next »

[wet_blanket]

This is solidly in the category "first world problems,"  but I need breakfast ideas.  It's not so much that I can't think of anything to eat for breakfast as that I'm not functioning enough to prepare or face eating anything for several hours after I wake up.  By then, of course, I'm not at home and ravenous, and so I buy something which is good for neither my waistline nor my bank balance.  The other constraint is that I have a short attention span for food, especially breakfast; two or three consecutive days seems to be my maximum for cereal or anything hot.

Solutions I've tried include:

• getting up earlier so as to have a window where I feel like eating before I go out - this turns out to be unproductive for my day in other ways
• bananas - I could probably live on bananas I love them so much, but a banana doesn't keep my going until lunch
• coffee - probably the most functional breakfast with the combination of appetite suppressant and stimulant, but not exactly topping any nutrition tables
• smoothies - yum, but slow to make, slow to drink, and suffer from the short attention span thing.

 

What do you eat for breakfast?  Is it something I could prepare the night before and take with me in the morning?

[mntwins]

You might want to think about having a banana at home and then eat something else when you get to work.  I eat cereal when I first wake up and then I eat  a wedge of Laughing Cow light cheese with some Triscuits when I get to work.  You could also have yogurt with grandola, a hard-boiled egg, fruit & cheese, a handful of nuts, etc. You could prepare these items the night before and rotate them for variety.   

[reener06]

I second hard-boiled eggs. When I'm on top of things, I'll make 5 or 6 and grab one to eat at my desk later. They help with the 10 am food cravings.

Also, could you make a smoothie the night before, and then drink as you get ready/drive to work/sit at your desk? I've done this when I make smoothies for lunch (summer time).

Another option that works for me is making banana bread or other healthy-ish breads (zucchini, tomato, apple) on the weekend and eating on the way to work.

[notaprof]

I had to train myself to eat breakfast because I have no interest in eating in the morning. Since I was not used to spending time on breakfast, that has been the hardest adjustment for me so I found a few things that work for me becuase I can take them to the office .  So these are the things I have found I can manage:
I finally developed a taste for yogurt and I can just grab a yogurt (many different flavors for variation but I like plain with a bit of honey the best) and a banana on the way out the door and eat it once I get to my office.  This is my most common breakfast but I sometimes have the others below for variety.

Thanks to a Japanese host student, I discovered that I like soup at breakfast, especially when it is cold out.  And if I am running late, I can take it to work and zap it in the microwave and eat that at my desk. I make a batch of soup on the weekend and put in it small containers then, or I just grab one of the canned soups I like.  I prefer the brothy ones and this is quickly becoming a comfort food.

I sometimes have a waffle ham sandwich for breakfast.  I use whole wheat toaster waffles, use a little bit of butter and a tiny drizzle of maple syrup with a slice of applewood smoked ham.  It is very portable and tasty if you get the combination right, you can't have too much butter or syrup or it becomes messy to eat.  

I have also toasted an English muffin and take that to the office with some cheese.  Then I microwave that at the office until the cheese is bubbly.  I guess you could do it without toasting the muffin first but I like it crispy rather than chewy.  Or I have the muffin at home and then some string cheese later when I get to the office.

[lohai0]

Greek yogurt, a piece of fruit, caffeine, and a lazy person smoothie*

*orange juice + soy milk + j robb's protein powder in a water bottle with some crushed ice

[zuzu_]

I have a mini-fridge in my office, and it has more than paid for itself ($65) in saved money on eating out. In my fridge, I keep milk (to go with cereal) and string cheese, as well as other cold beverages and usually some good chocolate. I also have a full "pantry" drawer stocked with things like cereal, crackers, biscotti, soups, nutty granola bars, instant oatmeal, and velveeta easy mac.

I always eat breakfast at work, and I usually have cold cereal with milk. I rotate among filling whole-grain (but sweet) cereals like frosted mini-wheats (various flavors), raisin bran crunch, and oatmeal raisin crisp. If I'm in a big hurry, I have a filling granola bar (like Nature Valley Sweet and Salty Nut). If I have a little extra time, I heat up some instant oatmeal. I also sometimes have Jimmy Dean Sausage/Pancake on a stick. Trashy, but that's how I roll.

Like you, I usually get hungry for before lunch. I usually have string cheese, nutty granola bar, or triscuits.

I am a believer in eating when physically hungry. Your body knows what you need. Listen to it. (But I do try to ignore the voices that tell me to eat chocolate when I know I am physically satiated.)

[womanofproperty]

I usually make about 10-12 bean & cheese burritos at a time for breakfast and/or lunch during the week.

It's pretty simple - a flour tortilla, chipotle sauce, 1/2 cup refried beans mixed with green chiles, and 2 slices of colby-jack cheese. Each one goes into a separate plastic baggie, and I stack them in the freezer. It took a while to find the right type of tortilla, because I make them so that they can be eaten in hand (using a paper towel) without utensils or plates.

In the morning, I'll take one out of the freezer and put it in the microwave on "defrost" for 1-2 minutes while I'm getting ready, then nuke it for another minute before I eat it. Or, if I don't have time for that, I'll grab one to take with me and nuke it for 1-2 minutes at work.

[prytania3]

I love Banana Nut Crunch cereal.

[marigolds]

I usually make about 10-12 bean & cheese burritos at a time for breakfast and/or lunch during the week.

It's pretty simple - a flour tortilla, chipotle sauce, 1/2 cup refried beans mixed with green chiles, and 2 slices of colby-jack cheese. Each one goes into a separate plastic baggie, and I stack them in the freezer. It took a while to find the right type of tortilla, because I make them so that they can be eaten in hand (using a paper towel) without utensils or plates.

In the morning, I'll take one out of the freezer and put it in the microwave on "defrost" for 1-2 minutes while I'm getting ready, then nuke it for another minute before I eat it. Or, if I don't have time for that, I'll grab one to take with me and nuke it for 1-2 minutes at work.

These are good with eggs, too.  Or I make big batches of the traditional breakfast burrito (is there such a thing?) with hashbrowns, sausage, green chiles, scrambled eggs, cheese, and salsa all wrapped up. I wrap them individually and throw one in the microwave 5 min before I leave.  They're delicious, and will hold you till mid-afternoon, no problem.

[dr_prephd]

I'm not a big breakfast eater. I swear by granola bars. All sorts. Usually on the way to work or shortly after arriving at desk.

Luna bars, Kind bars, Lara Uber bars, Clif MoJo bars... those are some of my favorites.

I also use a lot of skim milk in my coffee, usually about 1/2 c., so that gives me a little protein while I'm getting ready in the mornings.

[punchnpie]

I'm not sure why a smoothie is slow to make. You dump everything in the blender and hit the button. I wouldn't load up on high carb fruits, but a nice protein shake takes seconds. I'm enjoying one now.

I agree with the hard boiled egg thing. Two eggs and microwaved sausage (veggie or regular), or precooked bacon (takes 45 seconds) doesn't take long. I often have one of those pre-made applesauce cups with it. This takes next to no time. I'm one of those people with a very long class and I have to have something that won't raise my blood sugars too much and will keep me satisfied until class is over. I only have a protein shake when I don't have class because I don't want to need the ladies' room all through class.

The other thing I find useful is soup. Sometimes it's just cold, you can't get your mind together to cook, and dumping out a can of soup (or left over homemade) takes 3 minutes to heat up. Make a chunky or substantial kind so there's some heft to it. Leftover stew would do the same thing.

I need to eat something before teaching due to being diabetic and having to manage blood sugars with activity levels, but when I'm home, sometimes a cup of tea will hold me until lunch time. If you eat bread, some tea/coffee with toast and a protein such as cream cheese or peanut butter is fast and will hold you until you get to school, where maybe you can eat something.

Lastly, quick Quaker oats. One minute in the microwave or you can eat them right out of the box with your usual milk and sweetener as a cold cereal. Add some chopped nuts and craisins or raisins and you have yourself a nice bowl o'goodness.

[rafrafraf]

I also have a small fridge in my office. Usually I have breakfast at home, but keep yoghurt, dates, hummus, juice etc in the fridge.
I keep tea, coffee, sugar, biscuits in a cupboard. This semester I have a very busy schedule, so it is nice to be able to have a snack and a cup of tea in my office, while grading and preparing lessons. Also good for my pocketbook :)

[alastrina]

I am nowhere near coordinated in the mornings and can't manage anything that requires actual cooking. I've been eating cinnamon raisin toast (the Sunmaid one) with a tablespoon of peanut butter.

[dr_prephd]

I'm not sure why a smoothie is slow to make.

I requires mixing ingredients and pushing buttons and dirtying (and cleaning) dishes and taking things out of and putting them back into the fridge. Some people (like me) just can't handle that level of involvement first thing in the morning.

[golden_ticket]

It's interesting that there are so many people who don't have breakfast. For me it's the most important meal of the day. I couldn't leave without having breakfast in the morning, and I take typically 30-45 minutes for it. Maybe it's a cultural thing; I grew up in continental Europe. If I already feel rushed in the morning, I'll be frazzled the whole day. I always eat two slices of bread (the hearty European variety) with cheese, turkey breast, PB, jam, or cream cheese. It takes only a minute to prepare. I also need a big mug of strong coffee.
I also have a fridge in my office which is stocked with cottage cheese and farm cheese that I eat with fruit for lunch.