The month of September is Better Breakfast Month, with September 26th being dedicated to National Better Breakfast Day! If you follow me on Instagram then you know I’m a believer in the benefits of a nutritious breakfast.

You likely remember being told as a child that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it’s good reason! Starting off your morning with a well-balanced breakfast (one that provides a combo of protein, fiber, and healthy fat) will help you feel satisfied, energized, and ready to take on your day. Preparing this well-balanced meal doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact, some of my favorite breakfast go-tos are super simple to make.

Here are some of my favorite balanced breakfast recipes:

•   Egg whites in oatmeal – it might sound like an unusual combination, but egg whites are the perfect addition to your oatmeal, transforming your breakfast into a fluffy, filling bowl of goodness. You can also use a whole egg if preferred.
•   Savory oats – take your oatmeal to a new level by adding a nutritional powerhouse like mushrooms or cauliflower to it.
•   Green smoothie bowl – you just might be surprised by this smoothie’s key ingredient – trust me, it’s delicious!
•   Microwaved-poached egg – making poached eggs doesn’t get much simpler than this, especially on rushed mornings!
•   Frittata – whether it’s a zucchini noodle tomato frittata or mushroom leek frittata, there are so many great varieties when it comes to this healthy and hearty breakfast option.
•   Hummus omelet – this dairy-free, super creamy omelet will be a game changer for those avoiding dairy.
•   Leftover veggies pair well with eggs too. And if you hate eggs, you can totally just do whatever leftover protein you have handy. There’s nothing wrong with roasted chicken or grilled tofu for breakfast! I even occasionally will have a bowl of soup or chili for breakfast! 
•   Sprouted grain or sweet potato toast topped with your favorite nut or seed butter or avocado also make for an easy, nutritious breakfast that takes almost no time to make. This Maple Skyr Sweet Potato Crostini is also delicious. 
•   Try a sliced apple, pear, or banana with nut butter or seed butter. 
• It doesn’t get much easier than plain Greek yogurt with chia seeds and fruit.

Also, keep in mind there’s no set-in-stone rule about when to eat breakfast Ideally I recommend having something within two hours of waking up, but if your schedule doesn’t allow, have something small to tide yourself over like a piece of fruit or boiled egg or even mixing some collagen powder into your coffee like I often do on early days and having real breakfast a little later. You make it work for you instead of trying to bend your lifestyle to fit someone else’s ideal. 

Whether you love breakfast or are still warming up to the idea, #BetterBreakfastMonth is the perfect time to incorporate healthy, whole foods into your diet every morning. There’s no one correct breakfast option for everybody, and it’s okay to take the time to get curious and try different things to see what feels best for you. 

If you’re still on the fence about the importance of breakfast, I can relate! It wasn’t until I was in my late 20s that I realized that a savory breakfast (usually whole eggs and veggies, and some kind of fat) kept me satiated and kept my blood sugar stable. 

Until that point, I had not-so-great breakfast habits. In high school, my breakfast consisted of a “light” yogurt chased with coffee, which I mixed with sugar-free hot chocolate mix and ate in the car on the way to school. In college, I often had artificially flavored “lower-sugar” instant oats, which provided zero protein. I got better about incorporating protein and nixing the artificial stuff over time, but later, in my early clinical career, I’d often wait until after morning rounds to eat anything, resulting in me becoming hangry and not performing as well as I did when I started eating before rounds (usually egg white oats with sunflower butter or leftover frittata). Letting myself branch out and try different things and getting curious about what worked and what didn’t work ultimately helped me establish a sustainable routine with breakfast that allows me to be flexible, depending on my schedule. 

All this to say that, my appreciation for breakfast has changed over the years, and I find great personal and professional satisfaction in helping others learn to make a healthy breakfast an enjoyable and approachable part of their healthy living routine. I hope these breakfast meal suggestions can be helpful to you.