I like to buy breakfast foods like a shakshuka kit and almond croissants at Trader Joe’s. Leah Kern As a dietitian and ex-Trader Joe’s employee, I turn to the grocery chain for many breakfast staples. Honey Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are versatile enough to go in lots of satisfying meals.
If I want something warm to start my day, I’ll go with multigrain waffles or an almond croissant. Frozen waffles were a childhood staple for me. I top my waffles with a dollop of yogurt.
Leah KernI sometimes enjoy these frozen toaster waffles, a childhood favorite of mine, with just butter. But when I’m looking for the waffles to keep me fuller for longer, I like to add a scoop of full-fat Greek yogurt, thawed frozen fruit, and maple syrup. From a gentle-nutrition perspective, which is about choosing foods that satisfy your cravings while still honoring your health, the multigrain waffles offer carbohydrates and some fiber, the Greek yogurt has protein and fat, and the berries add more fiber.
I like to dip my bread in Trader Joe’s shakshuka. Shakshuka is a great, warm breakfast to start the day with. Leah KernThis frozen shakshuka starter kit is an easy way to throw together a rather gourmet breakfast.
Just heat the sauce in a pan and add as many eggs as you desire. Once the eggs poach to your desired yolk firmness in the tomato sauce, it’s ready to serve. I also like to sop up the eggs with some crusty bread, like Trader Joe’s ciabatta rolls, with a hearty amount of butter.
The butter adds fat, which contributes to the satisfaction of the meal. You could also add fat by topping the dish with crumbled feta, goat cheese, or even a drizzle of tahini. Quinoa Cowboy burgers are perfect in a scramble.
Trader Joe’s veggie burgers break apart super easily in the pan. Leah KernA veggie burger might seem like a strange item to have for breakfast, but when I first tried making these patties in a pan, they got so crumbly I decided to add an egg and create a scramble. I topped the mixture with shredded cheese and plated it over a bed of spinach, and it has become one of my favorite easy breakfasts.
The burger has corn, beans, peppers, and quinoa so the dish essentially ends up as a veggie breakfast scramble. I like topping with hot sauce and adding toast on the side for more crunch. The burger contributes tons of fiber from the veggies and quinoa, the eggs add protein, the cheese has fat, and the quinoa in the burger offers carbohydrates, making this a satisfying, optimized breakfast.
Honey-flavored Greek yogurt pairs well with waffles or granola. Honey-flavored yogurt has just the right amount of sweetness. Leah KernWhen I struggled with my relationship with food, I wouldn’t allow myself to have yogurt with any type of sweetener because diet culture fearmongered me into believing that I should avoid sugar at all costs.
Now, as an intuitive-eating dietitian, I know if we’re not satisfied with our eating experiences, we’ll want more food even if we aren’t actually hungry. I now love sweetened yogurt, and this honey-flavored option from Trader Joe’s is my favorite. It’s a great, versatile staple to add to a smoothie, scoop on top of your waffles, or enjoy with fruit and granola.
If you’re craving a pastry, try almond croissants. Trader Joe’s almond croissants feel indulgent. Leah KernNot every meal you eat has to be nutritionally optimized.
Sometimes you might crave a pastry for breakfast and there’s nothing wrong with that. Intuitive eating teaches us to remove the morality associated with food — a pastry is not inferior to a smoothie, they just offer different amounts of micro and macronutrients. I love to enjoy Trader Joe’s almond croissants with a cup of tea for a cozy, satisfying breakfast.
The best part is, even though they’re frozen, they taste like they’re fresh from a local bakery. The texture of Trader Joe’s shredded-wheat cereal is super satisfying. Cereal is always a classic breakfast staple.
Leah KernAs an intuitive-eating dietitian, I remind my clients that amidst “trendy” foods like acai bowls and avocado toast, it’s OK to choose a simple breakfast like cereal. I keep a box of cereal around for mornings when I don’t feel like making anything too involved. This frosted, shredded option is my current favorite because the way the milk seeps into the little crevices between the wheat strands is so texturally satisfying.
From a gentle-nutrition perspective, cereal can be a completely optimized meal. You have carbohydrates and fiber from the cereal and protein and fat from the milk. I enjoy whole milk but if you want a lower-fat alternative, you could add a scoop of peanut butter or some nuts to the cereal.
Make “toast” or an egg sandwich with hash browns. Hash browns can be used as a side or a substitute for bread. Diana BlinkhornHash browns are an easy item to keep in your freezer to help you spice things up at breakfast time.
I discovered these hash browns when one of my college roommates cooked them with eggs and bacon to create a meal that looked restaurant-quality. I like to use these hash browns as a base for avocado “toast” or add them to an egg sandwich on mornings when I have a bigger appetite. I have a slice of sourdough almost every day.
Some people are surprised to learn that I eat a slice of bread almost every morning. Leah KernMany people are surprised to learn that I, a registered dietitian, have a piece of sourdough toast with butter for breakfast most mornings. Though it’s not nutritionally optimized or Instagram-worthy, my appetite is usually low first thing in the morning during the work week.
A piece of toast with butter gives me the quick hit of carbs I need to feel energized in the morning. Since this breakfast isn’t very high in fiber or protein, I keep in mind that it likely won’t keep me full for very long. On mornings when I have back-to-back client calls and need more sustained energy, I’ll pair the toast with a protein-packed smoothie to slow the absorption of carbohydrates into my bloodstream.
On more relaxed mornings, I’ll opt for just the toast, knowing there’s nothing wrong with simply eating again when I get hungry. Cottage cheese can be used in a protein-packed meal. As an adult, I appreciate the versatility of cottage cheese.
Leah KernWhen I was younger, cottage cheese’s texture kind of creeped me out — but when I tried it in high school, I realized what I had been missing. These days, I like to have a tub of cottage cheese topped with honey, cinnamon, and fruit for an easy protein-packed breakfast. If I’m in the mood for a crunch, I’ll spread some on a rice cake or a piece of toast and drizzle it with honey and fruit toppings.
Put a tropical fruit blend in a smoothie on a hot morning. Trader Joe’s tropical-fruit blend includes bananas, pineapple, strawberries, and mango. Leah KernIn the summer, I always have a few bags of this frozen-fruit medley on hand.
For a simple breakfast on hot mornings, I make a smoothie using this fruit blend, honey Greek yogurt, milk, and oats. This smoothie has lots of staying power since it has all the macronutrients, including carbohydrates from the fruit and oats, protein and fat from the Greek yogurt, and fiber from the oats. I also love topping this smoothie with a hefty amount of whipped cream for that satisfaction factor.
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From: insider
URL: https://www.insider.com/best-breakfast-foods-trader-joes-from-former-employee-dietitian-2022-8
