5 Ways to Keep a Healthy Breakfast Easy

A busy lifestyle and hectic schedule are great excuses, but you still know that first meal is the most important. Don't let the daily scramble stand between you and your favorite breakfast foods. Here are five ideas that will make your mornings easier and healthier.

1.

Focus on a winning combination. Breakfast is your fuel for the day, so don't cheat yourself with a sugary doughnut on the run. A tasty mix of good carbohydrates, protein and fiber gives you energy to burn and curbs midmorning snack attacks. Toast up a slice of whole grain bread, fold some vegetables into that omelet, and blend a little yogurt into your breakfast smoothie.

2.

Don't forget the basics. Milk and eggs have always been the stars of healthy breakfast meals, and they earn their top billing. A tall glass of milk in the morning is a perfect source of calcium, and even low-fat versions are brimming with vitamins and minerals. Eggs offer a delicious opportunity to load up on quality protein, amino acids and antioxidants.

3.

Dress it up with good taste. Toss a little bling into that bowl of cereal with fresh berries. Spread some personality onto your toast with healthy peanut butter. Perk up the oatmeal with some chopped nuts, or bring out its natural goodness with maple brown sugar. Presentation makes the meal, so enjoy decorating your plate with healthy choices.

4.

Take a natural approach to vitamins. Wheat germ is an excellent source of vitamin E, and it adds extra flavor to oatmeal, cereal and breakfast smoothies. Just half a cantaloupe delivers your daily quota for vitamins A and C, and that simple egg weighs in with vitamins D and B12. It's easy to just swallow a pill, but why not enjoy the taste of your vitamins?

5.

Keep it quick and simple. Save the gourmet breakfast spread for special occasions, and keep your morning meal easy and convenient. You'll be more likely to sit down with a healthy plate if you're not trying to beat the clock. A pancake mix with chocolate chips and an omelet that fluffs up in the microwave are delicious examples of breakfasts that cook up in a hurry.

Calories count, so stack that breakfast plate with low-fat choices that deliver plenty of flavor. Enjoying a nutritious morning meal is a smart strategy if you're dieting. Make it a habit, and that healthy breakfast will guarantee a little more sunshine in your day every day.