Thursday, February 21, 2008

what's for breakfast...

i thought i'd share with you guys some breakfast tips. these are the things i like to eat for breakfast that are low in points (calories and fat) high in fiber and very filling:

Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal (3 to 4 pts) They have three different flavors. They’re each very good! If you make it with water, it’s only 3 points. With fat free milk, it’s 4 pts.

Thomas’ English Muffins (2 to 4 pts) They have a 100 calorie english muffin that’s white bread and is only 1 pt each. Or you can get Honey Wheat for 2pts or Whole Grain for 2pts, but I like white bread better than wheat. I’ll then put Land O Lakes “Light” whipped butter (with canola oil). It’s only 1 pt per TABLESPOON. And it tastes like REAL butter!! Because it’s made with canola oil, you get some of your daily allotment of oils (though I don’t know how much). Sometimes I’ll put the sf jam on it or reduced fat Jiff peanut butter (which is 2pts per tablespoon).

Breakfast Pockets (6pts) Hot Pockets makes a frozen Breakfast Lean Pocket that’s pretty good. I don’t much care for them, but my husband and his mom swear by them. They have ham and cheese as well as sausage and cheese and bacon and cheese. They’re 6pts for two of them. A little pricy (point-wise), but it makes you feel like you’re cheating.

Scrambled Eggs w/Cheese & toast or english muffin (4.5 pts) - This is my favorite breakfast – Egg Beaters Southwestern (it’s eggs (or actually egg whites with added nutrients to compensate for the lack of yoke) with little pieces of onions, bell peppers (I think) and tomatoes or something like that). They have different flavors of eggs, too. And they really taste good. I was leery about them at first, but now I’m hooked. You make them by the quarter cup. One egg is a quarter cup of Egg Beaters. One egg is 1pt. Two eggs is 1 pt. Three eggs is 2 pts. But three eggs is way too much for me. Then I’ll sprinkle about an 1/8 or a 1/4 cup of Kraft 2% Cheddar Cheese (depending on how many eggs I’m having. 1/8 cup is 1pt. 1/4 cup is 1.5pts. Usually I’ll do 2 eggs with a 1/4 cup of cheese so they’re 2.5pts. Then I’ll have a 100 calorie Thomas’ english muffin with light butter for an extra 2 pts. You can also get plain egg beaters and top them with zero point salsa, which is yummy!

Breakfast on the go (4 to 5 pts) This one I can grab as I’m heading out the door and eat either on the way to work or after I get here. I’ll have a Strawberry Nutri-Grain Yogurt Bar. I can only find them at WalMart. They taste like delicate strawberry fig newtons only not gritty or dry. They’re 3pts each. Then I’ll have WW peach or lemon or strawberry yogurt for only 1pt and then if I’m still not full, I’ll have a 1pt Jello Sugar free sundae pudding for only 1pt more.

Water (free points) I’ll usually have flavored water with breakfast. I buy the 16.9 oz water bottles (3.99 at walmart for a case of 32) and then put Crystal Light flavored packets in them. They’re free points. Then when I’m at work, I’ll have the decaf coffee with sugar free or fat free creamer (no sugar needed) or I’ll have tea with a tsp of evaporated milk (in the can) and a couple of Splenda packets and it’s yummy (and only 1 pt per cup).

Oh, and one more thing. It’s always better for me to have a few more points in the morning than at lunch or even in the evening. I can always snack on zero point or one point goodies if I get hungry in between meals, but a hearty breakfast will help get my metabolism kick-started for the day and help me feel better, more energy and all.

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