breakfast recommendations

I am doing my weekly meal planning and I am tryign to come up with some quick and easy and on the go breakfast ideas. I have a 2 and 1 year old and I typically eat breakfast (pop tart and banana) in the car on the go. I am trying to make better food choices but I also need them to be "on the go" type items (or things that I can prepare weekly and jstu grab the day I need them). Does anyone have any recommendations? Also, I take any meal recommendations... I am on a 1500-1800 cal/day diet and I am jsut starting this battle so I take all advice! Have a good weekend! Jayme

I try to eat a bowl of Special K (put in one of those plasticware bowls), with skim milk (recycle my water bottles to carry with me)and a serving of fruit, but on some occasions I just forget until I get to work.  Sooooooo....I keep a box of those Special K cereal bars in my desk drawer as well as a couple of fruit cups and then just try to get my calcium in later in the day.  I don't know how balanced it is, but it's got to be better than pop-tarts..LOL 

1.  string cheese and whole grain crackers (bag these up the night before) and v-8 (v-8 really fills me up for some reason) 2.  body fortress protein powder (walmart).  Stir some into cold water first to dissolve, then stir into a hot drink - coffee or sugar free cocoa  Drink it up in the car.  Great for snacks also.  buy snack size bags, put one serving in each and always have a few in the car to stir into water bottles or milk or cooffee.  3.  sugar free cocoa and graham crackers or whole grain crackers and peanut butter 4.  cottage cheese and fresh fruit in a to go container, small serving.

I have heard V8 from several people, I will have to give this a try. I don't particularly like tomato's but I will try. Thanks.

They make some oatmeal squares so maybe you could just trade in the poptarts for those and keep the banana.  But if you get a chance to sit down and eat I personally love oatmeal with raisins and or dried blueberries in it.  Yummy!

you can make scottish (steel cut) oats the night before and re-heat.  They may need a bit of water, but try it, put in 'wave for a minute and take it with you! Buy a bag of frozen blueberries.

I forgot another thing I like:  unflavored soy powder in 6 oz yogurt, stir in thawed berries. Good!

Hi Jayme, Can you eat when you get to work as well?  I think one of the most important things I've learned is that you have to remember you ate, and eating empty calories on the go in a car is not a memorable experience.  However, you have a 1 and 2 year old and that alone is enough to make the best laid plans a fantasy!! If you are grabbing something to eat before you leave for work and it has to be quick here are a couple of suggestions: string cheese hard boiled egg  granola bar with high fiber peanut butter on a slice of whole wheat bread I tend to stick with the higher protein items because they fill you up more with dense protein and you aren't as hungry in an hour. If you do have time to eat at work you can still bring hard boiled eggs and perhaps have a bowl of oatmeal.  I have been eating the Weight control from Quaker forever now and adding some ground flax seed.  I make it at work in the microwave and eat it at my desk. As far as lunches go, I tend to be a bit on the simple side.  Since starting my journey almost 2 years ago I have been very fond of turkey chili.  I make a huge pot of it over the weekend and portion it off into portable containers.  I bring them to work, microwave and add an ounce of low fat cheddar cheese and a tablespoon of low fat sour cream and I have a wonderful high protein, high fiber, low fat meal. Slices of turkey rolled up with cheese and a piece of romaine lettuce is also very filling and satisfying.   A can of tuna with light mayo and a couple slices of low fat cheddar and pickles is another favorite of mine. I bring my lunch every day to work.  It limits the desire to go out and buy something that i just don't need, or to end up at the cafeteria and buy the garbage they sell.  I believe in being prepared. As far as dinners it's usually chicken and vegetables.  I stay away from the carbs as a general rule because I don't really need them.  Occassionally I will have 1/2 of a sweet potato or perhaps a small serving of whole wheat pasta. The hardest part is starting so good luck.  Once some of these habits become commonplace you will be able to do it pretty much without thinking. Good luck! Donna

thanks for all of the great ideas... what goes into your turkey chili?  I am working on the breakfast thing... my husband is trying to get on board with me so today he made me 2 eggs substitutes, FF cheese and slasa in a whole wheat wrap. Then I ate a cup of fresh pinapple on the road! I have been doing this for 3 days now and I am surprised at how much food I am suppose to eat. It is hard to get in all of my protein and veggies. I have started drinking a protein drink from special K... it is great. Anyhow, thanks for all of the great advice. 

Hi there I'm taking a visit from over at the lapband forum.  Anyway, like you I eat on the go a lot.  If you have a whole foods section in your grocery store, check out the "pop tarts" they have.  I think if you compare the ingredients you'll find them healthier and just as convenient. Nice talking with you. Yvonne Marie

My breakfast has gone from convenience store taquitos (haha can't believe I ate those) to two 100-120 calorie packs of fruit-n-cream oatmeal.  I keep these at work and eat when I get in. Sometimes I'll eat bacon and eggs.  Andrea has found a new breakfast favorite in egg-beaters white cheddar eggs wrapped in (i think) tomato-basil flat-out. (the low calories or light kind)  that sounds yummy, but I haven't tried it yet. This would be great for on the go if you made it the night before or spent 5 minutes preparing it in the morning. (Fast in the microwave)  I also sometimes eat an apple, grapes, or banana. I don't like fruit through out the day and breakfast is the only time I eat it. Also another great on the go food. I have fallen in love with the seasoned tuna in a pouch from star-kist and bumble-bee. I eat these right out of the pouch or on wheat crackers for lunch.  I also buy the little to-go cups of green beans or corn. (Great-value brand from wal-mart.)  For my snacks I buy the 100-calorie packs of chips, granola bars or whatever.  I eat all day long at work and never feel hungry. I consume about 600-800 calories from 7am to 5:30pm leaving PLENTY of room for a tasty well prepared dinner which helps to control my night-grazing problems.  I also keep plenty of sugar-free ice cream snacks and yummy rice cakes in the house for the sweet tooth days.  I usually consume about 1500-1600 calories but have been known to go up to 2000 if I'm  hungry. I just try to listen to my body. Oh, the number one most important thing I do all day long is drink LOTS of water. It helps to keep me full and also my body knows when it's really hungry, and not thirsty. Try to drink at least 64oz a day. I push for 80-100oz or more a day and usually have no problem. When I was exercising I would drink a propel afterwards (10 calories or so). This helped me to replenish the salts I lost.  Try not to shock your body right off the bat. Just gradually build up to eating healthy. That's been the best thing I've done yet.  Ask the girls here, I was eating very unhealthy foods when I started and over the last month or so I've really changed it up! It's made the changes bareable and easy to continue.