We all know that fiber is critical for health. This macronutrient plays key roles in our digestion and gut health. While fiber supplements are always an option, getting fiber from whole foods will always be better for you. And, where better to start than breakfast foods with fiber?
Breakfast is, after all, still considered the most important meal of the day. What you eat for breakfast has strong impacts on everything that happens afterward. If you unexpectedly skip breakfast or eat sugary cereal, then you might find yourself running on empty before too long.
On the other hand, a nutritious breakfast will help to keep you satisfied and will stave off sugar cravings. Getting enough protein in your breakfast is a good goal too, but we often overlook just how critical fiber is.
The foods and meals in this list are all healthy breakfast choices that also happen to be rich in fiber. Some of them are meals in their own right, while others are ingredients that could complement another meal. You might even have small amounts of different breakfasts at the same time.
Breakfast Foods With Fiber
Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is sometimes considered extravagant (and it can be expensive if you order avocado toast at a café). Yet, avocado happens to be a good source of fiber. It’s a particularly delicious breakfast too, which is one reason that avocado toast continues to be popular.
You can increase your fiber intake still further by using whole grain bread or, better yet, sprouted bread for your toast. Sprouted bread relies on whole grains that have been sprouted. These are sometimes ground into a flour and sometimes left whole.
The sprouting process may mean that you get more nutrients from sprouted bread than you do from regular bread. If you can’t get sprouted bread, look for breads where at least some of the grains are visible. This means that they haven’t all been ground into flour and the bread may be healthier overall.
Nut Butter On Toast
Nut butter is another good choice for fiber, along with protein and healthy fats. Peanut butter is the obvious choice here, as it is the easiest to find and least expensive type of nut butter.
There are many other options too, such as almond butter, cashew butter, and even sunflower seed butter. Each type will have its own specific combination of nutrients.
You can increase the fiber content even further by relying on bread where some of the seeds and grains are still present. This is often the case with sprouted bread, but you’ll sometimes see it with other types of bread too.
Adding sliced fruit on top of the nut butter can help too, like sliced apples. Sprinkling chia seeds on top of the fruit or the nut butter is another easy way to add fiber. Honestly, you can sprinkle chia seeds on almost anything, as the little seeds are almost flavorless.
Oatmeal
Oats are a fantastic source of fiber, particularly because they include soluble fiber that has been linked to decreased cholesterol levels. Oatmeal is also a filling meal that releases energy slowly. This means that you’ll stay satisfied and won’t end up with sugar cravings an hour or two after breakfast.
The nutrients in oatmeal make it appealing for weight loss too.
If you’re going to rely on oatmeal, try to avoid the premixed instant oatmeal packets. While these are convenient, there are often additives and artificial ingredients present as well. Many of these packets also end up having less fiber and more sugar than you’d get in oatmeal that you prepare yourself.
Overnight Oats
Oatmeal might be the most common way to use oats, but overnight oats have some distinct advantages too. The idea is that you’re prepping your oats the night before. These can be then eaten cold the next day or slightly warmed up.
Overnight oats aren’t boring either. Recipes often use multiple add-ins to create a stunning flavor. Many of these add-ins, including berries, nut butter, spices, and chia seeds have health advantages of their own.
Chia Seed Pudding
Like overnight oats, chia seed pudding is a fairly modern breakfast choice. It is also a very good choice for fiber, as the little seeds are high in fiber. They contain other nutrients too, including plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.
The dish works well because chia seeds are a little unusual. They become gelatinous when they’ve been in liquid for a little while. Because of this, you just need the seeds and some type of liquid to create a pudding-like consistency.
This is where the fun comes in – as you can add in whatever other ingredients that interest you. Fruit is a common choice. Relying on berries here could increase the fiber content of the meal even further. Nut butter or nuts on their own can be appealing too. Using nuts in any form would give your dish a decent boost of protein too.
A Decent Smoothie
When it comes to health, smoothies are very hit and miss. Some of them are powerful sources of nutrients and plant-based compounds, while also tasting amazing. Others end up containing few nutrients, plenty of sugar, and more calories than a candy bar.
Making a good smoothie involves careful planning. You’ll want to focus on high-quality smoothie add-ins, especially ones that are nutrient rich.
Nuts, seeds, and vegetables are especially important for boosting your fiber intake. Including some handfuls of spinach or kale is a good place to begin. You can even add in cruciferous options like broccoli or cauliflower, as long as you blend them in well.
A Smoothie Bowl
Smoothie bowls are a great way to kick your smoothie up a level. This time you’re making a much thicker smoothie. The thickness means that you can serve the smoothie in a bowl and then eat it with a spoon.
Eating your smoothie rather than drinking it is a useful trick. Doing this makes your breakfast last longer and may even mean that you end up more satisfied from your meal.
It’s also very easy to add fiber-rich toppings onto your smoothie bowl. Granola is a common choice, along with sliced fresh fruit. You could also turn to chia seeds or coconut flakes. The end result can look stunning and tastes even better.
Parfait
A parfait is another way to enjoy multiple healthy ingredients at the same time. The basic idea is that you’re creating layers, often using yogurt, some type of grain or cereal, and fresh fruit.
This style creates plenty of opportunities for fiber rich ingredients. There are no strict rules about how to make a parfait either, so you can easily vary the ingredients that you use based on your own preferences. For example, some people use dried fruit instead of fresh fruit, or use shredded wheat rather than granola.
Your parfait doesn’t need to be wheat-based either. You could just as easily use another type of grain. It’s even possible to make a parfait using chia seed pudding for some of the layers.
Egg Roll Bowls
If you like the idea of eggs for breakfast, but want something that offers much more fiber, then egg roll bowls could be perfect. These Instagram-worthy meals have been catching on recently and it’s easy to see why.
An egg roll bowl aims to mimic the flavors of a Chinese egg roll, but in a much healthier way. You usually end up with a combination of freshly cooked vegetables and eggs, all in a delicious sauce. The meal is fast to prepare too, so it’s easily something you could make for your breakfast.
Roast Vegetables
Roast vegetables might sound like an odd breakfast choice, but why not? There’s no need to stick to the classic breakfast flavors first thing in the morning. In fact, some of the traditional breakfast meals from around the world often rely on unexpected flavors (like some of the English breakfast foods or Japanese breakfast foods, for example).
Roast vegetables can also make for an easy breakfast, as they can be prepared the day before. The roast vegetables that you have for breakfast might even be leftovers from dinner the night before.
If you’re looking for a hearty breakfast, then roast vegetables alone won’t do it. You’ll also need at least one decent source of protein. Having an egg or two on the side (or on top!) of your meal is an easy way to achieve this.
You can also take the protein bowl approach. A protein bowl involves multiple components that are served together in a bowl, often with some type of dressing. A grain or pseudograin is often included as the base for the bowl. Quinoa is one example, which happens to provide you with fiber too.
You could easily include roast vegetables in such a protein bowl, along with various other ingredients. This approach gives you plenty of fiber, protein, and no shortage of nutrients.
Energy Balls
Whether they come in bar, bite, or ball form, energy balls can be a good source of nutrients. Many of them offer a decent amount of protein and fiber per serving. This isn’t too surprising either, as the recipes are often packed full of nuts, seeds, oats, and other similar ingredients.
However, just like with smoothies, you need to choose the recipe carefully. For every one healthy and delicious energy ball recipe, there are probably a dozen or more low quality ones that aren’t very good for you at all.
Some energy balls end up being full of sugar and have a worse nutritional profile than many candy bars. This might not be obvious at first glance either, as such products market themselves as being natural. But, let’s be clear, a large amount of sugar from dates or some other type of fruit is still sugar – and this isn’t what you want first thing in the morning.
Instead, look for products or recipes that keep the sugar content low, while focusing on ingredients that are full of fiber and protein. Even then, this type of breakfast should be a last resort. It’s always healthier to sit down and eat a full breakfast. Doing so gives your body time to digest what you’re eating properly, while meaning that you can actually enjoy the flavors.
Potato Hash
A potato hash (or sweet potato hash, if you would like) is an easy way to enjoy vegetables in the morning. You don’t even need to do any cooking the night before, if you don’t want to.
Instead, you can microwave the potatoes until they are mostly cooked and then finish them off in your frying pan. This provides the crispy texture that you’re looking for, without keeping you in the kitchen for too long.
Most of the time you’ll want to include other ingredients in this dish too. Red peppers and onions are a good addition. Beans work well too, as these offer you plenty of protein and fiber.
Baked Beans On Toast
Speaking of beans, you could also try baked beans on toast. This is a popular English breakfast that hasn’t fully caught on in the United States, but canned baked beans are easy enough to try, so why not give it a try?
The meal is easy to prepare, which is a major advantage. Other breakfast that rely on beans tend to take more work or require you to prep something the night before.
Scrambled Eggs With Greens
Eggs are fantastic as an easy source of protein. After all, they’re fast to cook and can be made in so many different ways. The problem is that they don’t offer much protein.
This can be easily remedied by preparing greens at the same time as the eggs. An easy way to do this is to add some chopped veggies into the scrambled eggs. Spinach and avocado are both easy choices.
Or, how about making an omelet instead? Greens work well in an omelet, along with any other fillings that you’re interested in.
Breakfast Veggie Bake
Breakfast bakes are perfect if you’re serving a crowd, as you simply need to combine the ingredients and then throw the whole dish in the oven. The meal can even be enjoyed cold or reheated, so you could easily prepare it the day before.
Breakfast bakes tend to rely on eggs and sometimes cheese as key ingredients. The eggs make the meal filling and, more importantly, they help to bind the ingredients together. Eggs don’t offer much fiber, but you can increase the meal’s fiber content easily by adding some vegetables in.
One trick is to rely on roasted vegetables. This way all the work has already been done for you and you’re using vegetables that have plenty of nutrients.
If roasted vegetables for breakfast don’t sound quite right, how about using ingredients like bell peppers and tomatoes instead? This combination might not give you as much fiber, but you’re still increasing your fiber intake a bit. Besides, you can always play around with the ingredients until you find a combination with plenty of fiber that also tastes good.
Whole Grain Pancakes
Pancakes aren’t all that healthy, as they rely on processed flour that will quickly spike your blood sugar. However, you can certainly make pancakes better for you. One step is to rely on whole grain flour rather than white flour.
The toppings you choose can also make a difference. Berries, for example, are high in fiber. You could also spread nut butter on top of the pancake to make the meal more filling. A sprinkle of chia seeds or ground flaxseeds would help matters further.
Breakfast Burritos
Breakfast burritos can easily include a decent amount of fiber. Using whole grain wraps is one way to achieve this. Salsa, beans, and vegetables can be added in too. These ingredients all offer fiber, while adding to the flavor to the meal too.
You can pick and choose the ingredients that you use, but the beans are easily the best choice of fiber. This is true regardless of the type of beans that you choose.
A Power Bowl
Power bowls, also called protein bowls, combine a selection of nutrient rich ingredients. You’ll often see a grain or pseudograin as part of the bowl, along with vegetables and superfoods. Other additions can include eggs and avocados.
While these bowls focus on protein, many of the ingredients are high in fiber. This is particularly true if you choose the grain well. Farro, for example, is an unusual grain that works well in bowls. Quinoa can be a good choice too.
Power bowls can be flavored however you like. For example, a sweet breakfast bowl might focus on oatmeal or chia seed pudding, berries, coconut flakes, and perhaps some granola. A savory one could rely on eggs and bacon instead, perhaps with some greens.
Of course, you don’t need to rely on breakfast ingredients at all. The type of bowl you might make for dinner would give you a delicious and hearty breakfast.
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