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There is no question that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  But it can be easy to get stuck in an early morning rut, eating the same thing every day or simply grabbing whatever is easily accessible that can be eaten on the go.  Breaking out of this rut can not only introduce some much needed variety into our morning meal, it can also elevate our mood and boost our energy for the entire day.  Switching from the same-old to something new doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems; sometimes you can turn things around with just a few simple changes.  Here are some tips for building a better breakfast.

Choose Complex Carbs

Complex carbs are found in whole grains, fruit, and vegetables.  When you include them in your morning meal, you are stacking the energy odds in your favor since complex carbs take longer to break down and don’t have the same spike/crash effect on blood sugar as their simple counterparts.  Adding these to your breakfast can also help you maintain a healthy weight and may even help lower cholesterol.

Pack it with Protein

Another easy way to increase your energy for the day is to make sure your breakfast packs a good amount of protein.  Choosing things like smoked salmon, eggs, nuts, beans, and quinoa will give you the protein you need without adding a ton of fat that you don’t.  For a great plate packed of protein, try Papa’s Zesty Protein Scramble.

Don’t Forego the Fats

Not all fat is bad and skipping it entirely, especially at breakfast, may leave you lacking the energy you need to get through your day.  A small amount of healthy fat can boost your overall energy and actually make it so you don’t eat as much over the course of the day.  Choose low-fat milk, plain low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, or a handful of nuts to get just the right amount of the right kind of fat.

Spin Up a Smoothie

Skip the pricey smoothie shop and make your own version at home.  Not only will this help you stretch your food dollar, it also ensures you know everything that is going into your smoothie and you can fill it full of healthy, nutritional ingredients hand-picked to help you have a great day.  Use fat-free yogurt or skim milk for your base and you will get the goodness of low-fat dairy along with whatever other ingredients you choose.

Skip the Sugar

Whether you favor sugary cereal or toast loaded up with jelly, skipping the sugar will help keep your blood sugar from spiking and crashing.  When you get stuck in this cycle, you end up eating more than you want to and generally find it harder to make healthy choices.  If you are a fan of sugary cereal, try switching to a lower sugar version or grab some fruit instead.  If you love jelly on your toast, swap it out for some peanut butter which lowers the sugar while packing in some more protein.

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