Quick and easy breakfast ideas to grab and go

Despite claims from students that they do not have enough time in the morning to eat breakfast or that A lunch is so early it practically counts as breakfast, it is still essential for students to provide their bodies with nourishment so their bodies and brains can function the way they are supposed to throughout the day.

The reason the first meal of the day is so important, according to WebMD, is that it prepares you for the day by fueling your brain and your body, especially for kids whose “growing bodies and developing brains need regular refueling.” There may not be enough time before school for a full, sit-down breakfast, so try these quick and easy ideas to grab and go, while still getting the nutrients hardworking students need.

Yogurt

Yogurt packs a protein punch, and there are so many recipes and different ways to eat it. One of the easiest ways to incorporate protein and fruit into your breakfast is to mix in or layer some sliced fruit and granola into a small container of yogurt and enjoy as a parfait.

Here is a recipe for a more complex recipe using nuts and jam:

Dressed-up yogurt:

a personal-size (7 oz) container of Greek or regular yogurt, plain or vanilla

1 Tbsp of any kind of fruit jam

1 tsp of honey

2 Tbsp chopped almonds

Combine all ingredients in the yogurt container, grab a spoon and enjoy at home, on the way to school, or during the walk from your car to your first hour class.

Smoothies

Smoothies are a delicious and healthy way to start the day, and countless recipes exist on the web. They taste great and can be made in advance if there is not time in the morning. Make a couple servings the night before, blend it up for a few seconds in the morning, pour into a large glass, mason jar or travel Starbucks cold cup and go.

Most recipes call for common items found in your refrigerator. According to foodnetwork.com, all you need for a simple strawberry-banana smoothie is a banana, strawberries, yogurt, milk and ice. Here’s a basic formula for a fruit smoothie:

Base of yogurt (plain or vanilla)

Frozen fruit/berries or fresh fruit and crushed ice

Any kind of liquid (orange juice, milk, water)

Honey for sweetness

Add a scoop of protein powder, a handful of chia seeds or wheat germ for an added boost of nutrients.

No-bake energy bites

These are super easy to make on a Sunday to have for breakfast for the next week or two; it only takes ten minutes to make, 30 minutes to chill and uses healthy ingredients and superfoods for an added boost in the morning. According to gimmesomeoven.com, a website of recipes including this one, these bites are “super simple to make, made with healthy ingredients and they taste like no-bake cookies.”

Recipe:

1 cup dry oatmeal

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/3 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup toasted coconut flakes (optional)

1 Tbsp chia seeds (optional)

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Cover and chill in refrigerator for half an hour. Once chilled, roll into balls of whatever size. Store in a container in the refrigerator. Makes 20-25 balls of one inch diameter.

Hot oatmeal

All you need for a comforting, nourishing bowl of hot oatmeal is dry oats, water and milk, two minutes and brown sugar or honey to taste.

Add equal parts dry oats and water to a bowl, cook in the microwave for two minutes, taking care to watch for boiling over. Add a bit of milk and brown sugar or honey, stir it up and enjoy. Try adding chopped apples and cinnamon, frozen blueberries to the bottom of the bowl, or wheat germ and chia seeds for an added punch.

Or, make your own instant oatmeal packets by adding a serving of oats to a Ziplock bag with mix-ins like raisins, nuts, brown sugar, etc., then just pour into a bowl, add water, heat in the microwave and go.

Microwave scrambled eggs

Believe it or not, you can actually scramble eggs in a cup in the microwave. These eggs come out fluffy just as if they were made on the stovetop but in a fraction of the time.

Beat two or three eggs in a microwave safe bowl, add a bit of milk, salt and pepper to taste, and microwave on high for 45 seconds, stir, then microwave for 30-45 seconds more until the eggs are set to your desired consistency. Add chunks of ham or other meat and cheese for a more interesting breakfast. Make sure not to overcook the eggs, as they will continue to firm up for a short while after removing them from the microwave.

Apples and peanut butter

Apples contain natural sugars that can help to wake you up as effectively as coffee does, without the side effects of caffeine addiction. They are certainly a much healthier option than a cup of coffee with excess sugar added, and do not make you crash the way that a sugar high might.

Adding peanut butter on top of apple slices adds an boost of protein to kickstart your day. This simple and healthy breakfast takes much less than five minutes to make, since all that is required is slicing the apples and spooning peanut butter onto a plate.