I’m a creature of habit, so when I changed up my breakfast for a week or so a couple months back, it stuck and became my new go to. Quite simply, sourdough toast with scrambled eggs. A much shorter ingredients list but still ticking the nutritional boxes I’m after, the savoury hit I get from it is very satisfying. Sourdough from a local baker, usually sliced up and frozen (fellow people who live alone will relate), gets put in the toaster till golden. I sometimes add a layer of cottage cheese onto the toast for some creaminess and more protein. Then eggs, usually 3, are whisked together with salt, pepper, turmeric, and paprika, then scrambled with a touch of extra virgin olive oil until just cooked, and served on top of the toast. Leave it there or top with whatever you like, sriracha, smoked salt, crispy onions, even a tasty scrambled egg topper seasoning I found recently.
On days off when I maybe don’t need as many carbs for energy, and to change it up, I’ll have a greek yoghurt bowl. Fage or Skyr is my go to for yoghurt, mixed with frozen fruit, seeds, nuts and honey/maple syrup, it’s another tasty, filling and nutritious breakfast to start the day.
So there’s a few examples of what I start my day with. Healthy meals I still find very enjoyable to eat. Feel free to try these out or maybe something similar to please your own taste buds and fuel your body. Find what your body responds best to and keep it simple so you can stay consistent with it. And of course you can and should still enjoy that more indulgent or comforting breakfast you crave every so often. As long as you are consistent for the majority of the time you will reap the benefits of a positive start to the day.
