So what did you have for breakfast yesterday? An all-fruit smoothie? A muffin? A bagel? Well they may sound good but they might not be good for you. An all-fruit smoothie will have too much sugar. A muffin, unless you make it yourself, will likely be made with white flour and lots of sugar, and a bagel had a lot of dense, high glycemic carbs and probably very little fiber. Any of those choices will have you in a slump before the noon lunch bell rings.

Protein and fiber are what you need in the morning. The fiber will keep you full longer and the protein will keep your brain working at its best. A good rule of thumb is to try to get 5 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber with every breakfast. Add some fruit or vegetables and you’ll get even more fiber and a good dose of antioxidants. If you don’t have time to cook that’s okay. There’s nothing wrong with a good high fiber cereal with low fat milk, and some fresh fruit. There’s your fiber, protein, and fresh fruit.

You can even have vegetables for breakfast. Look at my Green Eggs No Ham recipe and if you think it looks delicious, trust me – it is! Then there’s my Chocolate French Toast. Yes, it’s a healthy breakfast. It’s made with 100% whole wheat bread and heart-healthy dark chocolate. Now that’s a way to get everyone at the breakfast table… “Kids, we’re having chocolate French toast for breakfast!”

Skipping breakfast is not a good idea for your health or your weight. When I’m in a hurry I still manage to have a healthy breakfast of my homemade granola with milk and then I grab an apple as I head out the door. Even yogurt is better than no breakfast. But when you have time, try making my whole grain pancakes or eggs with my foolproof hash browns.

I’m always looking for new whole grain breads because I often have a slice of toasted whole grain bread with peanut butter and jam or with peanut butter and a banana for breakfast and I’m good to go for hours. So be creative and make eating a healthy breakfast a priority. – Jenny Jones