In an ideal world we would be able to make all our food from scratch and always have time to sit down and enjoy it. It is so much better for our mental health and digestive system when we are able to slow down, eat mindfully, and thoroughly chew our food. Buuut, sometimes life gets in the way and that is just not realistic.
Luckily nowadays there are so many great food companies making pretty healthy premade foods that are still conducive to nutrition goals! Below is a roundup of some great breakfast options – not sponsored by any of them, just a curated collection of great choices for you all to have on hand!
Criteria:
So how exactly did these items make my list? I focused on three primary areas: ingredient quality, ingredient amount, and nutrition label.
I looked for items that had a relatively short list comprised of easy to pronounce ingredients. Additionally, I tried to look for foods comprised of quality ingredients similar to what a dish would look like if you made it at home. And though none of them are perfect in their ingredients, they come closer than their competitors and are great convenience options!
Another element I factored in was the nutrition label. This element was much harder to take into consideration since nutritional needs vary so much from person to person, but that’s where your personal judgement comes in. You can assess the products and their serving sizes and gauge whether you would need multiple servings or need to pair another element with the dish (ie fruit with an egg sandwich, protein shake with oatmeal, meat source with waffles, etc). Overall though I sought out labels with sufficient protein, minimal added sugar, and carbohydrates and fat from quality sources.
One thing you should be mindful of though is the sodium counts in some of these premade breakfast options. Sodium is not typically a huge issue for healthy individuals or those who sweat a lot through exercise, but if it is something you watch in your diet just make sure to drink lots of water with your meal! (As you always should be hydrating anyway!) 😉
Healthy Store Bought Breakfast Foods:
Evol Chicken Apple Sausage, Egg White, and Cheddar Breakfast Sandwich
Simple Truth Quinoa and Red Pepper Omelet Bites
- Gluten free
Kodiak Cakes Homestyle Power Waffles
Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Classic Oatmeal
- Gluten free, paleo, vegan
Simple Truth Canadian Bacon Breakfast Sandwiches
- Gluten free, vegan, dairy free, plant based
Kashi Gluten Free Original Waffles
- Gluten free, vegan
Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Muesli Cup
- Gluten free, vegan, paleo
Great Low Carb Everything Bagels
Purely Elizabeth Superfood Oat Cups with Granola
- Gluten free, vegan
Creamy Basil Veggie Morning Bowl
- Vegetarian
This list is great to save off and have on hand if you are ever in a pinch at the grocery store and need to pick up some easy convenience foods. So even though I am a huge proponent of the majority of a cart coming from the fresh outer aisles, sometimes life calls for easy and quick! Thankfully there are a few healthier hidden gems out there!
What food from this list are you excited to try? Let me know in the comments!
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