Go for 5 at Breakfast: Don’t Skip It!
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
The old adage “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” unquestionably holds true. Breakfast is your body’s first chance for nutrient intake after long hours of fasting while you were sleeping. However, all breakfasts are not created equal!
This is why it’s so important to not only eat within one to two hours of waking, but to also consume nutrient-dense foods as your first meal. Skipping breakfast sends the message to your body that it needs to conserve energy, which can slow down your metabolism, causing a decrease in the amount of calories you burn throughout the day.
Below are some tips and recipes to ensure you’re starting the day off right and deliciously!
· Add fruit to cereal, oatmeal or yogurt. Try a handful of berries or a chopped banana!
· Add grilled mushrooms, tomatoes or spinach to scrambled eggs.
· One glass (2/3 cup) of 100 percent fruit/vegetable juice or smoothie counts as one serving toward your five servings of fruits and veggies a day.
· Plan ahead. It can save you from diet sabotage. Homemade granola, smoothies or one-minute omelets can save the day!
Go Green Smoothie
Servings: 1
Prep time: 5 minutes
Calories: 140
Ingredients
1 mango, sliced
1 peach, sliced
1 cup tightly packed spinach
1 medium banana
8 ounces of water (or as required)
Directions
Combine ingredients in blender and blend until desired consistency.
Five-Ingredient Granola Bar
Servings: 10 bars
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1 cup dates, pitted
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup roasted almonds, chopped
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
Directions
1. Chop dates until small bits remain.
2. Place oats, almonds and dates in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Warm honey and peanut butter over low heat. Pour over oat mixture and mix.
4. Pour contents onto a baking pan and press down into desired thickness.
5. Cover and place in fridge for 10 minutes.
6. Remove pan from fridge and cut into 10 bars.
Join the Go for 5 Fruit and Veggie Challenge! Download a tracking form to keep track of how many servings of fruits and vegetables you eat each day. Need help finding something healthy to eat? Just Menu It. Download the Menu It smartphone app — developed by Tanner’s Get Healthy Live Well — to help you find and choose healthy food options fast! Visit www.GetHealthyLiveWell.org for more information.