Three Quality of Lifehacks for Eating a Healthier Breakfast

February is National Hot Breakfast Month. And while chilly February is the perfect time to start your morning with something warm, there are benefits to eating a cooked breakfast year-round. Like all home-cooking, homemade breakfasts are likely to be healthier than any prepared food you could buy at the coffee shop near your office. And while it can be hard to find the time to cook in the morning, there are plenty of things you can make in a few minutes. Making time to prepare them can make your morning a more pleasant experience.

Here are three tips for making a hot breakfast part of your day:

Make breakfast something to look forward to

Have trouble getting out of bed? Try creating something to get out of bed for. If you have all the ingredients and time to make your favorite breakfast—whether it’s oatmeal or scrambled eggs—you’ll be more motivated to hop out from under the covers.

It can also be motivation to get to bed a little earlier. Many of us stay up too late to get a little extra “me-time,” knowing that as soon as we wake up we have to rush off to work. But you might have an easier time falling asleep when you know you have more “me-time” yet to come in the morning.

Find something healthy that you love to eat

The best breakfasts are delicious enough to get you out of bed and nutritious enough to get you going. Look past the typical cereal or toast to the vast array of customizable breakfasts. Oatmeal can be topped with nearly anything—savory or sweet. But if you’re sick of it, try other grains like bulgur, quinoa or farro. Try your eggs scrambled on toast, or over easy with some bacon. If you’re not a fan of breakfast foods, there’s nothing wrong with heating up a chicken breast, fish or last night’s leftovers.

Find something that’s doable for you

Experiment until you find a breakfast option that fits into your morning schedule.  If making oatmeal takes too long, try making it the night before and reheating it in the morning.  Hard-boiling eggs takes a while, but scrambling them doesn’t. And if frying bacon is too hard to do when you’re still half asleep, learn to microwave it to perfection.

What are your tips for making time for a hot breakfast? Share them in the comments.