Breakfast Substitutions to Help Your Health & Budget

This month I am focusing on switching expensive, minimally nutritious breakfast foods with those that cost less and keep you healthier. Each of the items I suggest are not only lower in calories and fat, but they also supply you with vitamins and nutrients that some breakfast foods may lack. They will also save you money on your grocery bill because less processed foods cost less.

Instead of boxed cereals, most of which are loaded with sugars and preservatives, choose oatmeal. Higher levels of sugar can cause spikes in blood glucose levels which can leave you with a feeling of tiredness and increased hunger. Oatmeal is high in fiber and complex carbohydrates, and therefore it takes longer to digest, preventing blood sugar drops and making you feel fuller longer. However, buying instant oatmeal packets can be costly, but it's easy and economical to make them yourself.

Homemade Instant Oatmeal

This recipe is for one serving of instant oatmeal. It may be convenient for you to grind up some ground oats into a powder, using a blender or food processor, beforehand so you can use them as needed.

Ingredients - makes one serving

• 1/4 cup Quick Oats
• 2 Tbsp powdered oats
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add boiling water to desired thickness.
3. Let thicken for 2 minutes then, enjoy.

If a trip through the drive-thru for breakfast is the way you start your day, there are many cheaper and healthier alternatives. Fast food, although convenient, is loaded with saturated fats which harm your heart, not to mention how expensive it is if you visit often. The following recipe is a healthier choice and takes just a little more time to fix than sitting in line at the drive-thru.

Alternative Breakfast Sandwich

It will save time if you hard-boil your eggs ahead of time, a day or two in advance.

Ingredients

• 1 whole grain English Muffin, toasted
• 1 slice low-fat cheese
• 1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
• 1 slice veggie Canadian bacon (optional) or
• 1 slice smoked turkey breast, sliced thick (optional)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a non-stick skillet.
2. Heat your turkey breast in the skillet, flipping once, until crispy on the edges.
3. Right before turkey is done, toast English muffin.
4. Assemble your sandwich. Place your turkey on top of the bottom layer of the English muffin, follow that with your egg, then your slice of cheese, then the top of your English Muffin.

Please continue on to the next page to learn additional alternative breakfast foods that are cheap, cheerful and good for your health.