Tasty and Nutritious Breakfast Options for Working Parents

Breakfast on the Go

I know what it's like to run out the door first thing in the morning desperate to get to work on time. Most days it's a miracle I manage to double-check to see that I have my keys before I have to go. So I can sympathize with the group that has even more hassled mornings than I do: working parents. On crazy mornings, it's easy for a good balanced breakfast to fall by the wayside.

However, it's true what they say: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Assuming you had a decent night's sleep with no midnight snacks, you haven't had anything to eat for 6-10 hours. Your body's gearing up for another day of action - don't start it off with an empty tank! Heading out without breakfast means you'll get tired, cranky and hungry by mid-morning, leaving you vulnerable to sugary coffee shop snacks and poor morning job performance.

Eating breakfast will also restart your metabolism. Your body hasn't had any food for the whole night - this period of inactivity has put your body into "starvation" mode, meaning a much slower metabolism. Getting a good breakfast will speed your metabolism back up. This is an especially important consideration for parents who are watching their weight - you want your metabolism running high so you can keep the pounds off!

It's well and good to just tell you to eat a good breakfast every morning. The real problem is how to fit it in your hectic morning schedule. All you need for a good breakfast is some protein, some fiber, and not too much sugar or simple carbohydrates. Fiber and protein take longer to digest, so they'll keep you going all morning - sugar and simple carbs break down quickly, so you'll crash long before lunchtime.

The simplest way to meet this formula is a bowl of high fiber cereal and some milk. Cereal or granola in yoghurt works well too. It's tasty, it's fast, and it's easy to put in a Tupperware.