When you think of breakfast foods, vegetables probably aren’t at the top of your list. More likely, you think of things like egg dishes, cereal, waffles and pancakes. And sharing the plate with those foods? Probably a side of fruit.
Vegetables often take center stage of other meals—a salad for lunch, a vegetable stir-fry for dinner. But their appearance on a breakfast plate is surprisingly rare. “There’s no reason not to include vegetables into your morning meals,” says Sarah Hutchinson, R.D., a registered dietitian at Henry Ford Health. “And there are plenty of good reasons why you should.”
Why Vegetables Are So Essential
The truth is that most of us don’t get enough vegetables in our daily diet on a regular basis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people need to eat 2 to 3 cups of vegetables every day (in addition to 1½ to 2 cups of fruit). But up to 90% of Americans fall short of those recommendations.
“You not only want to get enough total veggies, but you also want to be sure to eat a variety of different ones,” says Hutchinson. “That’s what helps you get a diversity of many important nutrients.” Eating a variety of vegetables is often called “eating the rainbow,” because it includes vegetables of all colors. The different colors provide different phytonutrients and important antioxidant vitamins.
Research has shown that getting the recommended servings of veggies (and fruit) helps lower your risk of death from several diseases, including cancer and heart disease.
The Power Of Vegetables At Breakfast
“It can be difficult to get enough servings of vegetables into your daily diet if you don’t eat some at every meal,” says Hutchinson. “Working at least a half cup of veggies into your breakfast can help you achieve your daily goal.”
Of course, sneaking some vegetables into your breakfast can also greatly up the nutritional value of your morning meal. “Making vegetables part of your meal not only improves the nutritional balance,” says Hutchinson. “It also helps reduce your overall calorie intake because the fiber in the veggies makes you feel fuller.”
Veggie Breakfast Ideas
If the idea of breakfast vegetables has you stumped, Hutchinson has some suggestions. “First of all, you don’t just have to eat ‘breakfast foods’ at breakfast,” she says. “You could heat up a cup of vegetable soup in the morning or sauté some greens and add a fried egg on top.”
Delicious and nutritious veggie breakfast ideas include:
- Smoothies that include some carrots or spinach (veggies that are sweet blend best with fruit)
- Omelets or tofu scrambles with some chopped spinach, bell peppers and mushrooms
- Mexican-inspired eggs topped with tomato salsa
- Savory oatmeal or grits with chopped spinach or grated carrots
- Breakfast sandwiches topped with lettuce, cucumbers and tomato
- Muffins made with carrots or zucchini (use whole grain flour and keep the sugar low)
- Breakfast burritos packed with sautéed greens and peppers
Since breakfast is a meal often made—and eaten—in a hurry, plan ahead to make adding breakfast vegetables easier. “Have a variety of vegetables already prepped and ready in your fridge, such as greens that are washed and chopped, grated carrots and sliced peppers,” says Hutchinson.
Reviewed by Sarah Hutchinson, a registered dietitian for the Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.
