There’s no way around it. If you want to eat well at home then you have to have at least some food in the house. However, it doesn’t need to be complicated.
So what can you eat rather than a Danish and a coffee on the way into work or a bowl full of sugary cereal?
Below I have set out five different ideas that would be so much better than a pastry or a bowl of honey nut cereal. These are super fast ideas that won’t slow you down. I am also more confident that they will give you a more satisfying start to the day.
1. Nut butter sandwich
Take some good quality nut butter. I like cashew or almond. The perfect nut butter should have nuts as the only ingredient on the label – no sugar or oil.
Spread a small spoon (thin layer) over 1 or 2 slices of pumpernickel bread or brown toast. Pumpernickel bread will stay fresh for a while and brown bread can be toasted from frozen.
You are good to go.
2. Hard Boiled Eggs
At its simplest level just that. Buy a box of eggs. Hard boil a few of them and keep them peeled or unpeeled in the fridge.
Store them in a sealed container if they are peeled.
Eggs will keep for up to one week in the refrigerator if they have been thoroughly cooked
Have a couple for breakfast, even better slice them and place on brown toast or pumpernickel bread.
Layer in a bit more goodness : add rocket or chopped tomato.
3. Protein Smoothie
So if your nutribullet is now gathering dust in the cupboard then dig it out and start using it for a quick breakfast routine.
One portion of low sugar fruit such as: berries, apple, pear, orange. Frozen berries are a good freezer staple and can be used straight from the freezer.
A cup of liquid to thin it out: water works perfectly well or coconut water, almond milk, or any other type of milk.
Add some protein: my default is some protein powder (a bag will keep well in the cupboard), failing that some nuts or seeds (if you have a high powered blender), or a couple of spoons of yoghurt. Blitz in the blender and you are ready to go.
4. Overnight Protein Muesli
Find a good quality muesli, I like them with more nuts and seeds and not too much dried fruit (and no added sugary stuff). Ideally look muesli that contains no more than 10g of sugar per 100g on the nutrition label - ideally less. You need to check because believe me some of those ‘healthy’ looking ones are sometimes 40% sugar or more!
Mix one portion around 25-30g with around half a cup of milk (any type). Add 1 scoop of protein powder. Add a small handful of the frozen berries.
Leave to soak overnight. In the morning you might need to loosen with a bit more liquid
Layer in the goodness: add powdered cinnamon, some more seeds and top with a spoon of any type of yoghurt.
You can make this in batches and use over 2-3 days.
5. Raw Flax Porridge
Flax seeds are a great source if fibre, protein and essential fats. They also happen to be rich in lignans which are a phytonutrient. These are particularly beneficial for women with hormonal issues, but also good for the boys too.
2 tablespoons ground or milled flax (not the whole seeds).
200ml of any type of milk. My personal fav is almond
Generous sprinkling of cinnamon
1 grated apple (or you can blitz the milk with a cored apple…another reason to use your Nutribullet!)
Mix and leave to soak overnight or make in the morning and take it with you to work. By the time you get there it will have thickened up.
Check out my blackberry & flax porridge recipe
Basic shopping list needed to make these five breakfast options:
Nut butter
Pumpernickel or whole grain bread
Eggs
Frozen berries
Protein powder
Muesli
Flaxseeds
Apples
Milk of some kind