I am a massive fan of breakfast. Eggs, toast, mushrooms, bacon, spinach, pancakes – all of it. Not all together of course – well, maybe all together – but generally if I don’t start the day with something, chances are I’ll be a grumpy witch by 10am and no one will want to spend any time with me (just ask anyone I’ve ever worked or lived with).
Most often, I’m a straight muesli, yoghurt and juice kinda girl but as the weather gets cooler, you really can’t go past warm toast with vegemite or jam and a huge cup of milky tea. The satisfaction from this is greatly increased when served in bed. Preferably by Ryan Gosling, but I’m getting carried away.
For all those people who choose to skip having breakfast and stay in bed for a few extra minutes (perhaps it’s because they are sleeping with Ryan Gosling?), causing snacking and bad moods throughout the morning – we want to know why?!?
A recent study by Kraft Foods has revealed 56% of Aussies are ditching the toast and cereal on weekdays and heading straight into their day on an empty stomach at least once a week, a trend dietitians are concerned about.
Melanie McGrice, dietitian at Health Kick Nutrition said, “From a nutritional perspective it is important we start the day right by not just having something to eat, but having a filling and nutritionally complete breakfast which includes a serving of dairy, grains and fruit.”
So why are we skipping breakfast? Chances are it’s not Ryan Gosling that’s keeping you tucked up in bed, but 40% of you are sleeping in. A lack of morning routine and organisation keeps 49% of us out of the kitchen while being crunched for time (probably because of the sleeping in!) affects 36%.
But the biggest excuse for skipping breakfast is that people just don’t feel like eating first thing in the morning (65%), which I find ludicrous since the first thing I think of upon waking is whether to shower or eat first.
While we have all heard our mothers tell us that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, only 42% of us actually believe it. Many of us still attach great importance to the nostalgic ideal of sitting as a family around the table eating breakfast together, however our increasingly busy lifestyles are changing the way we eat breakfast – or, not eat breakfast.
With travel times increasing, working hours getting longer and the juggling act between getting children and ourselves ready for the day, it’s a wonder we even have time for a piece of fruit running out the door these days. Eating on the run and the rise of convenience products has given us an ‘easy out’ in the battle between nutrition and time management and it seems more and more, nutrition is losing the battle.
The newest product on the breakfast block aiming to combat the breakfast skipping phenomena are belVita biscuits, a product out of Europe providing a nutritionally balanced breakfast that can be enjoyed on the go. A four biscuit serve of belVita will not only provide four hours of sustained energy but it’s also a source of grains and fibre. When enjoyed with fruit and dairy, belVita provides the kind of breakfast that makes nutritionists happy – and will make you a more productive and happy human being to be around.
McGrice is also a fan of the product, “The great thing about belVita is that it is made with wholesome ingredients – they are rich in cereals, a source of fibre and contain five wholegrains, providing both mental and physical sustenance for the whole morning. The product allows for a breakfast experience that balances these nutritional requirements with the demands of our fast-paced lifestyles.’
So while you might think that biscuits for breakfast are a bit of a no-no, these ones are better for you than that old piece of pizza you found at the back of the fridge or the chocolate bar you bought from the vending machine at the train station. Coffee will only get you so far in the morning and do you really want your first meal of the day to be the leftover sandwiches from yesterday’s marketing meeting you found in the office kitchen?
belVita is available in three varieties, Fruit & Fibre; Milk & Cereals and Crunchy Oats, and can be found in your supermarket or convenience store.
PS If you are skipping breakfast on the weekends, there is something wrong with you. There are a gazillion AWESOME breakfast places in every city in Australia where you can find some of the best meals of the day for the cheapest prices. Going out for dinner is so last decade. Breakfast is the meal you don’t want to miss.
Here are a few of my local faves – share yours here too!
St Ali, South Melbourne
Deadman Espresso, South Melbourne
Birdman Eating, Fitzroy
Carousel, Albert Park
APTE (A Place to Eat), Alphington
Axil Coffee Roasters, Hawthorn