July 14, 2011 | 2 minute read

Five Easy Breakfasts

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?

If that’s what your mother always told you, evidence is growing that she may be right.

A study recently published in the International Journal of Obesity found that children who skipped breakfast gained more weight (increased BMI) than children who ate breakfast over a two year period.

And as reported in a recent AICR Cancer Research Update article about people enrolled in the National Weight Control Registry, of those who successfully lost weight and kept it off, 4 in 5 report eating breakfast daily.

Maintaining a healthy weight is one of the most important things we can do to prevent many chronic diseases, including cancer.

How does breakfast help with weight? Some studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to do less overeating throughout the rest of the day. By eating something nourishing early in the day, you will probably be less likely to visit the snack machine for a mid-morning snack.

If you aren’t a breakfast eater now here are a few no-cook tips to help you get started with an easy, balanced breakfast:

1. Grab a banana, apple or a cup of mixed fruit and a peanut butter sandwich.
2. Whole grain cereal and milk topped with berries
3. String cheese, whole grain crackers and a 6 oz. can of orange juice
4. Yogurt with fruit and a sprinkling of cereal
5. Whole wheat pita with hummus and a box of raisins

You breakfast eaters out there – what are some of your favorite breakfast ideas?

For more ideas check out these articles:

Send Kids and Grandkids Back to School Healthfully

The New American Plate for Breakfast