Link Up with SFHL as Week 1 of SFHL52 & Healthy Eats Challenges Come to a Close

Week 1 of the SFHL52 & Healthy Eats Challenges are coming to a close. For some people, seven days of eating breakfast is not a challenge. For others, it is a new way of eating; a substantial change to their daily routine. The health benefits of eating breakfast are undisputed yet, like so many other not-so-healthy habits, knowledge doesn't make change any easier. For me, breakfast is about routine. I wake up during the week and do the same thing: I put on a pot of water for tea, decide which of my two to three rotating weekday breakfasts I am going to eat, and get to making. Breakfast is also about simplicity. I do everything in my power to make my weekday morning meals easy, simple, and ready in under five minutes. This means I eat either a) a whole wheat bagel thin with peanut butter, bananas, and drizzled honey; b) oatmeal and fresh fruit or c) Chobani greek yogurt (in alternating flavors) and fresh fruit or a granola bar. In my house, we reserve weekends for breakfast madness and creativity. It provides excitement, knowing that on Saturday or Sunday I get to whip up something different like muffins, scones, pancakes, or waffles; it provides a break from breakfast monotony, an ever occurring problem for some folks. How to break the monotonous cycle and keep you on your toes? Rotate your meals. Have a few, go-to breakfast items that are quick and enjoyable. Have multiple types of fruits on hand. I generally keep three types of fruits available at all times (or at least I try to). I have also gotten hooked on V8 Fusion juices, all of which have full servings of fruits and vegetables, and are surprisingly tasty. When you change the scenery, you are more likely to enjoy the ride.

How'd you do this week? Any tips for us on how to make breakfast a part of your daily routine? Any great recipes? I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to leave a comment or join the discussion on the SFHL52 Inspire and Be Inspired page. Don't forget to sign up to take the SFHL52 Challenge and get ready for Week 2: Eat More Whole Grains.

To inspire you to continue making breakfast a daily part of your life, here's a look back on all the Simple Food Healthy Life breakfast posts. Don't forget to link up below with your ideas and recipes for how you make breakfast a daily happening. Just make sure you Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Peanut Butter and Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Bars

Apple Cinnamon Chobani Muffins

Freezer Friendly Muffin Tin Eggs: Sunny Side Up and Omelettes

Pumpkin Bread with Cinnamon Sugar Glaze

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Brown Sugar Waffles

Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Muffins

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Oatmeal Coffee Cake Muffins

Strawberry Banana Muffins

Tropical Banana Coconut Bread

Gluten Free Oatmeal Banana Muffins

Chocolate or Cranberry Scones

Baked Apple and Pumpkin Oatmeal