Simple, Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Nutrition doesn't have to be hard. One of the trickiest parts of staying on a healthy diet, though, is the inconvenience of having to plan out meals and cook three times a day. When you're tempted to buy your breakfast on the way to work or scarf down a couple of donuts on the way to class, here are some good ideas instead.

1) Omelets. They're not that hard to make, and if you really spice it up, you'll feel like you're being treated to a sit-down meal at a breakfast restaurant. I save time by buying egg cartons with just the whites from the grocery store -- only 60 calories for the equivalent to 3 egg whites. Use fat-free cheese and throw in as much spinach, tomato, and whatever else as you'd like. I like to combine cheddar cheese with a handful of spinach, onions and tomato for a low-fat but tasty meal.

2) Cold cereal. You might think cereal is all packed with sugar and dangerous on a diet, but there are plenty of healthy options that can keep you feeling guilt-free as you put together a quick breakfast. Here's the problem we often run into: a serving size is usually about a cup of cereal, and sometimes less. Any idea how small that actually looks? Instead of loading up on 3 servings of your favorite Kashi or Special K cereal (making their low-calorie promises useless), chop up some fresh fruit and give it more substance. I like to enjoy some Kashi cereal with 1% milk, sliced strawberries and banana in the morning. It's a delicious combo and wonderfully healthy!

3) Oatmeal. Not that pre-packaged, sugary berry kind, but the plain oats. When you mix in your own fruit, you keep it low-cal AND tastier! There's no need to mix in all that brown sugar, maple syrup, and whatever other additives that strike your fancy if you cook your oats with some delicious fresh fruit. Try it with some mashed banana or a handful of blueberries.

4) Fruit and yogurt. This is one of the simplest but tastiest meals I enjoy on a daily basis. Top off some sliced fruit with a little bit of yogurt and granola. I like to slice up a banana with strawberries and blueberries, using either plain or vanilla yogurt with Nature Valley granola. It's my favorite combination of flavors ever!

5) Smoothies. For those of you who REALLY don't even have the five minutes to spare eating cereal in the morning, try blending a smoothie for yourself and taking it with you in the car. The trick is not to go overboard with all that sugar and yogurt. Stick to a serving of yogurt, a few pieces of fresh fruit, and some greens to get a serving of veggies in there. I know what you're thinking -- sounds gross to put spinach or celery in your smoothie, right? Wrong! The taste of the fruit overpowers the veggies. Trust me, it's delicious.

There you go. Five simple, tasty, and healthy ways to start the day. Getting a good start to the day is easier than you think, and your body will thank you for it!