Vegetables for Breakfast

For many, the idea of having vegetables for breakfast can seem absolutely absurd. Especially when it comes to our our children having breakfast. Lunch-yes, dinner-yes a brunch with avocado and grilled vine tomatoes-yes. But not first things in the morning, and certainly not before school.

Culturally, in the UK, this seems so far removed from the norm that many people can find the idea repulsive, as if their taste buds wouldn't allow them such a savoury dish at that time of the day. Even if the breakfast of choice is overnight oats or a hearty whole-oat porridge, these are more often than not sweetened with banana, apple, cinnamon, berries, honey or maple syrup. Then there's the more processed choices such as toast and jam or cereal with milk, all of which is sweetened to some degree; be it with sugar, glucose-syrup, sweeteners, coconut nectar or just the sugars within milk itself.

However, starting the day with a hearty dose of veg can stabilise your blood sugar and put you on a good footing for the rest of the day. The spectrum of nutrition from vegetables and unprocessed plant foods such as fibre, vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients (plant chemicals), can give your gut and mood a boost first thing, and sustain your hunger for longer. These unprocessed plant foods are well documented now to reduce inflammation which in turn can improve a whole host of ill health around hormone imbalance, inflammatory disease, mental health, diabetes and cardiovascular disease (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6722630/).

Such dishes can include a veg packed omelette, or a courgette kuku as I learnt about whilst reading the card inside my recent Riverford veg box. You could also go for a dollop of hummus (preferably homemade) with some leaves, red cabbage, walnuts, chopped apple and toasted rye or wholemeal pitta. Or a simple stir fry with brown rice, shredded cabbage and carrot with tofu or poached eggs, finished with toasted mixed seeds, soy sauce (Kikkoman) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. There are also an infinite number of recipe ideas as we look towards different countries and cultures such as curries, stews and soups. It's not always about packed every type of veg into one meal either, have the confidence to strip it back and choose a couple of items plus some herbs and spices to flavour.

For so many of us, time will be the biggest barrier when trying to get the kids out the door for school and/or ourselves to work. If you can then prep as much as you can the night before- even whilst cooking dinner so there's just one lot of prep to do. You could dice some veg, shred some cabbage and carrot and pop it in a tub in the fridge overnight. You can even pre-whisk and season your eggs so it's all ready to chuck in a pan the next morning (which you can get out of the cupboard ready and have sitting on the stove top ready to go!).

Just remember, change takes time. Set yourself up to succeed by not putting any pressure on yourself. If busy lives take over, identify one day to try a veggie packed breakfast to start with and notice how it makes you feel. You can do the same with the kids, you could even identify one day a week to start with where you will have a blitzed up spinach and tomato omelette (to hide any of those horrifying lumps that some kids (including mine!) cower at the sight of). Talk to your kids about why veg is important and how exciting it can be; the colours the textures and tastes; it can help to stop them getting poorly, it helps to looks after their bodies and keep them healthy, and makes you feel happier. Then, if the next day you have to grab for the Cheerios don't feel bad or guilty; you have started that change and planted the seeds in your families heads that actually vegetables for breakfast can be done and can be delicious, which is just incredible.

You may already do this anyway, if you fast overnight and sometimes skip breakfast, your first meal may well be a veggie packed lunch or brunch. You may have already noticed how that sustains your hunger in the following hours, and that can apply to breakfast too. Just note, it might take a little time for your taste buds to adjust to a different breakfast food group, particularly if you usually include a lot of sweet flavour.

Give it a go, and combine with a good source of protein such as eggs, tofu, chickpeas and/or wholegrains. If you are able to then you could go an extra step and add a few extra fresh herbs, a sprinkle of cayenne or turmeric just to boost that plant variety and flavour. Then when you can, take your veggie breakfast into the office, notice the curious looks and share the conversation :)

Good luck!