By Dan Scalco
Seniors who start the day out with a healthy breakfast set themselves up for success.
A healthy breakfast is especially important for seniors who need to balance blood sugar, spark metabolism and prepare for the day ahead. Essentially, eating a well-balanced breakfast is good for your mind and your body.
If you are tired of the same old oatmeal or wheat toast with a pat of butter, options for fast, easy and delicious breakfasts are more plentiful than ever. You can use your creativity to combine colors and flavors so that you start your day out enjoying a healthy, balanced meal that will leave you energized for hours to come.
If you are looking for some inspiration for your first meal of the day, these 7 fun, quick ideas will have your mouth watering:
Go for Greek yogurt.
If you want a quick, easy and satisfying breakfast, look no further than wildly popular Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is full of protein, which helps you feel full and prevents that morning energy crash, and is an easy base for your favorite flavors. You can make Greek yogurt parfaits with fresh fruit, nuts and granola or add yogurt to oatmeal or dried cereal. Look for plain Greek yogurt to avoid added sugars.
Eggs every way.
Eggs have a lot of health benefits. They are rich in high-quality protein as well as key B vitamins, selenium, vitamin D and minerals. Unless you have high cholesterol or are told to limit your egg consumption, you can enjoy poached, scrambled, hard-boiled or baked eggs. Try an omelet with fresh vegetables (you can buy them cut up to save time or prepare a large batch of cut vegetables once a week) and a piece of whole-grain toast or hard-boiled eggs, which you can make in large batches and enjoy refrigerated for up to a week. Eggs cook in minutes and provide satiety for hours.
Wake up to overnight oats.
A perfect option for warmer days, overnight oats gives you the chance to mix in your favorite toppings with a healthy, hearty base of oats. Place half a cup of milk or almond milk and half a cup of oats in a sealable container. Add in some cinnamon or nutmeg, almond or walnut slices, and other favorite spices or toppings. Simply seal and shake vigorously. In the morning, everything will be blended and ready to be topped with your favorite fresh fruit.
Welcome breakfast to your doorstep.
Seniors looking for some support when it comes to making a healthy and enjoyable breakfast each morning can turn to meal delivery services such as Sun Basket, which offers a variety of healthy, pre-made breakfast options. Meal delivery services can help seniors save time while consuming the right foods for their needs and interests.
Use your blender.
Seniors who struggle with chewing can particularly benefit from easy-to-make and easier-to-enjoy breakfast smoothies. Made with fruit, vegetables, yogurt or milk and other add-ins such as protein powder or spices, breakfast smoothies are a great option for seniors who aren’t hungry first thing. You can make several batches of smoothie ingredients and freeze them in individual packages for breakfast.
Eat the rainbow.
If your breakfast plate is more drab than colorful, make sure you are adding in a rainbow of colors and flavors. Fresh fruits and vegetables are the perfect addition to any breakfast meal – add them to cereal or oatmeal, pair with eggs or toast, or make them the star of your morning meal. Almond butter on apple or banana slices is a quick option for balancing protein and carbs, and avocado on toast is a hot trend in restaurants and cafes.
When in doubt, revisit the cereal aisle.
Breakfast cereal has been a morning staple for decades and for good reason: Many cereals contain a multitude of vitamins and minerals and whole grains, and cereal is one of the fastest, easiest breakfast foods around. However, it is important to be vigilant and read the nutrition panel; look for cereals that have less than 10 grams of sugar per serving (ideally, even less than five) as well as three or more grams of fiber. You can always add fresh fruit, chia seeds or flax to cereal to enhance flavor and nutrition.
Even if your appetite is small in the morning, make sure that you consume some healthy calories and liquid within the first hour of waking. This can prevent dehydration and malnutrition and give you an energy boost for the rest of the day. Seniors who enjoy a healthy breakfast set the stage for healthier days, weeks and years to come.
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