Break my fast.

June 27, 2006 10:30 AM

What can I have for breakfast?

I get up, wash, leave the house, all in the space of twenty/thirty minutes.

I'm always late for work.

I never have breakfast.

I miss breakfast.

My days are better when I have breakfast.

What is there to eat that's: quick, tasty, healthy, not cereals (including cold porridge), not toast/poptart, not yoghurt, not just a banana, nor cold pizza?

posted by popcassady to Food & Drink (49 answers total)

Protein shakes.

Breakfast bars from Special K, Luna, etc.

Hard boiled eggs (discard yolks to decrease fat intake).
posted by ibmcginty at 10:31 AM on June 27, 2006

Oh, and yogurt with granola in it is more mealesque than yogurt alone. If you just plain hate yogurt, though, that won't help.
posted by ibmcginty at 10:33 AM on June 27, 2006

Lara bar, handful of almonds (raw, or the dry-roasted-tamari ones at Whole Foods are yummy, too).
posted by ruby.aftermath at 10:33 AM on June 27, 2006

A kefir yogurt could do the trick. There are many flavors to choose from, and I definitely notice a difference in my "awakedness" about 10 minutes after consumption.
posted by clevershark at 10:34 AM on June 27, 2006

How about suck it up and wake up 10 minutes earlier and make something (eggs, bacon, waffles, toast, etc). It's not the breakfasts fault you're being lazy.
posted by JPigford at 10:35 AM on June 27, 2006

My breakfast generally consists of:

a granola bar
a banana
an apple
an orange

I put it all in my backpack the previous day so that it is in my backpack when I am rushing out the door late (you're not the only one).
posted by grouse at 10:35 AM on June 27, 2006

Frozen waffles
Granola bars
instant oatmeal can't really be eaten on the go, but if you've got a microwave at work, you can always make it there.
posted by kingjoeshmoe at 10:36 AM on June 27, 2006

Maybe you can make a nice fruit salad the night before?
posted by sotalia at 10:36 AM on June 27, 2006

What's left?

I'm not a huge breakfast person either as I'm trying to feed 3 kids and race them to school. This spring I got into Muesli with fresh strawberrys or bananas in it and it's great. Definitely an acquired taste after years of crappy sweet cereal.
Can you make stuff earlier and keep it in the fridge, like a giant fruit salad or something?

On weekends I make an awesome pancake with wheat germ, banana and ginger. Sounds wierd, but they taste amazing. Plus, they freeze great and you can just pop them in the toaster for fast breakfasts.
posted by chococat at 10:40 AM on June 27, 2006

Oh chococat, can I have that pancake recipe?
posted by fionab at 10:43 AM on June 27, 2006

I throw a Clif Bar in my backpack every morning and eat it on the walk to work.
posted by Loto at 10:43 AM on June 27, 2006

Free yourself from the feeling that breakfast requires 'breakfast' foods. I find a couple of sticks of turkey pepperoni is ideal for starting off the day - protein and fat and in a very compact package. (And few carbs, which set me up for a bad day of wanting carbs.)
posted by jacquilynne at 10:49 AM on June 27, 2006

Make soup Sunday night, keep it refridgerated through the week & eat it only for breakfast. Most will last the ~ 4 days until Friday morning. Chilled tomato soup, egg lemon soup, maybe even egg drop or hot & sour soup.. works great. Same for salads - taboui and pasta salad work exceptionally well.

That said, I'm usually too lazy to do the pre-prep, and have yogurt/granola/fruit.
posted by devilsbrigade at 10:51 AM on June 27, 2006

I buy loaves of french bread, and break off a piece and eat it on the way to work with some off-brand diet cola. Works pretty well for me.
posted by apathy0o0 at 10:52 AM on June 27, 2006

Edamame. You can buy it frozen and shucked. It will microwave in a few minutes while you wash up. I like it with just a little salt.
posted by caddis at 10:53 AM on June 27, 2006

Peanut butter on a flour or whole wheat tortilla.
posted by tristeza at 11:04 AM on June 27, 2006

Before your shower, put in your toaster oven: 2 corn tortillas, a schmear of refried beans, a little dab of (pre-grated) cheese, a little dab of salsa. Hit 5 minutes. By time you get put your clothes on, your breakfast tostadas will be just cool enough to eat.

Helpful for people who hate sweet brekkies.
posted by DenOfSizer at 11:06 AM on June 27, 2006 [1 favorite]

fionab, here's the Wheat Germ Pancake recipe.
I saw the jazz musician Keb Mo make them on (yes, it's true) Martha Stewart about 5 years ago. I've been making them ever since. He called them "Mancakes."
You can use regular pancake mix in them if need be.

And I'm proud to be a male housewife who gets cooking tips from Martha Stewart. There, I said it.
posted by chococat at 11:07 AM on June 27, 2006 [4 favorites]

If you're handing out that pancake recipe, chococat, I'd love to have it too.
posted by hermitosis at 11:08 AM on June 27, 2006

Can you stop on your way to work? When I'm rushing, I stop and get a bagel with light cream cheese.
posted by tastybrains at 11:09 AM on June 27, 2006

My wife got me one of these toasters with a built-in egg cooker. First thing in the morning I make coffee and throw bread, egg, meat into the toaster thing and set it off. Go away to do other things and five minutes later I can assemble my egg sandwich and eat it, or throw it in a container to eat later in the morning when I get to work.
posted by chuma at 11:14 AM on June 27, 2006

Zone bars, and Slim Fast are both pretty damn tasty (and healthy) with zero preperation.
posted by ZackTM at 11:26 AM on June 27, 2006

Previously.
posted by desuetude at 11:27 AM on June 27, 2006

Bean stew. Tasty, can fix well ahead of time and freeze in individual portions, not processed or filled with chemicals and has protein. Complete that protein with a little brown rice in it or a corn tortilla.
posted by QIbHom at 11:32 AM on June 27, 2006

I have the time for breakfast, but I just generally don't enjoy preparing and eating the meal. I may soon get sick of it, but Carnation Instant Breakfast has been a bit of a godsend lately. Add one cup of milk, stir, and I'm full for the next few hours.
posted by dorisfromregopark at 11:35 AM on June 27, 2006

string cheese and beef jerky, or veggie jerky if you prefer.

these are individually packaged items, and you can eat them as you walk.
posted by ewkpates at 11:55 AM on June 27, 2006

I've been drinking the Slim Fast premade drinks every morning for the past year or so. I don't drink them for weight, I'm in Law School and don't have time and they work great as an easy meal in the morning that I'm always in the mood for which is unlike many other breakfast foods.
posted by JakeLL at 11:58 AM on June 27, 2006

I used to bake a batch of muffins on Sunday night, then freeze them in individually-sized portions (in my case, two muffins). I would then grab a set of muffins on my way to work and eat them at work.
posted by crazycanuck at 11:58 AM on June 27, 2006

I myself usually enjoy a toasted english muffin with real butter. That may be too toasty for you, though.

There no rule that you have to eat "breakfasty" foods. Why not a ham and cheese, or tomato and cheese sandwich?

Here's my weird one, which I inherited from my grandmother: I love stale popcorn from the night before for breakfast. I think my grandmother likes to actually put milk in it and eat it like cereal (think real Corn Pops!), but I like just munching on it while checking my morning email.
posted by lampoil at 12:03 PM on June 27, 2006

Before you get in the shower:
1. Put an english muffin/two pieces of bread in the toaster
2. Get a small micro-wave safe bowl (glass, please!), spray with olive oil/PAM. Put in about a third-cup of Egg-Beaters and microwave on high for 1 min 45 secs. If you have leftovers of any kind (pasta, meat, potatoes) mix them in too.
When you get out of the shower, put the egg between the bread and wrap in some foil.
Total time to prepare, about two minutes (not counting the cooking time, but you're in the shower anyway).
You have your own "egg mcmuffin" with good protien, low fat, and some carbs - perfect breakfast!
posted by dbmcd at 12:07 PM on June 27, 2006

Response by poster: I really want to try and avoid anything 'bready'.
posted by popcassady at 12:11 PM on June 27, 2006

What's wrong with getting up earlier and having time for a meal you know you'll like?
posted by crypticgeek at 12:25 PM on June 27, 2006

two scrambled eggs. breakfast of champions. your hair and nails will also start to love you.
posted by macinchik at 12:32 PM on June 27, 2006

I really think there is merit to getting up early, making coffee, reading the paper and having a leisurely breakfast. Substitute MetaFilter for the paper if your not a dead tree person. It makes for a more relaxing day and you can eat healthy foods. You might try it sometime.


Anyway, for a fast, healthy, yet not bready breakfast or snack - low carb tortilla, reduced fat cheese, microwave for a minute or so to melt cheese. Add some salsa or hot sauce if you desire. This is a healthy snack anytime. You can add frozen corn, leftover meat etc. or a scrambled egg for more substance. If you go with the egg add it after you have cooked the cheese, the other stuff can all go in with the cheese. Cook it unrolled and roll it up after cooking. Low carb tortillas are an amazing thing. Some brands have more moisture, but a paper towel underneath the tortilla while it cooks will keep it from getting too soggy. The edamame I mentioned before is also not bready.
posted by caddis at 12:36 PM on June 27, 2006

Echoing the boiled eggs. Boil on the weekend. Eat with string cheese.
Cottage cheese. Top with a few frozen blueberries.
Ham and cheese in a tortilla. (Heat it up in a Foreman grill.)
Avocado milkshake.

Or, prepare breakfast the night before.
posted by hooray at 12:37 PM on June 27, 2006

I second protein shakes. I drink one of these every morning on the drive to work. I'm not on Atkins. I just like these. They taste good, they have a nice balance of cals/carbs/whatever, and they hold off my appetite. They're insanely overpriced at most stores, but they're fairly cheap at Sam's.
posted by wheat at 1:49 PM on June 27, 2006

Cup of coffee and a cigarette usually wakes me up pretty well. Of course, that's neither healthy nor recommended. I used to do the breakfast bar thing (odwalla or clif), but I found that actually waking up earlier and cooking breakfast added to the waking up process, rushing out the door left my brain scattered and disorganized.
posted by marxfriedrice at 2:11 PM on June 27, 2006

I really think there is merit to getting up early, making coffee, reading the paper and having a leisurely breakfast

Here, here. To me, an extra hour in the morning is much more valuable than an extra hour at night. I go to bed earlier so that I don't have to rush out the door in the morning... nothing makes me crankier than not being able to ease into the day.

So, wake up a bit earlier and just do breakfast right. At least try it for a couple weeks and evaluate whether it works for you or not.
posted by Hildago at 3:10 PM on June 27, 2006

I also get up and showered and out the door in about twenty minutes. (And I do NOT enjoy "leisure time" in the morning. It's not for everyone, folks.)

I solve the breakfast problem by keeping good snacky stuff at work -- cheese and crackers, or hummus and celery sticks, or banana and yogurt, or bagels and cream cheese, other suggestions in the thread to which I linked earlier. Stuff I can nibble on while I'm reading my e-mail and making my to-do list for the day.
posted by desuetude at 4:11 PM on June 27, 2006

If you're in a place where you can get good papayas, one of my favorites is half a papaya with a blob of roasted almond butter in the middle. 45 seconds to scoop the stuff out of the papaya (could be done the night before, and covered with plastic wrap in the fridge), 10 seconds to add the almond butter.

Light on cleanup, too.
posted by fuzzbean at 4:45 PM on June 27, 2006

I bring packets of instant miso soup to work, and make them there using the instant-hot tap (or a microwave). I sip it from a mug when other people are drinking their coffee, and it's tasty and filling because of all the protein. I like the kind that Trader Joe's carries best. Some other brands just taste salty instead of flavorful.
posted by daisyace at 4:45 PM on June 27, 2006

I'm on a high protein, lowish carb, muscle building (weight training) plan for a few months now and I recently started eating Luna bars for breakfast. They're 180 calories, 10g of protein, 24-26g of carb (a little higher than I'd like). They keep me full until well past standard lunch time, as well as happy and functioning.

Anyway, why I really like them for my current eating plan is that I wake up insane with hunger and while I have the time to prepare food I think I'd actually end up in tears halfway through prep and just stuff whatever half cooked food in my mouth before I lost my shit.

Oh, and grocery store warmed-under-heat-lamp roasted turkey breasts are pretty much the best if yer down with dinner for breakfast.

(And I do NOT enjoy "leisure time" in the morning. It's not for everyone, folks.)

Definitely not for everyone, myself included.
posted by birdie birdington at 4:59 PM on June 27, 2006

popcassady, you sound just like me. Lately I've made a committment to eat breakfast, and it usually ends up being WeightWatchers cakes -- carrot cake, lemon, and chocolate... they taste great, even addicting to a degree, and "just one point" (i.e., low calorie). Not much nutrient-wise, but it works for me.

Glad you asked this question, though, I know I've got some more ideas now.
posted by SuperNova at 10:44 PM on June 27, 2006

birdie... you are the poster person for the catabolism problem.

please do yourself a favor an add a low carb protein shake 1/2 through the night. please. do it for the children.
posted by ewkpates at 3:19 AM on June 28, 2006

One banana, a couple of handfuls of low sugar breakfast cereal, a healthy splash of milk. Put it in the blender until it's smooth, drink. A healthy bowl of cereal with fruit in under a minute.
posted by tomble at 5:25 AM on June 28, 2006

I have a large CostCo muffin in the morning once I get to work while I'm waiting for my machine to boot. A handful of pisachio's is my go to item if I'm looking for something different.

crypticgeek writes "What's wrong with getting up earlier and having time for a meal you know you'll like?"

And

Hildago writes "To me, an extra hour in the morning is much more valuable than an extra hour at night. I go to bed earlier so that I don't have to rush out the door in the morning... nothing makes me crankier than not being able to ease into the day."

Not everyone is a morning person. I'd much rather be awake at 2AM than 6AM. The only time I appreciate seeing the sun rise is if I've been awake all night.
posted by Mitheral at 11:33 AM on June 28, 2006

I understand. I only speak for myself in this case.
posted by Hildago at 4:32 PM on June 28, 2006

I really think there is merit to getting up early, making coffee, reading the paper and having a leisurely breakfast. Substitute MetaFilter for the paper if your not a dead tree person...

Several people have backlashed against this, which is reasonable because everyone is different and not everyone enjoys a leisurely morning. To throw a slightly different perspective into the mix, my problem is that I do genuinely enjoy doing the above. Too much.

I find that if I start on the above path, I get too settled in and have a hard time getting out the door at all. I inevitably get sucked into something time consuming between email, internet, tv, cooking breakfast, taking out the trash, etc. I get up half an hour earlier and end up at work 20 minutes late. In the morning it seems I can only sprint or crawl, so I appreciate all of the speedy breakfast ideas and hope to see more coming. Thanks for asking this, popcassady, great question.
posted by rorycberger at 5:43 PM on June 28, 2006

Life doesn't revolve around getting into work on time, thank God. Of course, you pay on the back end. I hope no one took my comment as an admonition. It was just a suggestion to see if it worked for popcassady. I am anything but a morning person, but I have at times gotten up early without too much undue pain. Regardless, I think with 20 min from wake-up to exit you pretty much can not avoid leaving on a stressful note. Part of the importance of all this is also how skipping breakfast, or eating junk sets you up for overeating all day long. A few minutes in the morning can pay big benefits. Nevertheless, if you wish to rush, there are lots of good ways to get some healthy and quick sustenance. It is harder when you don't want fruit, yogurt, or bread. The Japanese are fans of dried fish, but this just turns my stomach in the morning. Especially if you did not get good sleep it seems a more protein laden yet low fat breakfast (I like yogurt for these times but there are many options) helps you stay alert in the morning. I travel to Germany a fair amount and they seem to have cold cuts at the breakfast buffets (and sausages - the white sausages in Munich are quite a treat).
posted by caddis at 6:15 PM on June 28, 2006