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| I live for breakfast. I could not imagine it any other way. My partner, on the other hand, scorns all breakfast foods. For him, coffee fills all of his morning nutritional needs. |
| Breakfast is polarizing like this. You either hate it or love it. But what about the science? Is there a right or wrong way when it comes to the most important meal of the day? Lindsay Mahar, a registered dietitian at Healthline, is here to explain. |
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Eat up,
Ginger Wojcik
Newsletter Editor, Healthline |
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Written by Ginger Wojcik
September 9, 2025 • 3.5 min read |
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| Q: |
How important is breakfast, really? |
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| A: |
Growing up, most of us were taught that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Observational studies suggest this could be true, but what about those of us who practice intermittent fasting and skip breakfast, or who simply don’t like eating in the morning?
Starting with the obvious, eating breakfast gives the body energy to take on the day. Not being distracted by hunger may help us stay more alert and focused for longer.
Eating breakfast could also help with weight management by keeping our appetite in check. Consuming a balanced meal that includes fiber and protein helps us feel fuller for longer. This may help us avoid overeating at a later meal and potentially avoid impulsive choices.
But many common breakfast foods are full of sugar and refined carbohydrates. These get digested quickly and can make us feel hungry shortly after eating them. To avoid this, try to limit foods like pastries, sugary cereals, and muffins. Opt for whole grains, fruits, veggies, and lean proteins, such as cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and egg whites.
Of course, it’s also important to listen to your body’s natural hunger and fullness cues. If you don’t feel hungry in the morning, it’s OK to postpone eating for a few hours. The timing of your meals is really a matter of personal preference. What and how much you end up eating over the course of the day, regardless of the time you eat your first meal, is more important. If eating breakfast helps you regulate your appetite and make better choices, then great! If it doesn’t, then it’s not really a big deal to wait until lunch.
Healthy breakfast recipes to start your day with:
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| Lindsay Mahar, Registered Dietitian
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| Want to learn more about food, diets, cooking, or some other nutrition subject? Let us know at nutritionedition@healthline.com and we'll look into it for you! (Heads up, we may use your response in an upcoming newsletter.)
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| Every product we recommend has gone through either Healthline’s or Optum Now’s vetting processes. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline and Optum Now are owned by RVO Health. |
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| What we’re digesting |
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