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Baker Katherine CarbStory Oatmeal221
Baker Katherine CarbStory Oatmeal221
Lifestyle

Here’s What Nutrition Grads Really Eat For Breakfast

Breakfast is the most delicious meal of the day (IMO). I’m not tryna play favorites, but I love me some breakfast. In fact, I usually go to sleep already excited about the delicious meal that awaits me in the morning.

This summer I finished up my MS in human nutrition at Columbia University. Good (sleepless) times, fasho. 

I asked a few of my classmates and some kiddos I know from other nutrition programs what their typical breakfasts look like. Here’s what I found out:

Fruit + Warm Carb + Nut Butter + Iced Coffee + Ginger Tea

This is my basic formula. I change up the fruit depending on my mood and the season, and the carb rotates between oatmeal, toaster waffles, sprouted toast and/or a whole grain muffin or bagel.

Occasionally, my carb is a sweet potato (yes, sweet potatoes + nut butter = bliss).

The nut butter I slather on my hot carb also changes (I’m a nut butter fiend and always have 3-5 open at any given time), with almond butter, sunflower seed butter and good old classic PB as top contenders.

To drink, I always have iced coffee (yes, even when it’s -19 degrees outside) with vanilla soy milk and hot Yogi Organic Ginger Tea

I’m not a die-hard organic consumer, but I do try to buy organic tea because you can’t wash the tea leaves before steeping them so non-organic tea sketches me out a bit.

Sometimes I sprinkle chia seeds or flax on/into what I’m eating, and a lot of times I eat an additional piece of fruit while prepping my food because #hanger. 

This formula gives me energy without making me feel weighted-down. The combination of carbs and fats and protein is both satisfying and delicious. 

– Katherine Baker, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16, currently driving the hot mess express full-time

Steel Cut Oatmeal

Tasty Breakfast blueberry cereal
Becky Hughes

Steel-cut oats cooked in almond milk with cinnamon, topped with blueberries, bananas, walnuts, and a little bit of maple syrup.”

– Caty Schnack, NYU BS nutrition ’16, current child nutrition educator

Smoothies or Yogurt Bowls

how to make the perfect smoothie smoothie juice
Mimi Dunn

“A lot of times I make myself a smoothie with a ton of stuff, including kale, spinach, banana, blackberries (or mixed berries), part of a beet, turmeric root, ginger, protein powder, chia seeds, flaxseeds, probiotic yogurt (kefir), honey, and granola.

I’ll also do a yogurt, banana, and granola bowl, and when I buy oats I make oatmeal and throw in raspberries and chia seeds.”

– Katie Lee, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16; current medical student at SUNY Downstate

(Writer’s note: Can you make me a smoothie, Katie?)

“Ideal Breakfast” (Tofu Scramble with Fruits and Veggies) vs. “Fallback Breakfast” (Cereal with Plant-Milk)

nutrition carrot saute
Kimberly Kao

“I feel like I have ideal breakfasts and fallback breakfast categories.

The ideal breakfast is fresh delicious bread, with a spread, and a fruit and veggie. Alternatively, something hot with protein and fat. Like a tofu scramble or meatless sausages. Also with fruit and veggies.

And if I’m in a rush, I will fallback onto and settle with cereal and plant-milk.

Also, coffee with every breakfast. :)”

– Dan Pappo, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16; current childhood obesity researcher at CUMC

A Banana Smothered in Nut Butter

“My breakfast is unsurprisingly the least variable meal of the day, and always includes a banana smothered in a nut butter, preferably TJ’s sunflower butter. If I have time I’ll also grab a bran muffin or some bran cereal with soy/almond milk.”

– Daria Igudesman, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16; future nutrition doctoral student at UNC Chapel Hill

Chia Seed Pudding or Oatmeal

nutrition smoothie sweet
Katherine Baker

“I eat chia seed pudding or maple oatmeal with walnuts, flax seed, and dried cranberries.”

– J.D. Hamm, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16, currently researching bariatric surgery patients success post-op

Oatmeal or Eggs

nutrition pepper vegetable
Katherine Baker

“My go-to’s: 1/2 cup Trader Joe’s rolled oats cooked with water/allspice/cinnamon/nutmeg, half an apple and a splash of soy milk, topped with two tablespoons natural peanut butter.

Or sometimes a banana with two tablespoons peanut butter, and two eggs hard cooked in one teaspoon olive oil with herbs. 

And always coffee!”

– Sarah Dimitratos, UC Davis BS nutrition ’16, current dietetic intern, Sodexo NYC

Chocolate Shake (with Chia and Flax) or a Tofu Scramble

nutrition tea sweet
Maddie Cole

“On most work days I have a chocolate protein shake with added chia seeds and ground flax.

If I have a little time, I’ll do a tofu scramble with toast and some kind of vegetable.”

– Ayanna Campbell, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16, currently researching the connection between sleep restriction and cardiovascular disease

Eggs with Gluten-Free Toast or Oatmeal

nutrition cream pastry
Caty Schnack

“I usually eat eggs and gluten-free toast, sometimes with bacon. Or sometimes oatmeal or cereal.”

– Shaneen Malick, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16, current med student at Columbia University Medical Center

Coffee, Bananas and Oats

nutrition mocha milk
Gabby Phi

“Coffee with almond milk and a banana

Also oatmeal with almond milk, cinnamon, sliced banana, and toasted almonds.”

– Catherine Sobieski, MS Human Nutrition, Columbia University ’16, current researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering, NYC

Well, there you have it — what people with actual nutrition degrees eat for breakfast. No matter what your preferred morning fuel is, I wish you the most delicious of lattes and the most enjoyable dancing banana oatmeal-filled dreams. 

Katherine has been involved with Spoon since the early days of the NYU chapter. She continued to write for Spoon while earning her master's degree in human nutrition at Columbia University and authored the Spoon Guide to Healthier 2016. Katherine likes to avoid wearing real pants, hanging out with her rescue pup Millie, drinking iced coffee in all 4 seasons, and baking vegan treats (yes, Baker is her last name). Katherine is now a student at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health and learns about how climate change impacts human health and nutrition (#school5ever). Hit her up on Insta (@katherinebaker4) and kbaked.com for more #relatablecontent.