Burritos and Pizza: It’s What’s for Breakfast

June rounds out another series of Cooking Matters at the Store tours–that’s 200 Manna clients attending in-store nutrition classes in just three months! While I’ve shared some exciting updates about our bi-lingual store tours, we’ve begun an additional class format that allows us to reach even further into the marginalized area of our community.

check out the startling sugar and sodium in this whole grain, high fiber cereal!

“Pop-Up tours” allow me to bring the grocery store to residents who are disabled, or otherwise unable to access public transportation. My special teaching box contains packages of breakfast foods, cans of fruits and vegetables, nutrition labels and ingredient lists for common products at the store. In just two weeks, 97 community members attended pop-up tours at Holiday Park Senior Center (Silver Spring), The Jefferson House (Rockville), and Rehabilitation Opportunities Inc. (Germantown).

Here is the question I hear the most: “What can I have for breakfast?” Many participants share their doctor’s advice to reduce sugar intake, but that can feel unachievable given the usual sweet ritual of cereal and juice to start the day.

My response: who says breakfast has to be sweet? For individuals living with diabetes or prediabetes, or for those just looking for a healthier breakfast routine, check out these savory inspirations (with links to their recipes):

1. Smashed avocado toast & veggies
2. Veggie breakfast tacos
3. Breakfast burritos
4. Breakfast pita pizza
5. Mexican breakfast pasta
6. Southwest sweet potato breakfast hash
7. Ham and veggie breakfast hash
8. Southwest scramble
9. Savory oatmeal
10. Red velvet smoothie

To me, this looks more colorful (and intriguing) than flakes from a cereal box!

In my house, we even create savory breakfast menus for dinner when we’re low on ideas or our budget. Just last week, my sweet potato, zucchini, carrot & chive pancakes were an indulgent-tasting treat we enjoyed for dinner and again for breakfast the next morning. Give one of these savory dishes a try, and open your mind to the new possibilities of breakfast.

About Lindsey Seegers

Lindsey Seegers is the Program Manager of Nutrition Education at Manna Food Center. Her background is in Social Work and Nutrition; her passion is cooking food always delicious and nutritious. She teaches cooking and nutrition classes, and leads grocery store tours around Montgomery County about affordable and do-able healthy cooking. Since 1983, Manna has been feeding Montgomery County’s food insecure residents. In our 30 years of service Manna has served nearly 3 million people, 668,527 households, and distributed 45 million pounds of food. As the designated food bank for Montgomery County we are the main resource people turn to when they find themselves in need of food assistance. Manna delivers emergency food assistance through its three main programs: Food for Families, Smart Sacks, and Agency Food Distribution.

View all posts by Lindsey Seegers