Fuelling your body with a good breakfast will keep you going during those long, physical work hours, advises Kelly Hyland.

Sleep, eat, work, repeat. For many of us in the trade industry, this is our life right now. It’s a busy time and when you’re up at early hours, it’s easy to skip breakfast.

However, ‘breaking our fast’ sets us up for the day. As well as keeping us energised, alert, and focused, breakfast done right manages our weight and overall nutrition requirements, with many ‘breakfast foods’ containing important nutrients for a healthy heart and strong bones.

For our non-breakfast eaters and convenience food ‘breakfasters’ (think energy drink, or coffee and bakery grabbers), being open-minded is key. You may feel you’re fine because your body is used to it. But you could feel healthier and work better with some proper morning nourishment!

Breakfast eaters have it better with:

• Wholegrain toast with:
  • Peanut butter  and cottage cheese
  • Peanut butter and cottage cheese
  • Avocado and sliced tomato
  • Eggs and mushrooms
  • Baked beans and spinach 
• Wholesome cereals with milk and/or yoghurt + fruit/nuts/seeds:
  • Oats, porridge or bran
  • Oats, porridge or bran
  • Wholewheat biscuits
  • Natural or homemade muesli
• Fruit or vegetable smoothies made with milk and/or yoghurt

Short for time?

Make breakfast in advance and enjoy on the way to work:

• Mix oats, fruit, nuts/seeds with milk and/or yoghurt and refrigerate overnight. Add a splash of extra milk just before leaving
• Keep a batch of breakfast muffins in the deep freeze
• Prep your smoothie in the evening and whizz it up in the morning
• Store breakfast foods in the office/workshop/van.  

Not hungry?

• Try something light, eg, banana or plain yoghurt with fruit/nuts/seeds
• Milky Milo or Up & Go
• Eat dinner earlier and reduce your evening meal portion size.

Check out Kelly’s nutritional breakfast recipes www.masterplumbers.org.nz/recipes

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Kelly Hyland (NZRD) is the General Manager at Alex Hyland Plumbing Ltd. She has a Masters in Dietetics and Graduate Diploma in Teaching. She is passionate about improving health and wellbeing in the trade industry.