Breakfast can be a complicated meal for runners. Do you go for a light breakfast, the long-burning porridge, or the gut-busting full English? Do you have a tried and tested pre-run breakfast routine or are you a ‘roll out of bed and hit the road to squeeze a quick run in’ breakfast dodger?
Meridian Foods, the UK’s leading producer of nut butters, has just done some research revealing that ‘the most important meal of the day’ is under serious threat, with time constraints and busy lifestyles rendering it rushed and boring.
Meridian Foods’ survey into the nation’s breakfast eating habits has found that whilst breakfast is still eaten at least 4 times a week by two thirds of Brits surveyed (62%), nearly half (47%) allow less than ten minutes for breakfast each morning. The average time dedicated to breakfast was just 13 minutes, compared to 21 minutes for lunch and 30 minutes for dinner. Worryingly one in ten (11%) people surveyed don’t eat breakfast at all.
Of those starting their day the right way with breakfast, over half (58%) admitted to eating the same breakfast every day or alternating between a handful of options. Of these people, over half (52%) claimed this was down to a combination of a lack of time and the ease and convenience of their current options.
Meridian Foods is on a mission to encourage us to eat a well-balanced breakfast, to help us runners fuel our morning activities. Half of the people they surveyed said that they wanted more variety in their breakfast and introducing nut butters is one way of fuelling effectively and mixing it up a bit!
Helen Money, Meridian Nutritionist, commented: “Skipping breakfast or choosing a less than optimal breakfast to fill rather than nourish increases the risk of nutritional deficiencies impacting both wellbeing and performance. A nourishing breakfast does not have to be time consuming, just stirring nut butter into porridge increases B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc all of which are needed for energy creation.”
James Haskell, international rugby player and Meridian sporting ambassador added: “Although many of us are rushed in the morning, especially if we’re working out, it’s vital not to overlook breakfast.”
“Protein is essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle broken down when exercising. I personally include nut butters as part of my breakfast routine as they’re a rich source of natural protein which helps stimulate muscle growth and helps my body recover. Nut butters provide you with a natural source of protein, which is ideal for keeping you satisfied and feeling full throughout the morning and you can use it in so many ways to create a tasty and nutritious breakfast.”
So if you fancy giving your breakfast (and hopefully your energy levels for running) a boost you can have a look at some of Meridian Foods’ recipes, including Peanut Butter & Cinnamon Porridge and Peanut Butter & Banana Scotch Pancakes, here:
www.meridianfoods.co.uk/recipes.
