From consuming massive amounts of protein to eating nothing at all, there's some wildly varied advice out there about breakfast. Claire Turnbull cuts through the hype and shares some basic advice about the first meal of the day.
Last week I was at a breakfast meeting for work in a local café. While I quickly ordered my fave – poached eggs on toast with avocado and spinach – I noticed others in the group taking a lot longer to decide as they debated which was the “best” thing to eat in the morning.
Was toast OK, or should they skip it? Which milk would be best? Would a smoothie be better than muesli? Or maybe, as one decided, it was better not to have breakfast at all and just stick to coffee?
When did breakfast get so complicated?!
In simple terms, breakfast simply means ‘breaking’ your overnight ‘fast’. Historically, what people ate for their first meal, and when they ate it, varied enormously . But as industrialisation spread during the 1800s, fixed working hours helped establish breakfast as a regular meal eaten early, before work.
In 19th century New Zealand, porridge was popular, having been introduced by Scottish immigrants. Then, as the 20th century dawned, cornflakes, puffed grains and – by the 1920s – Weet-Bix had found their way onto Kiwi tables.
Today, with all the varied dietary advice swirling around online, breakfast has become a lead target: some advocate massive amounts of protein, some are all about the oats, some suggest eating it early, some late, and some not at all. After 26 years as a nutritionist, I’ve realised the key role of breakfast is to set you up for a day full of energy and free of cravings.
How that’s achieved looks different to everybody. But here are six things I know to be true.
1. There’s no 'right' time to eat breakfast
Many of us inherited the idea that breakfast must be eaten soon after waking. But we now know that we can be flexible about the timing of this first meal.
It’s about finding the time that works for you. This might be 5am, it might be 11am. What’s important, from a health and wellbeing perspective, is that this meal contains a balance of nutrients that helps you feel and function at your best. It’s also important that your breakfast supports you to make good choices about how you eat for the rest of the day.
Aim to include a good source of protein, fibre-rich foods such as fruit, vegetables or whole grains, and some healthy fats. This combination can help you feel fuller and more satisfied for longer, making the mid-morning munchies less likely.
2. Cereal is seldom your best choice
While packaged cereals are a staple breakfast food, and many now have the benefit of being fortified with vitamins and minerals, they tend to be highly processed and they require very little chewing, which isn’t ideal from a satiety point of view. Some of them are also high in sugar.
Even those with ‘wholegrain’ splashed all over the packet, aren’t really offering you wholegrains in their original form. While they may contain all three parts of the grain (the bran, germ, and endosperm), these grains have often been finely milled or processed. This changes their structure and means they may require less chewing than intact grains, such as oats or brown rice.
Cereal and milk can vary in protein too, a bowl of Ricies in milk, has about 6g protein for example, while three Weet-Bix with three quarters of a cup milk has 12.5g. The amount of protein required in a day varies from person to person, but consuming about 20g of protein with breakfast is a good place to start.
In our house, my kids have cereal occasionally rather than as a go-to, and I opt for different breakfast foods.
3. Oats are an age-old winner
Oats can be a great, nutritious, low-cost option for breakfast. They are high in fibre, minimally processed and there are many ways to eat them too. One third of a cup of oats with three quarters of a cup of milk has around 11g of protein, so adding extra protein and some healthy fats in the form of nuts, seeds or a dollop of peanut butter is a good idea. My son adds yoghurt to his which isn’t for me, but he seems to love it, so that’s an option if you can get your head round the idea!
The current trend for soaking oats overnight with milk, yoghurt, nuts, seeds and some fruit to make ‘overnight oats’ isn’t just another online fad – it provides plenty of protein, fibre and there lots of potential combos to keep things interesting. I have several ideas to share.
If you’re a muesli fan, just be mindful these vary a lot in terms of added sugar and oils, so check the ingredients. Muesli is also very energy dense (lots of calories in a small volume) so if you’re managing your waistline, consider portion size too.
The way I use muesli myself is as a sprinkle with a bowl of unsweetened yoghurt, which adds protein, and a piece of chopped fresh fruit or handful of frozen berries.
4. Eggs are not just for the weekend
Heck no! Eggs are a fantastic option for breakfast any day of the week, every day if you like. With around 6g of protein per egg, choline which supports brain and nervous system function, plus an array of other vitamins and minerals including Vitamin B12, selenium and vitamin A, they are perfect to set you up for the day.
My boys regularly make their own scrambled eggs in the microwave, served with 2 slices of wholegrain toast, or they have good old, boiled eggs with soldiers – a solid 21g of protein to kickstart the day!
I frequently have eggs for breakfast too, as I find it’s the best way to keep myself full until lunch time and avoid the pantry nibbling when working from home. I also always make a frittata at the weekend which I use for breakfast on the go, or a quick lunch.
If you prefer a sweeter option, our weekend favourite is banana pancakes – 1 banana blended or mashed with two beaten eggs and ¼ cup of rolled oats, per person. So, flipping good.
For people who have increased risk of heart disease, including those with type 2 diabetes, the NZ Heart Foundation advises it’s OK to have up to six eggs a week. And for everyone, what you serve with eggs matters too, so think wholegrain toast and vegetables, more often than bacon, sausages and buttery white toast.
5. Liquid breakfasts have a (limited) place
In fact, even those pre-packaged liquid breakfasts have a time and a place. If you’re rushing out the door, have a low appetite or need something portable before or after weekend sport, they can be convenient.
That said, they’re not the same as sitting down and eating a balanced meal. Drinks can be consumed very quickly and may not feel as satisfying as food you need to chew, although this will vary from person to person.
Their nutritional quality varies too, so check how much protein and fibre they contain, as well as the added sugar and serving size. Many are ultra-processed, so I see them as a useful back-up rather than an everyday replacement for a balanced, whole-food breakfast.
A homemade smoothie can be a better option because you have control over what goes into it. Around one serving of fruit is a useful starting point, then add a decent source of protein such as milk, unsweetened fortified soy milk or yoghurt. Nuts, seeds, peanut butter or oats can add healthy fats, fibre and some extra protein. For a guide on how to build a better smoothie, check out this earlier column I wrote.
6. Breakfast does not have to look like 'breakfast'
If you’ve travelled overseas, you’ll know that breakfast can look very different around the world.
Growing up in the UK and spending time in various parts of Europe exposed me to plenty of different breakfasts. I’ve also travelled to Japan, where a traditional breakfast might include rice, miso soup, grilled fish, natto (fermented soybeans), and pickled vegetables. It’s a very different experience from cereal and milk!
Today, there’s no need to stick to the old staples of toast, cereals, oats or eggs. Breakfast can be leftovers, soup, rice, dhal, beans on wholegrain toast, cottage cheese and tomato on toast, roasted vegetables with eggs, smoothies or burritos. It can be any nourishing combination that gives you a useful balance of nutrients and helps you feel satisfied.
Mixing up what you have for breakfast and aiming for variety can help maximise the range of nutrients you eat in a week.
Ultimately, the best breakfast is not the one with the loudest health claim or the fanciest ingredients. It’s the one that suits your life, nourishes you and helps keep you going.
Claire Turnbull is a registered nutritionist with an honours degree in dietetics, a wellbeing educator and author.
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