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Make these three easy breakfast snack plates for a grab and go breakfast! #easyrecipe #snackplate #healthy #breakfast

I know the time change was a few weeks ago, but y’all, I’m still struggling! Or, I guess I should say struggling more than normal - I’ve never been much of a morning person.

Because it takes a bit of time after waking up before I am a functional human being, breakfast has always been a bit of a struggle. I usually don’t have much of an appetite in the morning, and I’m frequently scrambling to get out the door. But, I also know if I miss breakfast or don’t eat enough, it has a huge effect on my mood, energy and digestion.

A few months ago, I came up with a pretty ingenious breakfast idea if I do say so myself. For lunch, if I don’t have any leftovers handy, I often put together a snack plate, which is basically just a platter of various snacks and food odds and ends. It’s easy and satisfying, and keeps my taste buds happy because there’s lots of different flavors going on. So why not do a breakfast snack plate?

Breakfast snack plates are now on regular rotation. In the morning I just throw together whatever breakfast-y snacks I have on hand, grab a glass of Florida Orange Juice, and run out the door! It’s perfect for someone like me who doesn’t always love breakfast foods. There’s no rule that you have to eat breakfast foods in the morning – food is food, any time of day! It’s also great for those busy days where I’m eating breakfast in front of my computer checking emails. I love to eat distraction-free when I can, but real life sometimes means eating in front of a screen.

How to Make a Breakfast Snack Plate

Making a breakfast plate is really easy, just pick out 4 of your favorite snack foods and either throw them in a bag or plate them in a lidded container, preferably one with sections. Aim to include a source of fat, protein and carbohydrate. You can either make it in the morning, or do a few minutes of prep on the weekend so you’ve got snack plates to go. The “recipes” I’m including in today’s post are for a smoked salmon and cucumber breakfast plate, cottage cheese breakfast plate, and protein breakfast plate, but the possibilities are endless! Below is a list of other snack foods you could include:

Individual cups of yogurt or cottage cheese
Scoops or individual packets of nut butter
Pretzels
Crackers or crispbreads
Cheese sticks, slices or cubes
Fresh, dried or freeze-dried fruit
Avocado
Hummus
Prunes
Olives
Fruit leather
Energy bites, like my salty cashew coconut energy balls
Smoked salmon
Hard boiled egg
Prosciutto, ham, turkey or other deli meat
Trail mix
A muffin, like these mini orange chocolate chip banana muffins
Frozen waffles, cut into triangles
Individual oatmeal packets
Protein or granola bar
Raw vegetables
Roasted sweet potato cubes
Mini quiche

You can make it as fancy or simple as you like! Two of my favorite snack plates were a charcuterie inspired plate with prosciutto, melon, hard boiled egg and crackers, and a Mediterranean plate with pita, hummus, feta, peppers and cucumber. Other days, I’m throwing yogurt, a baggie of granola, fruit and nut butter in a bag and calling it a day!

To complete my breakfast plate, I always pair it with a glass of Florida Orange Juice. Growing up, I always had a glass of orange juice for breakfast, and I got really picky about only drinking Florida Orange Juice after my grandma took me to an orange grove when we were visiting in Florida. It’s an easy way to get something fresh in for breakfast, especially on those days your breakfast plate doesn’t have any fruits or veggies on it!

Everyone knows that Florida Orange Juice is rich in vitamin C – one 8-ounce glass contains more than 100% your daily needs – but it’s a nutrition powerhouse in other ways as well. It’s a good source of potassium, which is helpful for blood pressure, and plays a role in kidney health. It also contains magnesium, a nutrient that over 50% of Americans are deficient in, which plays important roles in heart health, mood and digestion. Florida Orange Juice also contains vitamin B6, vitamin A, thiamine and the flavonoid hesperidin, which has been linked to cardiovascular health, healthy immune function and reduced inflammation. Look for Florida Orange Juice that’s fortified with calcium and vitamin D, especially if you don’t eat a lot of dairy!

Want to learn more about Florida Orange Juice? Check out the Florida Department of Citrus’ website for more OJ facts and recipes, or follow them on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.

Smoked salmon breakfast snack plate is the perfect breakfast on the go! #snackplate #healthy #smokedsalmon #breakfast

Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Breakfast Plate

Ingredients:

Smoked salmon
Hard boiled egg
Sliced cucumbers
Crackers, preferably everything bagel flavored
For garnish: salt and black pepper, fresh dill (optional)

Instructions:

Arrange on a platter or in a lidded container. Use the hard boiled eggs and sliced cucumbers to separate the salmon from the crackers and prevent sogginess. Garnish with fresh dill, if using, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper immediately before serving (the salt will draw water out of the cucumbers and make them soggy if it sits)

Cottage Cheese Breakfast Plate

Ingredients:

Cottage cheese
Sliced cucumbers
Cherry tomatoes
Almonds
Dried fruit
For garnish: extra-virgin olive oil, dried herbs, salt and black pepper (optional)

Instructions:

Arrange on a platter or in a lidded container. Keep cottage cheese in it’s own container or compartment. Drizzle the cottage cheese with olive oil, sprinkle with dried herbs, salt and black pepper.