Breakfast of Champions

I was never a fan of breakfast. I would just wait until lunch. I remember in high school, my teachers were always concerned that I was not eating breakfast. I assured them that it wasn’t a big deal, and I would just eat lunch. 

When I got sick with Crohn’s, I didn’t eat for a whole year. It was very hard, but then I really gained a new appreciation for food. I really started to get into breakfast foods, and this is how I fare.

Breakfast foods that work for my Crohn's

Eggs

When it comes to what works for my individual diet, I do pretty well with cooked eggs. And they're a good source of protein.

For breakfast, once a week, I will have a fried egg. I don’t cook it in butter, as butter is a very big irritant for my Crohn’s.

Yogurt

Before I identified acidophilus as a probiotic to help with my pouchitis, yogurt was my best remedy. For me, yogurt would almost coat my stomach with live bacteria to help fight the urgency that came with the pouchitis. And I never really had an issue with dairy, so yogurt seems to work. 

One colorectal surgeon said I should be eating at least 2 tablespoons of yogurt a day. It seems to help!

Cereal

When I was a little boy, I only liked dry cereal. I really didn’t like milk. I thought the whole concept of cereal and milk was gross. I didn’t like the fact that the cereal would get soggy. 

Just recently, I started to like cereal and milk again. I really do my due diligence and measure out 1 cup of milk with one cup of healthy cereal. And I eat it very quickly, so the cereal doesn’t get the chance to get soggy! 

I believe the cereal and milk concept for me is more for convenience. I need something quick and satisfying in the morning. The milk doesn’t bother my stomach because I don’t drink a lot of it. I don’t even drink the extra milk once the cereal is eaten. I have tried lactaid milk before, but I didn’t care for it.

Crohn's-friendly smoothies

Smoothies are my favorite breakfast item as someone with Crohn’s. Why, you ask? I can add things that I really like that don’t affect my stomach. They are also is extremely healthy.

I usually make a smoothie once every two weeks. Why, again you might ask? My wife can’t stand the sound of the blender at 5:30 in the morning. I don’t blame her, but we are in the market for a portable blender, one that is quiet.

Peanut butter is my favorite, and I've found that banana is a good fruit for Crohn’s patients as it helps bind you. I add those two items on top of a cup of ice, a splash of OJ, and a cup of yogurt. The other great thing is, it is refreshing in the summer season and gets me all of my nutrients. And it's delicious.

Breakfast is a good habit for me now

Breakfast is important to me, it helps digest my medications. 

Don’t be afraid to modify your breakfast choices as you see fit. The most important thing is... I recommend eating breakfast!