By now it’s not news that breakfast does a body good, replenishing energy, kick-starting your insulin response, and even preventing heart disease.
But when life throws too much onto our plates, the most important meal of the day often also becomes the most ignored. And even those who do squeeze in a morning meal—whether it’s toting processed granola bars to work or school; grabbing a greasy bacon, egg, and cheese on their commute; or dipping into the box of donuts someone’s brought to the office—are missing one key ingredient: fiber.
Less than 3 percent of Americans meet the recommended daily intake of 25 to 30 grams of this essential digestion-promoting, cholesterol-loweringnutrient! Make your breakfast an easy opportunity to change that, with these 32 quick recipes that pack in 5 grams or more per serving.
Sweet Oats, Bowls, and Other Grains
1. Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl
Superfood chia gives this breakfast concoction its slow-digesting carbohydrates, and as a result, its incredible staying power. Take two minutes out to mix it up the night before so that you can wake up to a meal that will fuel you with healthy fats, 12 percent of your daily value of calcium, and of course, plenty of fiber.
Fiber per serving: 10 grams
2. Chocolate Strawberry Oatmeal with Kale
Well aware of kale’s numerous health benefits, but still can’t stomach the stuff? A spoonful of cocoa helps this fiber-filled, vitamin-rich leafy green go down, along with some other ingredients to lend additional bulk to the meal, including rolled oats, a smattering of sliced fruit, and nut butter for that stick-to-your-ribs satiety. The combo may sound unlikely, but it’s also way too intriguing not to try.
Fiber per serving: 10 plus grams
3. Delicious Mocha Oatmeal
Kick up your old oatmeal with instant coffee, cholesterol-lowering grains, plus fibrous banana and walnuts to fill you up. Factor in the 17 grams of protein also packed into one serving (thanks to the nuts and milk), and you can bid that mid-morning energy crash goodbye.
Fiber per serving: 8.8 grams
4. Seedy Peanut Butter Toast
As quickly assembled as peanut butter and jelly, this toast is edible proof that getting your daily dose of fiber requires much less effort than many think. Just replace the fruit spread with a sprinkle of chia and flax. Not only will the simple switch jump-start your digestion, but the seeds come with B-vitamins, calcium, and fatty acids for blood, bone, and heart health. PB&J has got nothing on this!
Fiber per serving (1 teaspoon each chia and flax, 2 teaspoons peanut butter): 12 grams
5. Vanilla and Overnight Oats
If figs don’t feature in your regular grocery rotation (and for more then 98 percent of Americans, they don’t), this recipe may just change that. Just two pieces of the fresh fruit, along with a few anti-inflammatory dates per serving amp up this overnight, vanilla-kissed oatmeal to a naturally sweet and doughy bowl crammed with calcium, potassium, antioxidants, and fiber.
Fiber per serving: 15 grams
6. Quick and Easy Sweet Brown Rice Breakfast Bowl
Don’t limit brown rice to dinnertime menus! There’s no reason this nutty, fiber-riffic grain can’t take center stage in your breakfast too. It’s sweetened with maple syrup (hey, antioxidants!), paired with date and apple chunks, and spiced up with cinnamon for a gluten-free bowl that’s as healthy as oatmeal and as yummy as rice pudding.
Fiber per serving: 7.8 grams
7. Strawberry and Quinoa Parfait
Boasting all the essential amino acids, quinoa on its own would give this meal an impressive protein and fiber profile. Alternate layers of seeds with cloudy pillows of Greek yogurt and a sprinkle of walnuts for some hunger-quelling fat, and you’ve elevated this heart-healthy breakfast to indisputable superfood status.
Fiber per serving: 9 grams
8. Blueberry Fiber Starter
Composed of fruit, seeds, and almond milk, this Paleo-friendly breakfast may be free of gluten, dairy, soy, but it’s positively loaded with fiber and fatty acids. Don’t let the high fat content deter you: Now that we know that lipids can boost brain health, starting the day with them is a smart choice.
Fiber per serving: 21.6 grams
Savory
If beans on toast can be a breakfast item, why not lentils? This recipe sautés the low-glycemic, iron-, and magnesium-boasting legumes with fragrant accompaniments. including soy sauce and immunity-protecting garlic. Pile them onto slices of whole wheat bread for a long-lasting punch.
Fiber per serving: 15 grams
Homemade pizza for breakfast? It can be done! Not only does using chickpea flour eliminate the tedious kneading, chilling, and rising process of traditional pizza dough, but just a third of a cup packs in almost 4 grams of fiber, an impressive 7 grams of protein, and a ton of folate for cell health. Top with eggs, avocado, and salsa, and you’re looking at a single-serving (not to mention gluten-free!) powerhouse of nutrients that comes together in a flash.
Fiber per serving: 7.4 grams
Who says that salads should be ignored before noon, especially if they’re as filling as this one? Far from a limp pile of greens, it combines buttery avocado with slices of smoked salmon for extra bone-protectingvitamin D, and ditches a complicated dressing for a simple drizzle of avocado oil. With all the healthy fats packed alongside the fibrous vegetables, you’ll be spared the embarrassment of a grumbling tummy when that morning meeting runs past lunchtime.
Fiber per serving: 10.9 grams
Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, there are plenty of delectable ways to enjoy and reap the cholesterol-fighting, whole-grain benefits of oatmeal. This savory version includes the unique combination of pine nuts and feta to bulk up the bowl, with just a hint of sweetness—and antioxidants—from the figs.
Fiber per serving: 9.9 grams
Beverages
If a whole banana and two hefty spoonfuls of peanut butter weren’t enough to power up this smoothie, there’s also some oats and a tablespoon of chia seeds too. The result is a portable PB&J, full of complexcarbohydrates and fatty acids that will guarantee you’re not hungry an hour later.
Fiber per serving: 15.9 grams
Thanks to the canned stuff being available year-round, there’s no need to wait until the fall pumpkin craze to get your orange squash fix. Treat your taste buds—and your eyesight—to this beta carotene-packed smoothie, where pumpkin joins forces with spinach and chia seeds for a more filling alternative than any pumpkin spice latte.
Fiber per serving: 12.6 grams
If black bean brownies can be a thing, why not try the chocolate plus legume combo in a smoothie? It tastes like cake batter and is brimming with fiber from theblack beans, bone and blood-strengthening vitamin K from the spinach, and omega-rich fatty acids frompeanut butter. We call that a breakfast win.
Fiber per serving: 10 grams
