Here’s A Plan, Have A Plant® at Breakfast
Author: be well™ with Big Y® Registered Dietitian Team
It’s time to wake up and smell the deliciousness, one tasty addition at a time.
As you make your way through the back end of the season, summer’s harvest will be plentiful just in time for schedules to shift. What to do with the surplus of fruit and vegetables? Here’s a plan: Have A Plant® at breakfast!
Enjoying fruits and vegetables during your morning meal can elevate your taste buds and mood— a perfect combination for setting the stage for a successful day ahead. With a little bit of planning, prepping and a whole lot of experimenting, your breakfasts may never be the same.
Here’s a little bit of inspiration to get you started.
#1 Work What Your Momma Gave You
We’re referring to Mother Nature, here. 😉 From your own garden, the farm stands down the street or one of our local partners at Big Y, work with the produce you have on hand.
There’s no need to buy fruits and vegetables just for breakfast. Warning: As you begin weaving their different colors and flavors into your breakfast, though, you may find yourself doing so, excitingly, each week.
From Plain to Pizazz- Adding in-season vegetables like broccoli rabe, leeks, cabbage and broccoli turns scrambled eggs into a culinary delight. Very small portions of add-ins do the trick and you can come up with a new combination every day.
Salad Please! If you’re someone who loves the light and fresh feeling finishing dinner with a small side salad provides, you’re going to love it at breakfast too. Think of it like you’re dining your favorite brunch place versus your kitchen. Ask yourself “Would you like a small side salad made with local greens, corn and cucumber with your meal?” Yes, yes you would.
#2 Delight Takes Any Form
There’s more to adding fruits and vegetables than simply what’s fresh now. The goodness of fruits and vegetables are available in all forms—fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% juice. Whether making a smoothie as you walk out the door for your morning commute or prepping oats mixed with dried fruit for a work week of heat-and-eat oatmeal breakfasts, being flexible with the form of fruit and vegetable you choose is key to keeping the art show and flavor party going.
#3 Give a Side
Look down at your breakfast before you begin eating…are you missing a vegetable? Fruits at breakfast tend to come easily for many of us, but you want both of these powerhouses at breakfast. Whether you prepare something like home fries or simply rinse bite-size cherry tomatoes to munch on, start adding a vegetable to the side of whatever you’re eating. It may feel strange at first, but soon enough, veggies will become a no-brainer breakfast must-have.
Published 8/8/2022