What Nutritionists Eat for Breakfast

As a nutritionist, I’m often asked what I eat each day and you might be wondering how other nutritionists out there eat too. We’ve all looked to people with health specialties for advice, tips, and tricks to help us feel our best (myself and other nutritionists included). One meal that everyone seems to struggle with is breakfast, and it’s no wonder! With all the donuts, biscuits, and yummy (but sugary, processed) cereals we grew up loving and eating, parting with these choices can feel like we’re at death’s door. But breakfast is one of the easiest meals to give a healthy makeover and one of the most important for improving your food choices for the rest of the day. A healthy breakfast has been linked to better weight, mood, heart health, overall appetite control, and better blood sugar.

Some foods stand out more than others though, so go for some of these options that various nutritionists out there (myself included) love and use on a regular basis to feel the best!

Oatmeal

This humble grain is nothing but boring, especially when it comes to keeping you full and keeping you healthy. You’ll see this breakfast staple appear on the menus of many out there. A vegetarian enthusiast, Dawn Jackson RDN, CSSD, LDN, also confirms this is one of her breakfast staples. Oats contain just about every single thing you need- fiber, B vitamins, protein, and no sugar, they’re affordable, and easy to make, and you can top them with healthy options like berries, nuts, and seeds or even go savory with them if that’s more your thing. Jaclyn London, M.S., R.D., a senior clinical dietitian at Mount Sinai Hospital, and Renee Clerkin, R.D., and nutritionist also go with this option. See all of our oatmeal recipes, check out some creative add-ins to make your oatmeal shine, and even try out some cool tricks to make it creamier without milk.

Green Superfood Smoothies

Another winning choice is one you’re probably already enjoying! (We’ve certainly come a long way since boxes of Wheaties, Pop-Tarts, and Cheerios, eh?)  Smoothies are easy to customize and are a great vehicle for a variety of nutrients packed into one meal. Much easier than eating all that produce from a bowl, right? Who has time for that each morning?! Exhale’s director of nutrition, Melissa O’Shea MS, RD says she enjoys a smoothie made with a vegan vanilla protein powder, greens, berries, and other nutritional goodies. Though blended, the fiber, vitamins, and minerals in these foods energize you, sustain you, and nourish your cells immediately. Kimberly Snyder, famous vegan nutritionist to the stars and author of The Beauty Detox Solution also recommends a green smoothie to all her clients and consumes one herself every morning. We agree, they’re a great way to start the day!

Sprouted Grain Toast with Almond Butter and Fruit

You can’t get any quicker or easier than this combo! And if you’re concerned toast can’t be healthy, don’t be. Sprouted grain or even 100 percent whole grain toast can both be part of a healthy breakfast so long as you include some healthy protein like almond butter and a side of produce like fruit with your bread. Avocados, oranges, and even smashed berries or apples all work great here. In fact, Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD, CSSD, LDN told The Huffington Post, that this is one of her regular breakfast rotation meals that she loves. (Oatmeal and a green smoothie also made the list!). The famous Jillian Michaels also eats sprouted grain toast with almond butter to keep her powered up all morning long.

Other good options for breakfast that will keep you full include other whole grains like quinoa, barley or rye flakes, raw soaked oats, overnight oatmeal with coconut yogurt, chia seed oatmeal, or chia pudding, and tofu scrambles. Try all of these options and experiment with ingredients, and remember to always go for plant-based options to manage your blood sugar, keep your heart healthy, and improve your overall health as best as possible. Then you can bet that you’re choosing a breakfast that almost any pro out there would approve of!

What healthy breakfasts do you enjoy?

Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home

Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental well-being, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health, and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, and prostate cancer, and has many side effects.

For those of you interested in eating more plant-based we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Here are some great resources to get you started:

• Weekly Vegan Meal Plans
• Plant-Based Health Resources
• Plant-Based Food & Recipes
• Plant-Based Nutrition Resources
• The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
• Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Recipes
• High Protein Plant-Based Recipes
• Plant-Based Meal Prep

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For those of you interested in eating more plant-based we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 20,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals, and get healthy! You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks or browse through vegan recipes on One Green Planet. And, while you are at it, we encourage you to  learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.