Every meal and snack can be vital to keeping your energy levels replenished throughout the day, whether that’s for a light jog in the morning or playing with the kiddos after school.
But it can be difficult to balance your meals with just the right amount of nutrients to maintain an active lifestyle. Consider the options below, and tailor it to your needs and specific activity levels, to keep your energy up from morning to night.
Breakfast
Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. After 8-12 hours without eating, our brains and bodies are ready to refuel. A breakfast of ready-to eat cereal can help kick-start our metabolism.
Start with a delicious, good-for-you cereal. Combined with a half cup of milk, Special K® Protein Cereal provides 14g of protein and 3g of fiber. Dress up with berries for a sweet but satisfying start.
If you prefer a warm breakfast, the Special K® Flatbread Breakfast Sandwich is an easy on-the-go solution, starting with a multigrain flatbread and providing 14g of protein, 5g of fiber and 12g total fat per serving.
Mid-Morning Snack
Sometimes breakfast can carry us only so far. Depending on your activity levels or when your lunch is scheduled, you may need to reach for something to help power you through the next meal. For mid-morning, make sure you’re portioning your snacks onto plates or into bowls, rather than eating out of a bag, box or container. This can increase people’s awareness of how much they eat, and also decrease the likelihood that they’ll continue to eat until the package is empty. When eating out of the package is the only option, reaching for something with a single-serve container rather than a large, multi-serve bag or box can also be helpful.
Bars like Special K®’s Almond Honey Oat Protein Granola Bars are a great 110-calorie single serve for those on the go.
Lunch
Getting the right nutrition each day helps our bodies work best. Try refueling your lunch with carbs for energy and protein for your cells building blocks.
Try switching up your lunch with a breakfast recipe: Add protein and carbs by pairing your favorite cereal with nut butter or Greek yogurt. Check out stirrupbreakfast.com for some unique new recipe ideas.
Afternoon Snack
Whether you’re stuck at your desk or on a long road trip, a quick snack with a hit of something sweet like chocolate could satisfy your sweet tooth without sapping your energy.
Try Special K® Chocolate Peanut Pecan Trail Mix Bars with roasted nuts and rich in chocolate with 8g of protein.