Best way to start the day

She says:

I am a firm believer that having breakfast does wonders for starting your day in the right direction. Perhaps my conviction is in part due to the fact that my father was quite insistent about breakfast for the kids in the house – I remember him saying he didn’t care if I was late for school, I had to have something to eat. Needless to say I learned to get up a bit earlier and decide what to wear faster! But some thirty years later I am grateful for that good habit not only because it is supposed to be good for my brain but also it is better for my weight. I really love breakfast foods, and many of them are things that you don’t get for lunch or dinner. So, if you miss breakfast, you miss out! Let me show you what I mean...

What could be better than a warm stack of pancakes with melting butter and maple syrup, kept company by a few slices of crisp bacon or a couple of sausages? (It’s best if the sausages or bacon ends up with a bit of maple syrup on them too). Okay, perhaps you are more of a savoury fan, so you would rather a fluffy omelette with sautéed wild mushrooms maybe or a bit of smoked salmon...or even just a few slices of melting Camembert and some fresh herbs, along with a slice or two of toast and some homemade preserves? Even if you like to sleep in and have your breakfast closer to lunch time on the clock, you can’t tell me that you wouldn’t love to indulge in these delicacies at least once in a while!

And, you can’t forget that hot beverage. Whether you are a tea lover or a coffee aficionado, either of these drinks is best enjoyed when you can wrap your fingers around the cup and drink in not only the taste but also the aromas of your favourite friend. They say that people who have the time to warm their hands on a hot drink in a mug are friendlier to anyone who approaches them, even if it’s a stranger. In times of turmoil why would you not want to start the day in a more positive light?

Breakfast specialties from different places are often quite unique as well, and so I recommend not sleeping in too late on holiday either. On a trip to Mexico years ago I had a steaming bowl of “arroz con leche” (rice pudding is the best translation). It completed a foggy morning at the local town market perfectly and not only by warming me up. The aroma of the cinnamon with the milk adding to the exotic smells of the dried chiles I saw in the stalls and the brilliant colours of the woven goods for sale. When I lived in France one of my favourite things was the fresh just-from-the-bakery that morning baguettes with sweet butter (unsalted), dipped in my mug of hot chocolate. I have never been able to duplicate that same combination of flavours and textures outside of France, but then that is part of the fun.

My last pitch for breakfast as an essential meal is the ability to have it served in bed. Nowadays with everyone eating everything on the run and TV’s existing in most rooms of the house I suppose people might eat other meals in bed. However I think it is an easy sell to say that nothing is more decadent than breakfast in bed. I am happy to say my husband spoiled me this Valentine’s Day with just that, and it was truly magnificent. He cooked eggs the way he always does (perfectly) and there was toast, and homemade jam, and hot coffee (as always) but in bed it became Breakfast at the Ritz. That just made my day.

So, the next time you and your partner have a day off, organize a nice leisurely breakfast. If you have kids, get them to make you breakfast in bed. You will not regret it, I promise you. You may even skip lunch.

He says:

Well, I try to have breakfast everyday, but sometimes it turns out to be brunch! I do enjoy grabbing a pastry at Matterhorn bakery in Westbank. I know being busy keeps us from eating sometimes. So many people still don’t eat in the morning and by 11am they are feeling the sugar low, so they grab a snack which is often not that great.

If you want to set yourself for success but can’t make time for breakfast, buy some healthy snacks and leave them in your drawer at the office. When you get your next sugar low, reach in and have a handful of nuts or some dried fruit – that way you can keep working, making your boss happy and not poking your eye out from falling asleep on your pencil.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.