Everyone’s talking about the approaching “bathing suit” season, and it’s hard to escape it. Someone we know is in Orlando this week, where tank tops and shorts abound. For some of us (and by ‘us’ I mean ‘me’), we’re thinking now is a good time to say goodbye to some winter pounds and start preparing for summer.

Looking good in a bathing suit isn’t the only reason to start eating healthy. More importantly, being healthy on the inside makes us feel good and gives us more energy. And what better way to start than with a healthy breakfast. After all, everyone seems to be in agreement that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Unfortunately, it’s also the most neglected or skipped meal of the day. But having a balanced breakfast helps you perform better at work, home or in school. It helps fight distraction because it makes you feel more alert.

Having a healthy breakfast doesn’t mean oatmeal everyday, although if you follow this link and look at eastcolomom’s Baked Apple & Peanut Butter Steel Cut Oats, oatmeal everyday might strike you as a great idea. You can also pour yourself a bowl of healthy cereal and top that with some fruit. Or you can take an extra minute or two and assemble a lovely parfait of yogurt, granola, and berries as a nice morning treat, like mybakingaddiction’s presentation of Homemade Granola below. You can even change it up by trying different flavors of granola to add a little variation. We’ve got a few ideas below, like Great Granola with Cherries and Almonds from ThreeManyCooks. Eating raw, vegan or gluten-free doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy granola too, as elanaspantry shows us in her Raw Vegan Gluten Free Granola on the bottom right.

 
 
Sometimes, it just feels like a pancake kind of morning. Or at least maybe toast and something sweet to spread on it. We’ve got healthy options for that, too! From whole wheat pancakes with flax meal and a dairy-free French toast that uses coconut milk instead of milk and butter, you can enjoy a healthy breakfast that almost feels like you’re cheating.

Clockwise from top left: Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pancakes from zoedawn, Delicious Dairy Free French Toast from Woven & Spun, Favorite 100% Whole Wheat Bread from ericalea that you can top with Ree’s Pumpkin Butter, Lemon Cottage Cheese Pancakes with Strawberries from twopeasandtheirpod, and Whole Wheat Oatmeal Pancakes from mrnate.

 
 
Maybe you’re more into a hearty, savory breakfast with eggs. And you want more than the usual ways to prepare them. Take a look at the different egg recipes below and take your pick! They look so good, I’m thinking I wouldn’t mind any of these for lunch, too.

Clockwise from top left: Eggs with Tomato on Toast from A Cozy Kitchen, Perfect Poached Eggs and Sauteed Kale on Toast from foodwoolf, Turkish Eggs from ioh10, Spinach & Portobello Mushroom Frittata from bell’alimento.

 
 
There’s no question that even serial breakfast-skippers (serial … cereal … oh, puns are already swimming in my head!) might change their ways if only someone would take the time to get breakfast ready for them. The main reason for this widespread breakfast brushoff is time. Often, we’re just too rushed and too pressed for time. If it’s that kind of morning for you, how about parking your blender on the counter and keeping containers of cut up fruit and vegetables in the refrigerator so you can throw together a quick smoothie?

Clockwise from top left: Mango Orange Smoothie from savorysweetlife, Green Smoothie from bzarbee2, Katy’s “I Love You” Smoothie from iloveyoufood, Sunrise Breakfast Smoothies from myrecessionkitchen, Pumpkin Smoothie from ChristineA, and a Blueberry Yogurt Smoothie from Ree.

 
 
What’s that, you say? Sometimes you don’t even have the time to make a smoothie? I hear you. Instead of picking up a power bar at the newsstand, or a muffin at the bagel store, how about making a batch of grab-and-go breakfast options instead? After all, you still have to take the time to grab your keys on your way out. It won’t take extra time to grab one of these too, and because you can make them ahead of time, you can simply plan to prepare them whenever you can fit it in your schedule.

Clockwise from top left: Lemon Blueberry Spelt Muffins from jillscleankitchen, Homemade Granola Bars from Karly Campbell, Granola Blueberry Muffins from A Cozy Kitchen, Homemade Protein Bars from Cooking Ventures, and awesome Raw Goji Cacao Energy Bars from rawmazing.

 
 
And there you have it! Just a few suggestions to get your day off to a healthy start. Breakfast jump starts your metabolism, helps curb your hunger and keeps you from binge eating later in the day. And if you’re going to start making the effort to eat breakfast, then why not do it right?

 
Okay, your turn. Do you have trouble getting into the habit of having a healthy breakfast? Or do you already have a well-planned breakfast game plan? If so, I’m sure you’ve got great ideas and suggestions. We’d love to hear them!

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