Sugar-free skinny vanilla latte and a bagel with cream cheese. It's quick and delicious. Unfortunately, it's also expensive. And full of gluten, lactose, and sugar. And devoid of almost any nutritional value. So I guess I should be grateful that discovering my allergy forced me to overhaul my morning routine.
When I first went gluten-free, I relied almost entirely on packaged breakfast bars with "gluten-free" on their labels. There are several decent brands, and I'd be happy to give some suggestions if anyone wants that, but eventually I grew tired of them, and I began to wonder if there was a more nutritional and cost-effective way to begin my morning. Since I also need to avoid dairy, and since I usually wake up around 5AM, I originally struggled to find something quick and easy to start my day. But I finally have a method that works for me and I wanted to share in case it helps anyone else.
Every few weeks, I buy several of these foods, and prepare them on the weekend so they're ready to grab-and-go each morning. Truth be told, I usually start with one breakfast bag or almond milk container while driving to work and I finish off a second choice during a break around 9AM. I also usually stick with the same single item or combo for the whole week, but I included them all in the picture for easy reference.
I usually drink almond milk, not soy, but I didn't want to go back to the store to exchange today's accidental purchase, so I'll be drinking soy this week. You can also find individual packages of almond milk and coconut milk in most grocery stores. When considering alternatives, it would also be easy to make this more environmentally friendly by using small Tupperware containers; I just don't have any in that size. But I do reuse some of the bags from time to time!
Here's my preferred menu for your consideration. It's important to include a variety of proteins, fruits/veggies, and carbs, so look for the balance that's best for you!
Bananas
Apples
Nectarines
Blueberries
Blackberries/raspberries
Raisins
Snap peas
Raw almonds, or smoked almonds
Almonds with honey and sesame seeds
Honey roasted peanuts, or plain peanuts
Sunflower seeds
Cinnamon Chex cereal
Chex granola
Hard boiled eggs
Turkey bacon
Soy milk, almond milk, or coconut milk
And don't forget to start your day with water!
If you have a quick trick for starting your day off right, I hope you'll share!
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