When it comes to cutting out processed food, please don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by trying to change everything all at once. Even baby steps in the right direction count for something! Some of the best advice I can give you is to start with just one meal of the day – like breakfast – and once breakfast is all cleaned up then you can move on to another meal like lunch or snacks. And as with any aspect of this lifestyle, the most important thing you can do is plan ahead. So today I’m going to share some ideas to help you do just that.
Speaking of planning ahead though, I first want to quickly tell you about our fabulous sponsor – Plan to Eat. Their service goes hand-in-hand with getting organized in the New Year and will also help you eat better, spend less time and money in the grocery store, and give you peace of mind knowing what’s for dinner. I don’t know about you, but I must always know what’s for dinner around here! :) Plan to Eat is an online meal planner that allows you to pick recipes from anywhere (the web or hard copies) and “drag and drop” them to create your own custom meal schedule for the week. Then your very own organized shopping list will automatically be created based on the recipes you’ve selected! You can see it all in action on this short video. They are currently offering a free 30-day trial – so go check it out!
Okay, back to real food breakfasts – here are six easy ideas…
- The Night Before: Overnight Oats
Making overnight oats is seriously SO easy. It takes no time at all and the possibilities are endless. Start with our favorite combo and go from there.
Recipe Link: Overnight Oats
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- Make Ahead and Defrost: Pancakes or Waffles or Muffins
Homemade goodies like pancakes aren’t just for the weekends anymore! Most baked goods freeze beautifully so next time you make them just double your recipe and save some for later. Be sure to pair it with some fresh fruit and you are good to go.
Recipe Links: Pancakes, Waffles, Muffins
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- Quick and Easy: Eggs or Warm Oatmeal
Can we all agree it takes less than 5 minutes to scramble an egg or make oatmeal (not from a premixed packet)? If you (or your kid) are a hot breakfast kind of person then this is the way to go.
Recipe Link: Quick Stovetop Oatmeal
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- Throw it Together: Simple Yogurt Crunch or Green Smoothie
These actually take a minute or two longer than eggs or oatmeal, but not much. For lighter fare go for this yogurt parfait of sorts or a big ol’ smoothie full of greens.
Recipe Links: Simple Yogurt Crunch, Green Smoothie
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- Plan Ahead: Homemade Granola
It’s officially a crisis if we’re out of granola in my house because it’s my favorite breakfast of all time. I’m like those people walking sideways (in the old V8 commercials) if I have to eat something else instead. So I’m sure to have a fresh batch ready to go each week before Monday hits.
Recipe Link: Granola
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- Running out the Door: Fruit & Nut Bar or Banana
We all have mornings like this and the worst thing you can do is go hungry. So if all else fails (i.e. numbers 1 through 5) at least have some fruit and nut bars (I like Larabar or Kit’s Organic brands) and fresh fruit like bananas or apples that you can easily grab and go. You can also make your own fruit and nut bars to have on hand for days like these!
Recipe Link: Homemade Larabars
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What’s your favorite quick and easy real food breakfast?
