For those of us who are lactose intolerant, allergic to wheat/gluten, or just haven\’t found a cereal we like, it can be difficult to find an alternative breakfast to prepare the body for another day. Oatmeal just doesn\’t seem that appetising when you\’ve got an insatiable sweet tooth.

One of the best ways to start the day is a bountiful stack of pancakes topped with a syrup of your choice (I prefer maple, personally). The amount of calories depends on which pancakes mix you use, but you can expect to intake a little under 300kcal for around 4 average-sizes pancakes. Not bad at all considering how filling and satisfying of a meal it is.

Although there is an urban legend which says that they originated from sailors wanting to use up all of their eggs as there was no way to store them, the idea of pancakes has actually existed for well over 2,400 years. Known as tagenites by the ancient Greeks, there have been references to their use as a breakfast dish noted as early as the 5th century BC.

But, if pancakes don\’t really do it for you and you wanted something a little sweeter, Pop Tarts could be exactly what you\’ve been looking for. Filled with a delicious, gooey serving of which there are over 29 flavours, ranging from strawberry to wild watermelon. When warmed through, Pop Tarts are pure decadence at its finest, and it\’s a hard fight to avoid breaking out in an ear-to-ear grin after your first bite.

Another undeniable part of their allure is the \”set and forget\” nature of being able to put your breakfast in the toaster on a busy morning and grabbing them on your way out of the door. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, it\’s difficult to slave over the stove at 7am preparing an omelette with bacon on a time deficit.

If the thought of grabbing your breakfast on the run sounds appealing, graham crackers are the absolute perfect choice for you. Requiring zero effort on your part, each sheet of crackers provides 65 calories, which is approximately 3.25% of the average woman\’s recommended daily intake, and 2.6% for a man. Very manageable.

Originally, graham crackers were created by Reverend Sylvester Graham in 1829 as a way to suppress both appetite cravings and sexual urges. Fortunately, science has come a long way since then.

One interesting fact to keep in mind is that when they were first made, graham cracks were made from graham flour (hence the name). Over time, though, this has been replaced by refined white flour and isn\’t quite as healthy as the older recipe. The difference is quite minimal, but worth noting if you\’re weighing up the choices of baking your own or indulging in a store-bought variety.

With everything considered, these sugary delights are perfectly acceptable within a balanced diet, and (barring any pre-existing condition) are safe to eat on a daily basis. Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day. Why not treat yourself?

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of American Soda, importers of American food, including pancake mix and Graham Crackers.

Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of American Soda (http://www.americansoda.co.uk), importers of American food, sweets and drinks into the UK.

Author Bio: Ben Greenwood is writing on behalf of American Soda, importers of American food, including pancake mix and Graham Crackers.

Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: american food, popcorn, pretzels, cookies, potato chips