You know by now that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that if you don’t put something in your stomach, it will be moaning at you by noon. But not all breakfasts were created equal. Even if you’re eating something seemingly healthy in the a.m.—avocado toast, a granola bar, a piece of fruit—it’s probably not giving you the boost you’ll need to face the day.
“No matter what meal it is, your plate should be half fruits and vegetables, a quarter whole grain, and a quarter protein,” says Krista Yoder Latortue, M.P.H., R.D. It’s the protein portion you’ve really got to pay attention to, though—and the one you’re likely forgetting.