A productive day starts with a breakfast high in vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients for every employee. Whether it’s an early meeting or just your turn to bring in the morning meal, show your co-workers how easy it is to eat healthy without breaking the bank or throwing off your morning routine.
Fresh Fruit
Nothing gets better than the basics straight from nature. Fruit is inexpensive and easy to make, as you just wash it and serve it. The nutrients depend on the type of fruit you decide to serve. Apples have a good amount of fiber in them as well as vitamin A, which is a good start to any day. Oranges are known for their vitamin C and mangoes are loaded with vitamin A. Most fruits are full of antioxidants, so any one of them is a nutritious choice.
Hard-boiled Eggs
Eggs provide much-needed protein and a little fat for the morning rush. Prepared hard-boiled, they are a cinch to make. Put enough water into a pot to cover the eggs and carefully place eggs into the water. When the water comes to a boil, cover them and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in the water for 15 minutes, then place them in ice water to fully cool. You can peel the eggs or allow your co-workers to do it themselves. For added flavor and vitamin C, cut up the eggs and mix them with salsa to make a simple version of huevos rancheros.
Toast Bar
This is a simple breakfast idea that will satisfy everyone in the office. Make several batches of whole wheat toast or English muffins and bring along a variety of healthy spreads. These can include fat-free cream cheese, jam, cottage cheese, hummus, peanut butter or honey. Whole wheat provides fiber to keep everyone full until lunch. Peanut butter and hummus provide healthy fats and protein, while dairy spreads have calcium in them.
Breakfast Sandwiches
To an English muffin, add hard-boiled egg, low-fat cheddar cheese, spinach, tomato and pesto or avocado. Handheld and flavorful, these sandwiches are better than anything on a fast food menu, providing protein, vitamins A and C, healthy fats, calcium and antioxidants. For a large group, bring in all the components and have everyone make his or her own sandwich.
Pita Bread with Olive Oil, Grapes and Yogurt
Go Greek with this simple and hearty breakfast with no cooking involved -- unless you like your pita bread toasted. Bring a bottle of olive oil to work and pour it into a small bowl for dipping the pita bread. Olive oil is one of the healthiest fats known and gives the pita bread extraordinary flavor. Set out the yogurt -- which can serve as a pita dip as well -- and the grapes for a small buffet. With the calcium from the yogurt, the fiber from the pita bread and the antioxidants in the grapes, your co-workers will enjoy the benefits of a Mediterranean diet.
References
Writer Bio
Poppy Carpenter graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism. In addition to teaching journalism to junior high students, she also covers health and fitness for "PUSH Monthly" and Angie's List.