Breakfast

The term breakfast denotes that it is the meal that breaks fast i.e. the fast during sleep. As it is the first meal of the day, we have breakfast in the morning. In the weekdays, most of the American people have a quick breakfast. But on the weekend or holidays they have a lavish traditional breakfast. On the working days the breakfast consists of coffee or any snack on the way to office. They can buy the fast food or bring it from their home. The contemporary breakfast therefore should be a quick preparation and convenient.

The popular dishes of the quick breakfast list are breads, pastries, flavored cupped yogurts, fruits, instant oatmeal and granola and many more. You can also use leftovers of the previous meal to make breakfast. A more elaborate breakfast may contain fried or scrambled eggs, one kind of meat and starchy dishes. A basic combination of breakfast is starchy foods like toast, pastry, cereals, pancakes and porridge, fresh fruits and yogurts. You can also have only the starchy foods in your breakfast also.

Eggs are very popular in the quick breakfast preparation. They take such an important place in the breakfast that they are considered out of place in other courses of meals. You can have the sweeter and less spicy versions of egg offerings such as egg-filled sandwiches of croissants, hamburgers without the regular vegetable garnishes and breakfast burritos or tacos filled with eggs and cheese, often with more additions like meat or beans.

A combination called country breakfast with omlette, sausage or bacon, hash browns, sausage with gravy, coffee, toast with jam or jelly and fruit juice is quite popular. There are restaurant chains in United States who specializes in the breakfast dishes like pancakes and the country breakfast. You can find the cuisine there at any time of the day. The trend of this quick breakfast is now popular in other industrialized countries of the world.

Make Breakfast A Daily Habit

Here's food for thought: Breakfast is widely known as the most important meal of the day, yet an ABC News poll found that nearly 40 percent of adults usually skip breakfast entirely. And more than half of all breakfast meals are consumed in 10 minutes or less, according to a study by The NPD Group, a provider of market research information.

Breakfast is particularly important for children as they head to school. Research shows that eating breakfast every day contributes to increased attention and performance. Specifically, a 2005 study featured in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that breakfast consumption may improve cognitive function related to memory, test grades and school attendance.

Fortunately, nutrition consultant Elizabeth Ward, MS, RD and author of "The Pocket Idiot's Guide to the New Food Pyramids," says there are easy ways to squeeze breakfast into a busy morning routine.

"A simple way to ensure your family members are getting the nutrients they need at breakfast is to round out the meal with a glass of 100 percent orange juice, which is a natural source of key vitamins and minerals," she explained.

In fact, one serving of 100 percent orange juice is more nutrient dense than many commonly consumed fruit juices. But make sure the label reads "100 percent juice." Don't be confused by various orange "drinks" that are made to look like orange juice but contain very few nutrients and a lot of added sugar.

"Drinking just half a cup of 100 percent orange juice is an easy, quick way to add one full serving of fruit to your family's diet, Include a glass in your breakfast, grab a bottle or fill up your favorite insulated to-go cup when on the run to increase your fruit servings and start your day on the right foot."

The morning is a busy time for families, but that does not mean you have to forgo good nutrition. Starting each day with a nutritionally balanced yet easy-to-prepare
breakfast will give you and your children the start you need to sustain energy throughout the day and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle.

Ward also offers these ideas for quick breakfasts "on the go":

• A whole-grain piece of toast with peanut butter;

• A smoothie made with 100 percent orange juice and nonfat yogurt;

• One hard-boiled egg and half a small, whole-grain bagel;

• Hummus and whole-grain crackers;

• Low-fat cottage cheese and a piece of whole-grain toast.