We all are told that breakfast is the most important meal to fuel our brains for the rest of the day. These last two months of school, often referred to as the “homestretch,” is a long haul. After Friday, we have no days off until Memorial Day. Therefore, all LFHS students need that AM nourishment to sustain us throughout the day. If you feel like breakfast just isn’t in your vocabulary because you prefer your sleep, here are a few breakfast hacks for a grab and go meal in the morning.

Pre-made smoothie packs

Especially with the weather getting warmer, smoothies are a perfect on the go breakfast. However, they do require some effort and time to gather each ingredient and put it into the blender. To save time, gather the ingredients for your smoothie in a gallon-sized Ziplock and store it in the freezer overnight. In the morning, just dump the bag’s contents into the blender and add about a cup of whatever liquid you prefer, whether it be coconut water, almond milk, or a mix of the two, and a scoop of nut butter. Don’t know what to put in it? Here’s a recipe for some inspiration:

• 1 banana
• 1.5 cup of frozen fruit
• 1 handful of spinach (if you like it green)
• 1 tbsp of chia seeds (optional)
• Dash of cinnamon

In the morning, put these ingredients into a blender, add a scoop of peanut butter, a scoop of protein powder (if desired), and a cup of almond milk. Add small bursts of water until desired thickness is achieved.

Overnight oats

Oatmeal is very filling and also can be eaten on your car ride to school. But then again, the process of heating milk or water, adding oats, and topping it can take up to 15 minutes. If you have not yet tried overnight oats, they’re oatmeal’s convenient and delicious twin. Since you prep them the night before, you can snooze your alarm longer than normal in the morning knowing your breakfast will be ready when you get to the kitchen. Here is a recipe for yummy PB overnight oats that I love, and here is a Buzzfeed article with 19 different recipes to get inspiration from. I recommend adding fresh fruit and some granola to your oats to add some crunch.

Perfect Bars

If you have yet to eat a Perfect Bar, you’re missing out. They are dense nutrition bars that come in 12 different flavors and have ingredients so fresh that you have to store them in the refrigerator. Packed with 20 different superfoods and naturally occurring sugars and protein, Perfect Bars are a substantial meal replacement when you need it. My personal favorites are Peanut Butter, Carob Chip, and Blueberry Cashew are my favorite. Pair one with a coffee and your stomach won’t be grumbling all morning like usual.

Yogurt and Granola

Yogurt and granola is a filling and tasty breakfast that can also be eaten in the car or in your first period class. Buy single serving cups to just grab from the fridge in the morning and put however much granola you want in a Ziplock bag and so you don’t have to think about that either. I recommend Siggi’s yogurt because it has a lot of protein and not a lot of sugar. Add a tablespoon of chia seeds, a spoonful of nut butter, nuts, or fresh fruit for a bit of variety.

Rice Cakes with Peanut Butter

Rice cakes can be found at any grocery store and are amazing when topped with peanut butter (or any nut butter). It’s a good substitute for toast if you’re crunched for time, as it takes seconds to spread peanut butter on a few of them but there’s no toasting necessary. If you think the combo tastes too bland, add a sprinkle of cinnamon, sliced banana, or chocolate chips to add some more flavor.

So there you have it! 5 ways to hack your breakfast game and fuel yourself in the mornings and energize you throughout the rest of the day.