It’s no secret that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. At this point, you’ve given up arguing and accepted the fact that you need to eat something before rushing out the door for class. Breakfast is known to boost your resting metabolism and get you started for the day, and by alerting your body you’re starting the day without going hungry, it’s proven to put you in a better mood.
If you still need some convincing, you can read all the facts here. Hop out of bed, and head to the kitchen every morning, afternoon or whenever you wake up. In the long run, those health-packed breakfast food options should be taken advantage of around the clock. Don’t let that snooze button be an excuse to skip them.
Eggs
Photo by Lauren Feld
There’s no better place to start with breakfast foods than with the all-mighty egg. But it’s not just the fact that eggs taste great and are great for you, but also that they can be made in so many delicious forms.
What’s really important about your eggs is to ditch the fried option, and choose another cooking method to get that healthy kick to your diet. Fun fact: there’s just as much protein in the yolk as in the whites, so you don’t even need to skip them!
In addition to protein, there’s tons of memory-boosting choline, making this food necessary for every college student. Eggs also contain amino acids, good fats, vitamins and more minerals than I can list. There’s even lutein for your eyesight, which is especially important if you spend time in front of a computer screen, aka every college student today.
Go for some eggs for breakfast, lunch and dinner for memory, eyesight, protein or whatever else you need! Need some inspiration? Here are 18 clever ways to eggs all day long.
Oatmeal
Photo by Becky Hughes
If you frequent Spoon, you know we all have an obsession with oatmeal and for good reason. Oats are one of the best breakfast foods you can choose to fuel your brain and keep you full for a long time.
Even better, though, are all the amazing options to take your oatmeal from bland to outstanding. Berries? Peanut butter? Honey? Cinnamon? Nuts? Add them all, or try some of these perfect combinations. Or, if you’ll be in a time crunch the next morning, plan ahead with these super easy overnight oats.
Berries
Photo by Hannah Lin
Speaking of foods to power up your brain, the antioxidants found in berries like blueberries, strawberries and cherries are linked to improved short-term memory. Sounds like the ideal pre-test snack to me. For an even better treat than eating them straight out of the container, try snacking on frozen berries, or get more fun ideas from this guide.
Bananas
Photo by Marykate Surette
Another tasty fruit, bananas are loaded with potassium and vital minerals to keep your blood pressure and stress down. The fruit also combines perfectly with so many other foods to make for the best morning or snack-time treat. Smother bananas with some peanut butter to match it with all the protein, fiber, vitamin E and healthy fats found in the nutty spread, and you have the ultimate snack for anytime of day.
Avocados
Photo by Samantha Thayer
As if you couldn’t get enough of the green goodness already, here are some more reasons to eat more avocado. They’re loaded with potassium and heart-protecting mono-saturated fats, so they’re important for helping keep blood pressure and stress low.
Plus, avocados go perfectly with eggs no matter how you choose to combine them, but we recommend the always Insta-ready egg baked inside an avocado, or these seven other ways to eat your avocados.
Milk
Photo by Yonatan Soler
Got milk? With all the protein, vitamin B, vitamin D and bone-building calcium found in milk, it’s no wonder Mom poured you a glass of this drink that really should be added to the superfoods list. It helps to relieve tense muscles, especially after a good workout. If you drink a glass before bed, you’ll have a more restful sleep, so I guess Mom was always right about that, too.
This childhood drink shouldn’t be forgotten by the time you get to college, but it is important, however, to reach for skim or 1% rather than the fattier options. If you’re feeling fancy, you can go for almond milk instead, or even make it yourself.
Coffee
Photo courtesy of gudd-gess.de
It’s no surprise that most college students only find themselves drinking milk in their coffee, but it turns out this is a combination for health just as it is for taste. Coffee has tons of antioxidants, but there’s much more to it than just that. To learn more, read about all the myths of coffee exposed.
Don’t sweat it if it takes coffee to get you out of bed in the morning; it fuels your body and mind in a healthy way. If coffee alone doesn’t cut it for your breakfast, try these coffee snack combos.
Whether it’s first thing in the morning, after your workout, snacking in the library or even a quick dinner, breakfast foods are always the solution. It’s no secret this first meal of the day is the most important one, and it’s no coincidence that the foods you find yourself eating in the morning are great for your brain and your body.
Keep eating them all day long and using the excuse to brunch away all day, because that’s something we all know we need a little more of in our lives.
For some more breakfast reads every college student needs to check out: