Healthy Office Breakfast Ideas

Updated April 13, 2018
fruit and juice on a desk
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Need a few healthy office breakfast ideas? If you're busy, you definitely don't want to skip your morning meal. Breakfast sets the course for your eating habits throughout the day. And eating right all day long is essential when you're trying to lose weight. The following resources can help you plan and prepare a healthy breakfast.

Healthy Office Breakfast Ideas

You're most likely to make the best healthy breakfast at home.

But what if you just don't find the time to eat at home before you leave for work? Forget high-calorie breakfast sandwiches at the drive-through. It's easier than you think to have a healthy breakfast at the office with these ideas.

You'll need to have healthy eating supplies on hand. Stock up for a week's worth of healthy food and keep supplies in your desk drawer or in the break-room refrigerator. Some of my favorite office-friendly breakfast ideas include:

  • High protein (low-calorie) snack bar.
  • Shelf-stable milk (such as Parmalat)
  • Peanut butter on a whole-wheat English muffin
  • Frozen whole-grain waffle with banana
  • Single serving high-fiber cereal plain or with skim milk and berries
  • Greek yogurt and chia seeds
  • Hard-boiled egg and berries (like blueberries or raspberries)
  • Fresh-squeezed juice and a handful of almonds
  • Apple (or any piece of whole fruit) and string cheese
  • Oatmeal packets without added sugar
  • Whole wheat toast with avocado
  • Plain yogurt with sliced bananas and a handful of nuts

You'll notice that these breakfast ideas are foods that contain whole grains, protein, and fiber—all nutrients that provide energy for a hard day's work. They also help you to feel full longer so that you're not tempted to snack in the mid-morning.

Tame Office Treat Temptation

If there is food at an early morning meeting and you left home without eating breakfast, it's virtually impossible to resist a treat. If you don't have any healthy office breakfast supplies on hand, there are a few tricks you can use to keep your healthy eating plan on track.

First, keep an eye on portion sizes. If you choose to indulge in an office treat, eat a small single serving and then walk away. And don't be sucked in by sugar. Remember, typical office foods, like cookies, pastries, and doughnuts give you a temporary energy rush. But then you crash later.

Be mindful of the difference between eating because you're hungry and eating because there's food available. Know the difference. If you're not truly hungry, don't eat. Avoid the food altogether. If you feel your resolve is waning, try to sit away from, or with your back to, the snacks.

Your Office Breakfast Back-Up Plan

It's important to have a backup plan for situations when you just can't seem to get it together in the morning. If you don't have a chance to get any food, but you can't do without your morning coffee, make sure you choose the lowest calorie coffee drink at Starbucks or your favorite shop.

For example, a tall nonfat latte has just 100 calories and 10 grams of protein and will stave off hunger for a while