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Before Christmas I joined a group of Handpicked Media bloggers on the Hovis Wholemeal Challenge.
50 of us bloggers were asked to write down our normal breakfast eating habits for one week and record how satisfied we were with each subsequent meal and whether we stayed full until lunchtime.
My breakfast entries for the week ranged from the somewhat virtuous porridge and hot granola to quick-fix devils such as croissant, brioche and reduced fat muffins – all plucked on the trot to my desk from the coffee chain triangle of Starbucks, Pret and Leon.
Most days, I didn’t snack but this way down to not wanting to be seen scoffing twice before lunchtime, although the porridge and granola worked a treat.
So the next week, armed with my delivery of healthy goods and recipes courtesy of Hovis, I began the breakfast challenge.
Having to get up half an hour earlier to prepare a home-made breakfast began as an annoyance, but I did end up making an effort to go to bed earlier.
As my body is carb rather than calorie sensitive, I needed a lot of convincing that bread every morning for breakfast would actually be good for me. I was pleasantly surprised to find that the bread didn’t make me feel bloated or lethargic.
While my occasional French pâtisserie breakfasts are made with refined white flour, Hovis Wholemeal is high in fibre, making it easier to digest and more filling.
Some of the best recipes included two slices of Hovis topped with cream cheese, sliced bananas with cinnamon and boiled eggs with soldiers.
My favourite of the breakfast recipes was the poached eggs with grilled flat mushrooms. I always order Eggs Benedict when I go out to brunch, but it wasn’t too hard to swap the Hollandaise for mushrooms and white muffin for wholemeal bread.
I found that I did indeed stop snacking in between meals. Even better, I saved some cash, as the Hovis loaf and ingredients went much further than my overpriced coffee counter treats.
And I am not alone – in research conducted by Hovis, 78% of bloggers said they would continue to eat bread for breakfast after taking the challenge, with 64% stating Hovis Wholemeal kept them fuller for longer.
Could I eat Hovis Wholemeal everyday for breakfast? Possibly, but I’d add some of my own (slightly less low-fat) toppings like a thin spread of Whole Earth peanut butter, tahini or a shaving of reduced-fat cheddar.
Maybe on the weekend I’d try it with some scrambled eggs, baked beans or Quorn sausages…or maybe I should stop before trying to justify the health benefits of a big blob of Nutella!
There are many different approaches to healthy eating – some nutritionists advocating a steady flow of small meals and light snacks throughout the day while others promote the three square meals a day rule.
However you choose to exercise healthy eating depends on your lifestyle, metabolism and career, but either way, it’s great to know that with the Hovis Wholemeal Challenge, there’s an option that works!
To get recipe ideas for the Hovis Wholemeal Challenge and and to sign up to the Stop Snacking app, visit www.facebook.com/hovisbakery.
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