Aoife Hearne: Is there a healthy alternative to a fried breakfast? 

Tomatoes fried with a bit of rapeseed oil are an option for adding some veg.

Aoife Hearn

REGISTERED DIETICIAN

My children love a fried breakfast — eggs, rashers, sausages and hash browns — on a Sunday morning. I’d like to keep the tradition going but offer a healthy alternative. What would you suggest?

Family traditions are so important when it comes to food, and if children like anything, it’s routine. A fried breakfast is not necessarily an unhealthy option once a week, but a few components in those breakfast foods are better eaten less often.

How we cook foods can also impact nutrition quality, and grilling will help cut down on the fat content of these already high-fat foods. If we prepare meals with the plate method in mind — 50% fruit and veg, 25% protein foods, 25% whole grains — there is a place for the traditional cooked breakfast.

First and foremost, try to include some vegetables and fruit in the meal. This may not be top of the list for your children, but it’s a good rule of thumb.

Some options:

Mushrooms fried with a bit of rapeseed oil

Tomatoes fried with a bit of rapeseed oil

Fruit salad

Glass of fresh juice

If we prepare meals with the plate method in mind  - 50% fruit and veg, 25% protein foods, 25% whole grains - there is a place for the traditional cooked breakfast. Picture: iStock 

Wholegrain carbohydrates are essential and help us achieve our daily fibre requirement. You could add some wholegrain toast or porridge bread to help fill their daily fibre requirement — either option has less saturated fat and salt and more fibre than a hash brown.

When it comes to protein, lean proteins are best as they have less saturated fats that can negatively impact heart health, among other things. Eggs are a versatile breakfast option and have a lot to offer, whether boiled, poached, scrambled or fried with a bit of oil. However, rashers and sausages fit into the processed meat category, so I recommend limiting these to less than once a week. These foods are packed with high levels of saturated fat and salt, which can harm cardiovascular health. In addition, the WHO (World Health Organisation) recommends limiting the consumption of sausages, rashers, hotdogs, etc., as epidemiological studies have found that eating processed meat causes colorectal cancer.

To answer your question, I would add vegetables or fruit, such as mushrooms and tomatoes, keep the eggs and consider alternating between rashers and sausages each week.

Just like everything in life, moderation is key. Think about your family eating in terms of an entire week or month rather than just one day in isolation. And rather than only focusing on products to take out, remember that adding wholefoods is just as important.

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