Finding Ways to Add Fruits and Juices to your Breakfast

By MoreFood
Breakfast

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  To eat right is important:

  • Our bodies are coming off 6 to 8 hours of fasting while we were asleep so it’s time to catch up, time to “break the fast”
  • If we fuel our bodies, we fuel our brains – which translates to better concentration, higher alertness, more creativity, and better problem solving skills
  • Eating breakfast reduces our chances of overeating during the rest of the day – helping us to stick to diets, or eat sensibly throughout the day

At the same time, many of us groan “who has time to make breakfast?” during the work week.  If we invest in just a few “prep” moments the night before (perhaps while we’re pulling together lunches for the next day) and have simple foods and drinks on hand then breakfast can be quick and easy.  So what would it cost to have some of the basic, healthful foods and drinks on hand?

  •  Grapefruit juice (frozen, 12 oz. can, makes 48 oz.) – $1.68
  • Orange juice (frozen, 12 oz. can, makes 48 oz.) – $1.41
  • Bananas – $0.57/lb.
  • Strawberries – in season – $2.28/lb.
  • Milk (1 gal, skim) – $3.29
  • Yogurt (32oz., low fat, plain or vanilla) – $1.99
  • Cereal (14 oz. Corn Bitz, or 12.8 oz. Rice Bitz) – $2.49
  • Pancake & Waffle mix (32 oz., Buttermilk or Original) – $1.46

TOTAL:            $15.17

With $16.00 in FNS/SNAP benefits, or using your own grocery dollars, you can add these groceries to your monthly morning lineup!

If you buy in-season fruits your grocery costs will be lower.  And, farmers markets or self-pick farms often sell fruits at lower costs than grocery stores because they have reduced storage and transportation expenses.  Here’s what’s in-season in North Carolina (NC).

How can you save time in the morning?  By doing a bit of prep work the night before.  Here are three quick ideas:

Mix ahead:

  • Thaw juice cans, mix with water
  • Mix yogurt with fresh fruits (except for bananas)

Cook ahead:

  • Make pancakes/waffles to reheat in the toaster/microwave in the morning (or eat cold)

Package into individual servings (using small cups or baggies) for “on the go” finger food eating:

  • Cereal – to be eaten dry
  • Fruits – package washed and sliced fruits (for apples, dip slices in a lemon juice/water mixture to eliminate browning)

<Prices are from Kroger on 5/16/12 (store brands)>

Thanks to Chris Lyn “jet_star” (Flickr) for the breakfast plate photo on the home page; and, thanks to Aleksandar Cocek “tamburix” (Flickr) for the strawberries photo below.