Best Healthy Fruits for breakfast, fruit and veggie platter for lunch, and steamed green veggies for dinner. Sounds delicious doesn’t it? Incorporating fruits and vegetables in our diet helps us to get healthy and also makes us feel full and energetic throughout the day. However, selecting the right fruits is a challenge as many of us don’t know what kind of fruits we should be consuming at different times of the day.
BEST FRUIT FOR BREAKFAST
If you’ve been wondering ‘is fruit good for breakfast’ or ‘what is the best fruit to eat in the morning’, we have the inspiration you need. Here are our favourites to get you inspired the next time you’re planning a fruity affair for breakfast.
BEST FRUITS FOR BREAKFAST
Whether you love them for their delicious taste, their colourful appeal or because you’re aiming for your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, one thing is for sure: fruits are amazing. So, if you want to get everyone in the family excited about that first meal of the day, make sure you keep the fruit bowl topped up!
Nature has given us a wonderful selection of sweet, sour, and even slightly bitter flavours to enjoy. This means there are so many ways to make breakfast exciting, whether you’re a fan of single fruit cereal toppings or can’t resist a good fruit combo. Yummy! And since fruit makes a great pair with breakfast cereals, we’ve also added a few tips on how to enjoy them best. Have your shopping list ready and let’s dive in:
CITRUS BREAKFAST: ORANGE, LEMON, LIME, GRAPEFRUIT
Deciding what is the best fruit to eat in the morning often comes down to the sweet or citrusy choice. If citrus is the winner, the good news is that the superstars in this category are all deliciously refreshing. Oranges, lemons or grapefruits taste great no matter the season. Why not add them to your favourite overnight oats recipe for a tangy twist or add a bit of orange juice to a Cheerios cereal smoothie and enjoy the sweet-sour flavour?
EXOTIC TWIST FOR YOUR MORNING MEAL: BANANA, MANGO, PINEAPPLE, COCONUT
Apples are great, but let’s be honest – they’re not the most exciting of fruits. If you want to make your breakfast extra special, think tropical fruits. Luckily there are plenty to choose from and so easy to purchase from any supermarket. The beloved banana is still one of the best fruits for breakfast and it goes so well with a bowl of breakfast cereal. If you want to be a bit more adventurous, you can add a few more ingredients and turn it into a delicious cereal milk banana cream pie. Check out our easy recipe if you want to give it a go.
Or why not go for a tropical fruit combo with a coconut and mango smoothie? Add Shredded Wheat, yoghurt and vanilla in the blender and you’ve got yourself a delicious breakfast in five minutes tops!
BERRIES EXTRAVAGANZA: STRAWBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, RASPBERRIES
You can never go wrong with berries. Red, blue, purple – choose your colour. Or even better, have them all. They look so good sprinkled on top of your favourite cereals and taste even better with their sour-sweet flavours making an impression in every spoonful.
If you can’t decide which one to go for and are still wondering what’s the best fruit to eat in the morning, we don’t blame you. They’re all equally enticing. So why not choose a berry mix instead? You can sprinkle them on top of cereals, add them to a smoothie or even create your own signature berry bars. Our Cheerios Fruitylicious Apple and Berry bars recipe is a great start.
AMAZING STONE FRUITS: CHERRIES, PEACHES, PLUMS
These juicy fruits are seasonal and known for making the best jams ever. But no matter what choice you go with, they’re bound to get on well with the rest of the morning food in your bowl or plate. Cut them in bite-sized pieces, toss them on your cereals and you’ve got an awesome breakfast even the fussiest eater in the family will ask you to repeat. Want to impress them even more? How about a yummy peach crumble and topping made with Cheerios?
DRIED FRUITS TO FOR A DELICIOUS MORNING MEAL: DATES, RAISINS, FIGS, APRICOTS
‘Dried’ and ‘food’ don’t usually make a great combination. But that stops being true when it comes to fruit. It’s not just that dried fruits such as raisins or dates are very delicious. They’re also extremely convenient. Fresh fruit is great, but it’s a matter of days before they stop being tasty or go bad. Dried fruit doesn’t have that problem. Plus, you can enjoy it all year round. So why not stock up on your favourite ones? This way whenever you ponder which fruit to have with your breakfast you know you can jazz up your morning routine just by going to the cupboard. Add cinnamon and cocoa powder to your stash and you’ve got the perfect combo for many morning meals to come.
Don’t forget that tinned fruit and frozen fruit are also extremely convenient options giving you plenty of delicious combinations for your breakfast cereals. Fill up your cupboard and freezer with your favourite ones and you’ll always have a colourful and tasty breakfast, no matter the season.
7 fruits and veggies you can have instead of bread for your breakfast
The white bread contains preservatives and other additives. So, replace it with these 7 healthy veggies and fruits for breakfast.
For many people, bread and butter is a quick go-to option for breakfast. After all, its preparation is simple, convenient and inexpensive! Bread, which is often prepared from a dough made of flour and water, comes in different varieties, but the most of them, particularly white bread, are refined grains with a high glycemic index and low on nutritional value. It, in fact, falls into the high-carb food category. So, it may be wise to look for healthy alternatives to bread! Try some nutritious veggies and fruits for breakfast.
Health Shots spoke to Roopshree Jaiswal, Consultant – Dietitian/Nutritionist, Motherhood Hospitals, Mechanic Nagar Indore to find out best fruits and veggies for breakfast.
Here’s why fruits and vegetables are better than bread
Jaiswal says, “Compared to fruits and vegetables, the amount of essential nutrients in bread is somewhat low. It rather contains a lot of calories and carbohydrates and is low in protein, fat, fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
So what is the alternative? There are plenty of healthy foods that can take the place of bread on your table, but fresh fruits and vegetables are what first come to mind. The fact that fruits and vegetables are a wonderful source of important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants makes them healthy.
Here are 7 fruits and veggies that will replace bread from your breakfast:
1. Potatoes
They are high in carb content and fiber which make them a good choice to keep your gut health and weight in check. In fact, adding them in your breakfast will provide you complex carbs which are good for those following an intense cardio workout regime.
2. Bell peppers
We love to add colors to our meals and nothing can be more colorful, filling and healthier than bell peppers. They are rich in several essential nutrients including vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid, and fibre.
3. Apples
We can go on and on about the benefits of this fruit. Starting the day with an apple salad will be a healthier and tastier alternative to bread. Being rich in fibre and antioxidants, apples are linked to a lower risk of several diseases such as diabetes, heart health and cancer.
4. Lettuce
If you like to start your day with wraps, you can use lettuce to make one. You can also add your favorite healthy fillings and sauces to make it even more tasty.
5. Cabbage
Cabbage is rich in dietary fiber, vitamin K and C and if you don’t like to start your day with a leafy salad, you can use cabbage leaves to make wraps just like lettuce.
6. Carrots
Vitamin C, calcium, iron, biotin ,vitamin K1, potassium, vitamin B6, and lutein are all present in carrots. Carrots are tasty even if you eat them raw. But if you want to be a bit experimentative about it, you can use it in salads or wraps.
7. Pineapple slices
Pineapples are a tasty fruit. Be a bit experimental with pineapple and make your own antioxidant rich morning snack.
Healthy breakfast ideas: 15 ways to eat more fruits and vegetables
If you want to lose pounds and maintain a healthy weight, focus on increasing the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat. This strategy is more impactful—and more likely to become a lifelong habit—than trying to completely cut out other foods that you love.
Fruits and vegetables are key to a well-balanced and healthy eating plan. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some types of cancer and other chronic diseases. Fruits and vegetables also provide essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and other substances that are important for good health.
So let’s start with breakfast. How can you eat more fruits and vegetables at breakfast? Here are 15 healthy breakfast ideas to try:
1. Add veggies to an omelet or scrambled eggs.
Substitute some vegetables for one of the eggs or half of the cheese in your usual omelet or scramble. Experiment with onions, peppers, tomato, spinach, mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli, and carrots.
2. Try a smoothie.
Whip up a convenient to-go breakfast in the blender using fruit and yogurt or milk. Get tips and your first recipe to try.
3. Sandwich ’em in.
Add sliced tomato and avocado to an egg sandwich.
4. Add veggies to potatoes.
Sauté some onions and peppers into hash browns.
5. Stir fresh or frozen fruit into pancake batter.
Serve with berries or sliced bananas on top as well.
6. Top off cereals and more.
Add fruit to oatmeal, ready-to-eat cereal, yogurt, or a toaster waffle.
7. Get creative with cottage cheese.
Slice a cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds. It’s now an edible bowl you can fill with cottage cheese! Or simply mix your favorite fruit into a more traditional cup of cottage cheese.
8. Mash and spread avocado.
Use mashed avocado on toast or an English muffin instead of butter.
9. Mix in pureed fruit.
Blend fruit into cream cheese to top a bagel. Note: this isn’t the same as using fruit-flavored cream cheese. Purée real fruit for the healthy version.
10. Broil fruit.
Broil grapefruit halves or sections as well as pre-cut oranges.
11. Open a smart sandwich.
Make an open-faced sandwich of cottage cheese and avocado on whole grain toast or an English muffin.
12. Make a fruit roll-up.
Start with a whole wheat tortilla, spread peanut butter, and add fresh or dried fruit. Bonus: this one travels easily for mornings on the go.
13. Prep egg-and-veggie muffins.
Fill muffin tins with eggs and veggies. Bake once and enjoy all week, or place some in the freezer to warm up on hectic mornings. Get recipes.
14. Keep fruit handy.
Keep a bowl of cut, ready-to-eat fruit in the fridge to enjoy as a side with your usual breakfast.
15. Grab fruit and go.
Apples, bananas, and plums are nature’s fast foods—fresh or dried. They’re mess free in the car, too!
What Does a Healthy Breakfast Look Like?
Trying to make healthier food choices can sometimes feel overwhelming and frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be. Eating well is possible. The more effortless we make it, the better chances are that we actually stick to it.
We asked Charlotte Furman, a registered dietitian and Technology and Wellness Manager in the Department of Food and Nutrition at UW Medical Center, to help us understand what a healthy breakfast should look like. Furman loves breakfast—it’s her favorite meal of the day. The goal is not to feel like you are depriving yourself of anything, but instead rewarding yourself—with new patterns, new flavors, and hopefully renewed energy and improved mood and health.
Why is breakfast important?
Breakfast is important for several reasons. Eating a meal in the morning provides necessary fuel for your body and brain. It can also help regulate hunger, reducing the urge to snack throughout the day. For children, eating breakfast has been positively associated with academic performance, as well as a decreased risk of obesity.
What foods make a nutritious breakfast?
For the most nutritious breakfast, try to choose whole, unprocessed foods from each of the five food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy. Try to include proteins from foods like yogurts (look for varieties with less sugar added), eggs, nuts and seeds or legumes. Also try to include complex carbohydrates such as whole fruits and vegetables, and whole grains (i.e. oatmeal) that provide fiber and will help you feel full longer.
What should my breakfast never lack?
As with any meal, it’s important to focus on your overall diet and not on any one meal in particular. Making sure your breakfast usually contains a vegetable and/or a fruit serving is a great way to make sure that you are getting in enough fruits and vegetables throughout the day.
What foods should I limit?
The main foods that I would recommend limiting in the morning are processed cereals or pastries which contain a lot of added sugars and little nutritional value, as well as breakfast meats such as sausage and bacon which have been shown to increase risk of some cancers when eaten regularly, and which are also high in saturated fats, which increases risk of heart disease.
So, what are some examples of a balanced, healthy breakfast?
Here are some ideas:
- Oatmeal with fruit and flax or chia seeds
- Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and banana
- Whole wheat toast with pesto, avocado and egg
- Whole wheat crepes with yogurt and fruit
What would you recommend for someone like me who is never hungry early in the morning, and only feels like eating a very light meal?
The great thing about breakfast is that its timing can be flexible. Even if you don’t eat immediately after waking up, try to make sure to space your meals out so that you don’t get too hungry at a particular time, which can lead to eating too fast or too much.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be large or complex. Start with something simple like a banana & peanut butter or a cup of yogurt with fresh fruit, or make a smoothie using lots of fresh fruits & vegetables. You can even add in some ground seeds (flax or chia) for added fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
Do you have any tips on how to plan in advance?
Many breakfast foods can be prepped in advance, or require very little preparation. One of my favorite breakfasts when I have little time is overnight oatmeal. Oatmeal can be combined with fruit & milk (any kind) and put in the refrigerator the night before and is ready to eat in the morning – no cooking required!
Usually I use blueberries and a banana, but any combination of fruit works fine. Another great option when you are in a time crunch is a piece of fruit like apple or banana with some nut butter or Greek yogurt with granola; these can be made ready in minutes. You can also make breakfast scramble wraps or mini-frittatas that can be frozen individually and microwaved in the morning for a quick breakfast.