Royal Breakfasts

A Royal Breakfast is something Pinkfarm families highly prioritise. Eating this way, meat and fat for breakfast, has changed our lives in more ways than one. So WHAT is a Royal Breakfast?

A Royal Breakfast:

• Looks like dinner to most people
• Is high in saturated fats be it ghee, coconut oil, butter or tallow (read more about healthy fats) 
• Consists of animal protein
• Contains a large serving of green vegetables
• Includes a side of fermented vegetables

For more ideas of what a Royal Breakfast looks like please visit our Royal Breakfast Gallery here.

WHY do we choose to eat breakfast like a King (or Queen)?

Eating protein and fat does more than just make us feel good. There is science behind why we feel so great after eating a Royal Breakfast. Eating protein:

• Boosts energising neurotransmitters Acetylcholine and Dopamine. Acetylcholine and Dopamine are neurotransmitters responsible for providing us mental clarity, focus and brain function.The neurotransmitter Dopamine is synthesised from Tyrosine found in high protein foods and it is Dopamine that gives us the ability to focus and improves mental clarity and drive.Acetylcholine is also boosted by eating protein and this in turn enhances memory and brain function.
• Helps the body heal and repair
• Supplies the body with amino acids which help stabilise blood sugar and reduce carbohydrate cravings
• Keeps us satiated.

Cooking with and adding saturated fat is another essential component of a Royal Breakfast. Saturated Fat:

• Provides critical nutrients (read more here)
• Assists in the absorption of essential Vitamins and Minerals from the other foods on the plate (particularly green vegetables)
• Gives an efficient energy source keeping us going for longer. Fat is like fuelling the fire with a log rather than kindling which is like constantly eating carbohydrates.
• Keeps us satiated
• Maintains blood sugar levels throughout the day keeping our moods more balanced
• Curbs cravings for sweet foods

Aside from the physiological benefits, we reap other rewards eating a Royal Breakfast.

• We bake less as the kids require less snacks.
• We aren’t continually looking or thinking about food.
• We can leave the house without needing a packed lunch or loads of snacks.
• Dinner times are easier and are less fuss as the bulk of the nutrition has been provided earlier in the day and the children aren’t as hungry.
• We can relax as we know our kids have started their day with a more complete nutritional profile.
• School lunches are simpler.
• Eating as a family is a great way to start the day. 

 HOW do we achieve this on a daily basis?

• Prioritising breakfast which may involve shifting routines (ie. getting up a little earlier)
• Meal Planning
• Cooking specifically for breakfast
• Having ingredients on hand (meat thawed etc)
• Cooking ahead of time and having leftovers

Royal Breakfasts have become the norm for Pinkfarm families. So how did this come about?

Pinky ~ My personal trainer had been talking to me about a meat-based breakfast for as long as I can remember. He said that this switch would increase my performance with my workouts as well as assist in fat loss. I understood, but wasn’t convinced. My homemade granola was healthy wasn’t it? How could I face meat for breakfast every day? What would I eat every day? How will I have time for this? I remember the excuses clearly.

It’s been over two years since I made the switch to a meat and fat breakfast and I wish I had done it sooner. My initial change was motivated by wanting to lose body fat that I hadn’t been able to shift after having my son, as well as achieving work out goals that required strength and more protein to help repair muscle. However, these motivations for switching to a meat and fat breakfast were soon overshadowed by how fabulous I was feeling. I felt more balanced in my moods, more focused and alert, wasn’t looking for mid-morning snacks, sugar cravings were non-existent and I had energy for the entire day.

Farmer ~ Pinky’s experiment with switching to a meat & fat breakfast couldn’t have happened at a better time for me.  This influence & inspiration was just what I needed as I was in the process of culling out more packaged foods which meant no more store bought bread and no more packaged breakfast cereals.  The effort it took to provide home made alternatives (ie. sourdough bread & nut muesli’s) was huge.  I decided to adopt Pinky’s way with the meat & fat breakfast and we haven’t looked back.   I soon began to notice the same affects in myself & my family with better energy levels and feeling satiated for longer.  Although making the switch to a Royal Breakfast seemed more ‘work’ at first, it was paying off because lunches and dinner times were simpler. It also meant needing to bake less as we and our children weren’t looking for snacks on a continual basis.

After many months of reaping the rewards of eating a meat-based breakfast, it was revealed in our readings that the way we were feeling was substantiated with science. Physiologically, we were meant to be feeling this good!