Michelle Reid Kick Start The Day Interview

Michelle Reid Kick Start The Day Interview

Busy, active Australians can enjoy more freedom in the morning and kick start their day in a nutritious way while on the move following the launch of a new delicious liquid breakfast by one of Australia's most trusted brands, Sanitarium Health & Wellbeing.

New to the UP&GO range, Oats2Go is the only liquid breakfast on the market to contain a source of real wholegrain oats. It also has the protein, energy and fibre of a bowl of oats and skim milk, and is 99 per cent fat free, low GI and high in fibre as well as protein.

Daniel Derrick, General Manager Marketing – Sanitarium Australia, said Oats2Go is an exciting new addition to the UP&GO family and a great option for those mornings when you don't have time for a sit down breakfast.

'Mornings are mayhem for a lot of households and research indicates our lives are getting even busier, with the average person allocating less than 10 minutes for breakfast on a typical weekday, and a third spending five minutes or less. Add to this the prevalence of breakfast-skipping, and it's clear that convenient and nutritious new solutions are a must," he said.

'Sanitarium is committed to the health and wellbeing of all Australians, so we've developed Oats2Go with great tasting wholegrain oats to ensure busy Aussies can still get a great start in the morning, and make the most out of every day."

Michelle Reid, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist at Sanitarium, said Oats2Go provides 50 per cent of the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) for calcium.

'Nearly two thirds of Australians are skipping breakfast with as many as one in five, or more than three million people, skipping breakfast most days of the week. On days when time just gets away, Oats2Go is a brilliant option as it contains 10 essential vitamins and minerals. It's high in B vitamins to help release the energy needed to kickstart your day, as part of a balanced diet rich in vitamins B1, B2, and B3."

'Unique in its category, Oats2Go is also a source of wholegrain oats. Wholegrains contain all three components of the grain and Sanitarium is currently the only brand to overcome the challenge of being able to deliver a source of wholegrains in a liquid breakfast," she said.

Oats 2Go does not contain artificial colours or added preservatives, and is available in three delicious flavours – Creamy Vanilla, Cocoa, and Banana & Honey. It can be found in all major retailers and a pack of three has an RRP of $4.99.

Breakfast Stats and Tips with Sanitarium's Michelle Reid

Busy, active Aussies can be guilty of skipping the most important meal of the day and there are tonnes of reasons why. But, the benefits of having a healthy breakfast far outweigh the reasons for not eating in the morning, especially with so many nutritious, convenient options on the market. Research also indicates that increasingly those who are having breakfast are eating it on the move or outside the home, so here are some of the latest statistics on breakfast, and my tips for ensuring you get a nutritious start to make the most out of every day.

Breakfast Skipping & Consumption:

1. Nine out of 10 Australians agree breakfast is the most important meal of the day (89%) and actively seek to buy healthier breakfast foods to improve either their own or their family's diet (88%).
2. Nearly two thirds (65%) of Australians are skipping breakfast with as many as one in five (22%), or more than 3 million Aussies, skipping breakfast most days of the week.
3. The average Australian allocates less than 10 minutes for eating breakfast on a typical weekday while one third (35%) allocates only five minutes or less.
4. Breakfast is the meal of the day most likely to be skipped with 44% of people acknowledging that they skip it most often in a typical week.
5. The main reasons Aussies skip breakfast are not enough time (50%), not hungry or prefer to eat later in the day (34%), and too disorganised (23%).

6. 54% of regular breakfast skippers still find time for social media in the morning including checking and sending emails (44%) and 'facebooking" (35%). Other activities regular skippers give priority to include choosing to sleep in as long as possible (44%), doing household chores (32%), watching telly (27%), helping get children ready (23%), reading the paper (19%), or exercising (11%).
7. As many as 84% of parents have prepared breakfast for their kids but then skipped it themselves. 8. Mums (52%) are much more likely than Dads (35%) to do this on a regular basis.
9. Parents are more likely to substitute coffee for breakfast on a regular basis (39%) than non parents (25%).
10. Gen Y is the least likely to eat breakfast at home (65%) and more likely to eat it on the go (20%) or at work (28%).

Tips For A Top Morning:

Breakfast can be a great way to kickstart you day and provide essential nutrients you may otherwise be lacking. Here are some easy ideas to help you start your day the right way.

Breakfast ideas for those on-the-go:

Peanut butter and banana on wholegrain toast or crispbread
Low fat yoghurt sprinkled with natural muesli – you can make these the night before and store in airtight containers in the fridge and then have them on the move when needed
A chilled liquid breakfast– try Sanitarium UP&GO Oats2Go, it is the only one on the market with a source of real wholegrain oats and it provides the protein, energy and dietary fibre of a bowl of oats and milk, is low in fat and low GI. A pack of three is available for $4.99 – if you break it down, that's just $1.66 for one serving, substantially cheaper than a cup of coffee. Munch on a piece of fruit or some nuts when you get the chance too and you'll be doing well!
Fruit smoothie with low fat yoghurt and/or milk – again, you can make this in advance and simply pull one out of the fridge when you're ready to leave.

For those with a bit more time in the morning:

Baked beans on wholegrain toast
Toasted wholegrain English muffin topped with ricotta cheese and sliced tomato or some chopped up fruit (a bit of apple with a dusting of cinnamon is nice)
Weet-Bix or porridge topped with sliced banana and a little honey

Top tips thanks to Michelle Reid, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Nutritionist at Sanitarium.

To find out more, head to www.facebook.com/UPandGOau and join the conversation online with #Oats2Go.

Interview with Michelle Reid

Question: Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day?

Michelle Reid: Starting your day with a nutritious breakfast is one of the best health decisions that you can make. Breakfast literally means -breaking your overnight fast'. By the time you wake up your body hasn't had food for up to 10 hours, so it's important to refuel your body for another day. Only breakfast can provide you with the energy to kick start the day which is why it's the most important meal of the day.


Question: Why are you concerned that so many Australians are skipping breakfast?

Michelle Reid: Research indicates nearly two thirds of Australians are skipping breakfast with as many as one in five, or more than three million people, skipping breakfast most days of the week. Stats also show Aussies are increasingly eating brekkie on the move with the average person allocating less than 10 minutes for breakfast on a typical weekday, and a third spending five minutes or less. It's clear convenient and nutritious new solutions are a must.


Question: How long, after rising, should we eat breakfast?

Michelle Reid: There are no hard and fast rules about timing for breakfast, we all have different schedules, needs and routines in the morning. Breakfast is considered the first meal of the day. It's best to nourish and fuel our bodies within an hour or two of rising to get the day off to a good start.


Question: Does eating breakfast help us maintain a healthy weight?

Michelle Reid: Yes eating breakfast is strongly associated with successful, well-maintained weight loss. Although many people skip breakfast in an effort to reduce their food intake and lose weight, research shows that enjoying a high fibre breakfast, may lead to eating less food later in the day. This is probably because, high fibre meals can be quite filling so you are less likely to snack on high fat and sugary foods mid-morning.


Question: If we don't eat breakfast what often happens throughout the day?
Michelle Reid: Having a nourishing breakfast is the best way to prepare yourself for the day ahead and getting those nutrients in early! We know that people that regularly have breakfast are more likely to have more nutritious diets and meet dietary recommendations.


Question: What should our breakfast typically contain?

Michelle Reid: It is important to make the most of your breakfast meal by including highly nutritious foods. Think wholegrains (grainy bread or wholegrain cereal), fruit, low-fat dairy or fortified soy milk, and nuts and seeds (like peanut/nut butters, or a sprinking of your favourite mix on your cereal). Incorporating baked beans or even an egg when you have more time are nutritious options also. Avoid food high in fat, sugar and salt (such as a takeaway options) as these will simply take up the space (and provide more calories!) of more nutritious foods.


Question: How does Sanitarium UP&GO Oats2Go ensure that busy Australians still get what they need from their breakfast?

Michelle Reid: Sanitarium's new UP&GO Oats2Go is a delicious, nutritious new option on days when you just don't have the minutes to spare for a sit down breakfast. Containing the protein, energy and fibre of a bowl of oats and skim milk, it's the only liquid breakfast in Australia made with a source of real wholegrain oats. It is also 99 per cent fat free, low GI, high in fibre, and contains 10 essential vitamins and minerals. Including vitamins B1, B2 and B3 to help release the energy needed to kickstart your day as part of a balanced diet.

A pack of three is available for $4.99 – if you break it down, that's just $1.66 for one serving, substantially cheaper than a cup of coffee. Munch on a piece of fruit or some nuts when you get the chance too and you'll be doing well!


Question: Why is a coffee not -breakfast'?

Michelle Reid: Coffee is not a substitute for breakfast and won't get your day off to a flying start. If you are only drinking coffee for breakfast, you are missing the opportunity for providing your body of the essential nutrients it needs to be at your best. While you may be temporarily energetic, you will inevitably crash within a couple of hours.


Question: What do you have for breakfast?

Michelle Reid: I can't leave the house without breakfast! For me it's Weet-Bix Multi-Grain with chopped banana or rolled oats with grated apple and cinnamon. If I'm organised and prep the night before, I really enjoy bircher muesli with almonds, chia, natural yoghurt and fruit.


Interview by Brooke Hunter