Four Tips for a Successful Breakfast

25.02.2025

3 mins read

At Breakfast Club of Canada, we believe that a complete, nutritious breakfast has a big impact on how kids start their day… adults too! The Club’s nutrition team couldn’t agree more and really appreciates this moment of the day. It’s Nutrition Month, so here are four essential tips for eating breakfast at home: savour the rainbow, listen to your body’s signals about hunger and fullness, make the three essential food groups part of your breakfast and enjoy!

Savour the rainbow

Variety is an important part of a balanced diet, and breakfast is no exception. By “savouring the rainbow,” you ensure you eat a variety of colourful foods and benefit from a wide range of nutrients that are essential to your body’s functioning, such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Here are a few examples to add to your plate:

Red: strawberries, tomatoes, red peppers, cranberries, red grapes
Yellow/Orange: carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, cantaloup

Green: spinach, kiwis, avocado, broccoli, kale

Blue/Purple: blueberries, red cabbage, Concord grapes, eggplant with peel

Each colour has unique benefits for the body, such as strengthening the immune system, preventing chronic disease and supporting bone and eye health. Put a rainbow on your plate to start the day off right!

Listen to your body’s signals about hunger and fullness

Our body sends us signals about hunger and fullness to naturally regulate our eating. Unfortunately, we often ignore these signals. Learning or relearning to listen to your body is essential to maintaining a healthy relationship with food, which is part and parcel of a balanced diet. Remember that you don’t have to eat as soon as you get up; wait until your body tells you it’s ready. Signals of hunger, such as a growling stomach or flagging energy, tell you when to eat, while signals of fullness, such as the physical sensation of being full, tell you when to stop. Here are a few tips to help you become more aware of them:

Eat at a moderate pace and enjoy every mouthful.
Take the time to eat without distractions. If your mornings are busy, plan easy options to take with you, such as whole-wheat muffins or smoothies. Eating at a moderate, mindful pace and limiting distractions such as screens and multitasking are good strategies for sensing and noticing signs of fullness.

Be sure to include the three food groups at breakfast

A complete breakfast includes fruits and vegetables, whole grains and protein-rich foods. Here’s why each category is essential:

Fruits and vegetables: Rich in vitamins, minerals and fibre, they add freshness, colour and energy to your plate (e.g., melons, apples, berries, carrots, tomatoes).
Whole grains: They offer energy because complex carbohydrates and fibre make you feel full longer (e.g., whole wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice).

Protein-rich foods: They support essential bodily functions and contribute to a feeling of fullness (e.g., eggs, yogurt, nuts, hummus).

Make a breakfast that combines these three elements to feel energized all morning.

Enjoy!

Breakfast can be a fun, creative experience. Try these ideas:

Explore new flavours and recipes.
Spend the time with loved ones or enjoy a moment of calm to yourself.
Experiment with original presentations, such as fruit brochettes or colourful bowls.

Get to know the Nutrition Committee and explore the recipe section of the School Corner of our website for inspiration for every taste. Making breakfast an enjoyable moment that offers variety is a simple way to start the day off on the right foot.

Kirstin Berrington, B.Sc., Lauriane Chamberland, Dt.P., Catherine D’Amours, Dt.P.

References

1-Berger MM, Shenkin A, Schweinlin A, Amrein K, Augsburger M, Biesalski HK, et al. ESPEN micronutrient guideline. Clinical Nutrition. June 2022;41(6):1357–1424.

2-Liu Z, Ren Z, Zhang J, Chuang CC, Kandaswamy E, Zhou T and Zuo L, Role of ROS and Nutritional Antioxidants in Human Diseases. Front Physiol [Internet]. May 16, 2018 [cited December 17, 2024];9. Available online: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2018.00477/full