Cheap breakfast "combo": oatmeal + chia + pecans

So I am on a major budget at present, & therefore I have been eating out less and eating at home more, which is so much cheaper. I go through different breakfast moods... I'll eat oatmeal for a while & then move on to naan bread and fruit, and then maybe whole grain cereal from time to time. This week my breakfast go-to is so simple & filling (and cheap!)

I bought a HUGE container of oatmeal last time I was at Publix for a couple of reasons. One, it doesn't have all the added sugar of the flavored oatmeal packs that I just don't need, and overall it's much cheaper to buy in bulk. 

Also it's fun to make your own oatmeal combinations. I just happened to have black and white chia seeds in my cabinet (click here for more information on what chia seeds are), & I also had a bag of pecans in my freezer, straight from my grandparent's old yard in Georgia. 

I pack a 1/2 cup of the oats, a tablespoon of chia and 8 to 10 pecans together in a bag and take it to work to eat as I prepare for my day. Also, when I was at Disney World last month, I bought a huge container of tea (Alice and Wonderland tea party themed) that had 18 different flavors of tea- including black, green and herbal tea blends. Yum! So this morning I had the "Mad Tea Party" blend. 

Luckily this oatmeal blend filled me up and kept me going until lunch at 11:30. The combo of fiber from the whole grain oats, heart healthy fat from the pecans & chia (which are full of omega-3's) did the trick, and I really think that since this oatmeal blend did not have that extra added sugar, that helped with not getting hungry as quickly. 

Calorie Information

1/2 cup old-fashioned oatmeal: 150 calories, 3 g fat, 4 g fiber, 5 g protein

1 tablespoon chia: 65 calories, 5 g fat, 2 g fiber, 2.5 g protein

8 pecans: 78 calories, 8 g fat, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein

Total: 293 calories, 16 g fat, 7 g fiber, 8.5 g protein

After analyzing the calorie/ nutrient info, I must say that I was actually surprised by the fat content. Take note though that this oatmeal blend is very low in saturated fat- less than 3 grams (Aim for 10 g saturated fat a day or less) Also remember that this combination of healthy fat, good source of fiber and the 8.5 grams of protein is what is helping keep you full throughout the morning. 

Eating Healthy in a Hurry

This morning I woke up and rushed downstairs to start my morning coffee. Unfortunately I had to grind it up in my coffee grinder, but luckily I didn't wake anyone up. I LOVE this certain brand of coffee I buy at Earth Fare, which is a health food store. It's called Mocha Java blend, & its the best.

I put a slice of toast in the toaster, washed off/put some strawberries in a baggie, & hurried to get ready for the day.

This is how most mornings go for me. I drive almost an hour & a half to get to work every day, until I move closer in December. Honestly, I've started to better understand why Americans, who are typically so rushed, end up driving through fast food places on a regular basis- because there just does not seem to be enough time in the day. And, if you aren't properly educated about nutrition, it can be extra challenging to make healthy food choices.

Luckily, I am very educated about nutrition & so therefore I give myself no excuse to not be able to come up with healthy breakfasts in the morning. So for my hour & a half drive, I really need my coffee to get me going (I don't add anything to it- the coffee is that awesome) , & I usually snack on a slice of whole grain 45 calorie toast with about 2 teaspoons of some kind of nut butter- whether it be peanut butter, almond butter, or even chocolate hazelnut butter on occasion. And then when I get to work, my co-workers & I have gotten into this big tradition of eating oatmeal every morning. We bring our own variety of flavors, and usually fruit or something to go in it. I love it because oatmeal is one of those breakfast foods that has a lot of fiber in it, and so after my morning toast & oatmeal, that can usually get me through the day until we go to lunch.

On the weekends, I usually stock up on what foods I will need for the next week for breakfast & dinner (I get free lunch at work). It really is all about planning & preparation. If you have a busy schedule, take a few minutes out of your day once a week, & plan out some things to cook for dinner that are fast, quick and healthy. There are SO many free resources you can use online- several websites & blogs have so many creative ideas for healthy eating. Stock up on oatmeal or other breakfast items that are quick and easy to make. If you prepare foods at home, you will be more aware of what you are placing in your body, and you may be inspired to try something healthy and new. Yes, it is usually easier said than done, but the smallest changes to your diet can make a difference in your health. 

Oatmeal.. the right way

This morning I woke up and felt like I needed to be super productive, and luckily I have been :) . I started the process of getting things set up for my internship in January, packed up some more of my stuff (I'm moving next week), and have been eating healthy and studying for my last final of grad school/college EVER. I'm pretty excited.
So lately I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast. It has become a popular trend at fast food chains such as Starbucks, Chickfila and Mcdonald's. I'm still convinced though that making it yourself is better (and cheaper) than buying it anywhere else. Besides, Mcdonald's already adds sugar to theirs, and that's no good.
I heat up 1/4 cup of oats with 1/2 cup of water for 2 minutes, and then after it cools a bit, I add an assortment of berries (blackberries, raspberries and blueberries) to it, along with about a handful of nuts (the nuts I currently have on hand are peanuts). Berries are my favorite fruit, and this time of year it's awesome because they are actually way cheaper than any other time of year.

This is a delicious and healthy way to have a good, balanced breakfast. It's relatively lower in fat (except for the nuts) but the fat from the nuts is the heart healthy, good kind of fat. And when you compare the amount of fat in this breakfast (about 10 grams) to typical breakfasts you would get at a fast food chain, you will see it has at least less than half the fat of most of the things you can get. For example, a breakfast at Chickfila that consists of a chicken burrito (20 grams of fat) and hashbrowns (18 grams of fat) together gives you a total of 38 grams of fat and 720 calories!! Most people just have no idea the amount of food they are eating, so it's at least nice to know you can find out all the nutrition information you need to online.