Dana-Farber nutritionists help patients create and maintain healthy diets for all stages of treatment. They can provide meal plans, advice for managing treatment side effects, and tips for post-treatment wellness. But have you ever wondered what nutritionists like to eat? Here, Dana-Farber nutritionists share five of their favorite healthy breakfasts:
1.Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich
Stacy Kennedy, MPH, RD, prefers savory, rather than sweet, breakfasts. She uses gluten-free bread, pasture-raised eggs, and garden-grown lettuce in her Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich. Kennedy also adds homemade guacamole, which is a mixture of avocado, tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, and cracked red pepper.
2. Southern-Style Grits
Kennedy also makes grits for a quick, warm breakfast that can be easily adapted with different flavors and toppings. She recommends adding nuts and seasonal fruit to the grits, or an egg with a touch of grass-fed butter. Adding peaches and Brazil nuts makes this breakfast a good source of immune-supporting selenium, according to Kennedy.
3.Cereal with Strawberries and Nuts
Hillary Wright, MEd, RD, fills her cereal bowl with 1 cup strawberries, 1/2 cup shredded wheat, 1/3 cup flax flakes, and 1 heaping tablespoon of walnuts. This breakfast is rich in whole grains, fiber, phytonutrients, calcium, and healthy fats, Wright says. “The nuts are a must to make this breakfast more filling,” she says. “Otherwise I’m hungry again in a few hours.”
4. Berry Banana Smoothie Bowl
Mae Reilly, MS, RD, turns smoothies into smoothie bowls. “With just a few small changes, a drink becomes more like a meal that you can take the time to enjoy,” says Reilly. To make this protein, fiber, and phytonutrient-rich smoothie bowl, she blends together 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1 cup spinach, 1 cup frozen berries, and 1/2 banana. Reilly then tops her smoothie bowl with fresh fruit and chia seeds.
5. Post-Workout Oatmeal
Emily Elizabeth Biever, MS, RD, cooks oatmeal with soymilk, cinnamon, fruit, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and a sprinkle of protein powder. Biever chooses ingredients with fiber, unsaturated fats, and plant-based protein to refuel after workouts and ensure steady energy throughout the day.
Looking for more healthy recipes from Dana-Farber’s nutritionists? Visit our Health Library.