Healthy breakfast ideas

For many people, breakfast is the most important meal of the day in terms of nutrition, satiety and getting those early morning energy levels fired up and ready for the world. But did you know that breakfast can also determine your Points budget for the remainder of the day? In addition to laying out basic tips for building a better breakfast, we’ve compiled our healthiest breakfast recipes all in one place so that you can begin the day with a nourishing, low Points meal and continue eating your favourite foods all day long.

• Lean protein (eggs, lean meat, poultry, tofu or legumes)

• Low-fat dairy or non-dairy alternatives* (milk, cottage cheese, skyr or Greek yogurt)

• Whole grains (high-fibre hot or cold breakfast cereal, whole grain bread or English muffins)

• Fruits and vegetables** (include non-starchy, seasonal produce whenever possible)

*Choose a fortified, higher protein non-dairy option such as soy milk or oat milk.

**Choose fruits and vegetables that are fresh, frozen or canned in water or extra-light syrup.

• Cold cereal and milk topped with sliced fruit

• Cottage cheese, berries, and a piece of whole grain toast

• Rye crackers or crispbread, extra-thick Greek yogurt, smoked salmon and cucumber

• Soft- or hard-boiled eggs, refried beans and salsa

On busy mornings, it’s easy for a balanced breakfast to fall by the wayside — even a bowl of cereal or a slice of toast can feel too involved. Each of the recipes listed below is ideal for making ahead of time and enjoying throughout the week; they can even be frozen in airtight containers for up to a month. For increased satiety without losing convenience, consider adding-on a piece of fresh fruit or a container of pre-portioned yogurt or cottage cheese.

Whether you’re a fan of frittatas or an aficionado of avocado toast, we’ve compiled our healthiest savoury breakfast recipes below, all of which will increase your Points budget for the rest of the day while keeping you full until lunchtime. Packed with protein, healthy fats and other important nutrients, eggs are number one when it comes to readily available nutrients, ease of preparedness and price. To keep the Points low, the nutrients high and the flavour impactful, we’ve replaced traditional ingredients such as quiche crust, white bread and bacon with seasonal vegetables, English muffins, Canadian bacon and chicken or turkey sausage.

If you prefer breakfast on the sweeter side, you’ll definitely want to give these naturally-sweetened recipes a try. Instead of relying on traditional ingredients like sugar and oil, many of these delicious breakfast options make use of healthy ingredients such as cottage cheese, oats, applesauce, berries and other fruit to achieve similar results. Bananas, which add flavour, a creamy texture as well as B vitamins and potassium have myriad uses in a wide range of breakfast recipes.

While the ingredients in any given breakfast beverage might seem healthy, store bought smoothies, juices and coffee beverages can easily have Points values in the double digits (with price tags to match). Learning to become your own barista not only gives you complete control about what goes into your morning brew or shake, it’s also a lot of fun to make your own specialty drinks at home. Instead of whipped creams and high-sugar syrups, these drink recipes are made with healthy ingredients such as almond milk, tea, instant coffee and protein powder.