5 Healthy Breakfast Options With Oatmeal

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and that's not for nothing. Having breakfast is important as it provides you with the necessary fuel to kick-start your day – especially after not eating for a few hours while you were asleep. Your body needs protein in the morning to support and repair your muscles. Slow carbs, found in grains, nuts and seeds, are also interesting. Slow-releasing carbs gradually provide you with constant energy during the first hours of the day while leaving you feeling satiated, allowing you to concentrate better.

Oatmeal is a superfood in its own right. It’s a good source of carbohydrates and fibre, and it’s packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Are you stuck having the same old buttered toast for breakfast? Do you lack time to make breakfast? Read our tips for a varied and healthy breakfast with oatmeal.

1. Porridge or oatmeal porridge

Oatmeal porridge is a classic. Oats are cheap and nutritious; it's no surprise that our parents and grandparents often had it for breakfast. If you think you don't have time to prepare porridge in the morning, then we have good news for you. There are organic instant porridges that you can prepare in no time. Just add hot water, stir, let it sit for a while, and you're done! Garnish your bowl of porridge to your heart's content with bits of fresh fruit, berries or nuts.

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  PerfectBio Oatmeal Porridge 250g, organic

  € 4

  ✔ Instant oatmeal porridge
  ✔ Enriched with fruits, nuts and seeds
  ✔ Ready quickly, just add hot water
  ✔ Gluten-free, lactose-free, without soya or added sugar

2. Overnight oats

Do you want to roll out of bed and grab breakfast without a second thought? Then overnight oats are just the thing for you. Overnight oats are oatmeal flakes that you prepare in the evening and keep covered up in the fridge for one night. By morning, you will have a ready-made breakfast that's nice and sweet because all the ingredients got a chance to settle during the night. Use organic muesli as a base or make it yourself.

Mix equal amounts of oatmeal flakes and (plant-based) milk or yoghurt. It might take a while to find the perfect ratio at first so that it doesn't get too dry or too wet. Add banana slices or some raisins, chia seed, coconut flakes or sunflower seeds. You can also add your favourite toppings in the morning.

LTR: overnight oats, granola and muesli

3. Muesli

Muesli is actually as old as the hills. The very first muesli was created around 1900 at a health resort in Switzerland. Dr Maximilian Bircher-Benner invented a porridge of grated apples, soaked oat flakes, lemon juice, milk and nuts and served it as a light evening meal at his sanatorium. He was convinced that these ingredients were healthier than meat, preserves and white sugar. Muesli in Swiss-German means 'puree' or 'mash-up'.

Nowadays, you can find many variations of this original muesli recipe in the shops. Although muesli is generally unsweetened and unroasted, many brands still add sugars. Luckily, there are also organic mueslis to be found without added sugars, and you can also create your own muesli. The basis for muesli consists of oatmeal flakes, dried fruits such as raisins, and some nuts and seeds. 

Add muesli to yoghurt or (plant-based) milk, and spruce up your breakfast with some berries (from the freezer), fresh fruit or toppings such as chocolate flakes or coconut chips. Delicious!

4. Granola

Granola is muesli that is baked crispy in the oven in a layer of oil, often coconut oil. Honey is usually added to make the granola nice and sweet. That crunchy, sweet bite is a nice consolation for having to leave your comfy bed.

Granola seems like a less healthy option because it has extra sweetening. But there are organic granola options that are sweetened naturally with dates or superfoods such as goji berries and coconut flakes.

You can eat granola in the same way as muesli, with either yoghurt or milk. It's also delicious to snack on dry after exercising or as a healthy treat during the day.

5. Pancakes

Many people are filled with childlike joy when they spot pancakes on the menu. There are protein pancakes on the market that contain much higher levels of protein than regular pancakes. These types of pancake mixes consist of gluten-free grains, such as oats, and plant proteins, such as brown rice. This makes them a very interesting high-protein snack after an intensive workout. They are also a great option for people on a diet thanks to their slow carbs.

Enjoy your pancakes, guilt-free, by making them with this type of batter filled with nutritious ingredients. Cook a stack of pancakes on a Sunday and save whatever is left in the fridge. But make sure to keep it healthy, and add blueberries with some maple syrup instead of sugar.