Here's Why You Shouldn't Skip Breakfast
Written by Destiny Veckerie
Have you ever woken up and the idea of food just doesn’t intrigue you? Or have you made yourself a bowl of cereal just for it to lie forgotten on your kitchen table? If you answered yes to both, I hear you. I must include for my fellow occasional breakfast skippers out there—making breakfast feels more like a chore in the mornings when all I want to do is sleep in.
One thing is for certain, though: I have had countless experiences of feeling tired, hungry in class, and overall sluggish when I intentionally skip breakfast. There's many different ways to approach the topic of breakfast, as this is a two sides of a penny kind of situation that goes just beyond the basic “not feeling hungry” excuse.
Why Do People Skip Breakfast?
The answer is varied. Below are a few common reasons one might skip breakfast:
Didn’t get enough sleep the night before.
Not having enough time.
Trying to lose weight.
Tired of the same breakfast foods.
Breakfast foods aren’t easily accessible.
More Harm Than Good
A study was conducted in 2023 that delved into skipping breakfast and how that affected academic grades (Sliwa et al., 2023) and contributed to students having poor mental health and increased negative feelings of depression, stress, and anxiety. You know the saying, “start off on the right foot”? When you eat breakfast, not only are you sustaining your body, but you are also improving your health, physically and mentally. Earlier, I mentioned feeling drowsy whenever I skipped breakfast, which, in turn, added to a highly unproductive day—my body was definitely telling me something, and I failed to listen.
The patterns started to grow the more I began to skip breakfast and head to my morning classes without a thing in my stomach. As a college student, it is very hard to stay focused and engaged in class when you’re hungry, sleepy, and unenergized. I knew things had to change once my stomach grew too comfortable with rumbling and grumbling in class. I couldn’t face the embarrassment any longer, nor any side-glances!
As a result of that study, it was found that students who received mostly As and Bs were less likely to skip breakfast. This finding reveals the great impact breakfast has on maintaining focus and overall studious behaviors in a school environment. In high school, I definitely got away with not eating breakfast. However, after I made the big transition to college, I faced a huge wake-up call. I couldn’t get by on drinking water alone if I wanted to maintain a great standing in school. Until I experienced firsthand the benefits of eating breakfast, that's when everything changed.
Benefits of Eating Breakfast
Boosts brainpower and energy, and restores glycogen levels.
Reduces the risk of illnesses such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Helps you build smart eating habits.
It is highly nutritious, giving your body much-needed B vitamins, calcium, iron, and so much more.
Quick Breakfast Ideas
Overnight oats
Banana pancakes
Breakfast burritos
Breakfast sandwiches
Avocado toast
Strawberry smoothie
Scrambled eggs
Yogurt parfait
Smoothie breakfast bowl
Homefries
Scrambled tofu
You know the excited feeling you get the night before a big day? Perhaps you’re going on a road trip with your family, or maybe you have plans to eat at a fancy restaurant! If the idea of that makes you thrilled, try directing that outlook towards eating breakfast. If you have a favorite breakfast item that makes you hungry just by the mere thought of it, choose that as something to look forward to in the morning. Breakfast doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With creativity and your own added touch, it can make for a great start to your morning.
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