There’s no telling what each day will bring: bad weather, a rough day at work, or sometimes much worse. The best way to become proactive against what’s to come is as easy as listening to a little corny advice: eat your breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day and can change the way you handle whatever comes your way, from traffic jams to a jammed fax machine.
Everyone probably has an idea of what kind of morning person they are and what things help get them ready to start the day. Sometimes it’s what type of breakfast they have (or don’t) or even what music they listen to that can determine what kind of day they’re headed toward.
Generally speaking there are four main type of “morning people”: The Snoozer, The Rusher, The Pep-per, and The Bruncher. These four types have their morning needs, and LD has come up with an essential shortened list of recipes and songs to rely on to help get through the morning, no matter how you embrace the early hours of the a.m.
1. The Snoozer:
No surprise, this is the person who has a love-hate relationship with the snooze button and can’t quite get up when they say they will.
What to Eat: Because their will to wake up after the first alerts from the alarm clock is weak, a Snoozer’s breakfast of choice should consist of make-ahead meals or dishes that don’t require too much time or effort to put together. Some yummy, easy recipes that are excellent to either make ahead or whip up before heading out the door are Sausage Egg and Cheese Roll Ups (for a more satisfying, long-lasting meal), or the healthy option of Banana Oat Bar, previously featured in the LD piece.
What to Listen To: The best way to really get Snoozers to wake up in the best mood are to give them tunes that reflect the way they wake up: starting out slow but building up the energy to come out and rock. Some songs that do the same, start out slow but build up into great pieces of music, range from “Hey Jude” by the Beatles, “Above the Clouds of Pompeii” by Bear’s Den and the classic “Free Bird” that has one of the best builds of any rock song.
2. The Rusher:
Whether accidental or habitual, they’re that person who’s on the verge of tumbling into a ball of bruised limbs just trying to get out the door and off to work or class.
What to Eat: Rushers can’t afford to pair the correct shoes together and wear them, let alone cook themselves a substantial breakfast. Along with make-ahead meals that are more planned, Rushers could also benefit from foods that are grab-and-go ready. Even with late notice, these meals can be made a few days in advance or if you’re lucky the morning of and still get away with being good and eating breakfast. A few dishes that are perfect for Rushers to prepare are Overnight Oatmeal, a recent trend that doubles as being healthy and delicious, or the more decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Shake that’s easy to drink at red lights during your hurried commute.
What to Listen To: Rushers, although not as concerned with what music they’re listening to while trying to get ready, could use a burst of motivation if they’re in the middle of panicking about getting to work on time. The musical secret? Music with energy but that settle well into the background so as not to distract, something to motivate one to get everything done but that is still good to jam too. Songs that do mostly that are energizing tunes like “1, 2, 3 Turnaround” by Christian TV, “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet, and the familiar “Who Are You” by The Who.
3. The Pep-per:
Usually described as “annoying” or “too happy,” Pep-pers are THE morning people, who get up with plenty of time to get totally ready for the day to come and are actually smiling while they do it.
What to Eat: Amazingly, most Pep-pers that coordinate their mornings well give themselves plenty of time to get ready and fully prepare, which includes breakfast. This means that they generally have more time to make easy, good-tasting that require a bit more effort to make but are equally as good. Some recipes, aside from the old-standbys like pancakes and scrambled eggs, could be Cheesy Baked Egg Toast, something different but delicious, or even a Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich that’s homemade enough to make you feel like a Top Chef, but still easy enough to not mess up.
What to Listen To: All Pep-pers have tunes that help them get through their morning routine, whether it’s pop-music hits, classical music that makes them feel like they’re on an episode of “Hannibal,” or even just whatever’s on the radio. Feel-good music that’s always good for long morning routines can range from “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, “I Wanna Get Better” by Bleachers, or “Gold Rays” by Vinyl Pickups, a varied mix that makes the mornings that much brighter for any Pep-per to listen to.
4. The Bruncher:
Not every morning is a workday or even a day that has to be greeted before noon, and who better to understand this than a Bruncher, whose mornings don’t begin until the early (or sometimes late) afternoon.
What to Eat: Brunchers probably know how to eat the best kind of food, food that is specifically designed to have the most appetizing qualities of breakfast and lunch combined into one. And fortunately, brunch food is more interesting to prepare and can include a larger range of food to make that is absolutely scrumptious. A classic favorite is Blueberry French Toast Casserole, a dish that can be made the night before and can be made with any kind of frozen fruit or fruit-flavored syrup and is super yummy and easy to make. Another typical brunch food to try is Spinach Quiche Cups, a recipe that is less daunting than it sounds and epitomizes brunch food without being too difficult to make. And for more than just one Bruncher, check out how to make home fries for two in LD’s 4 Tips For Perfect Home Fries.
What to Listen To: For Brunchers, what music to play is really dependent on how they do lunch. Most of the time, waking up late demands tunes that are more laid back but still fun to jam to. Songs that meet these needs are “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder, “Budapest” by George Ezra, and the favorite “Send Me On My Way” by Rusted Root (who doesn’t love a little Matilda nostalgia?).
For more breakfast recipes, you can also check out another LD article, 10 Breakfast Recipesfor Busy Mornings.
Whether you’re a tired Snoozer or an energized Pep-per, here’s to future good mornings!
For full playlist: http://8tracks.com/kristentriceracop/ld-s-morning-mix
