Hearty Beef Breakfasts to Fuel Your Student Athlete

Fall is making a beautiful entrance with its golden leaves and crisp mornings, the school buses are rolling by bright and early, and for those of us who have student athletes-the scramble to get sports schedules written down and the planning of nutritional meals has begun! Being a student athlete takes some serious dedication and hard work. I always thought it was tough on my elementary school kids when they had a sporting event or two on a school night, and it certainly can be! But watching my oldest son jump into Junior High sports last year was eye opening. Not only do they enter a massive growth spurt at this age, but they are gone for long hours if they are staying after for sports. My son leaves our house at 7am to walk to school. On practice days, they don’t finish up until 4:30 pm and even longer if their team is away at another school, in many cases not arriving home again until 6pm. That’s an exhausting day for anyone, let alone a growing teenager. My son handled the more rigorous schedule so much better than I had anticipated, and as his mom, I had probably been more worried about it than he was! How would he last through such a tough practice when his breakfast and lunch were so early in the day? Would he drink enough water and stay hydrated? What if he didn’t have time to eat his whole lunch as he so often claimed? He would probably laugh if I listed off all of my worries about his mid-day meal, but moms just want to know that their kids can survive the chaos. That is why I’m so thankful for these hearty beef breakfasts that are filling his belly and helping him tackle the day ahead.

This post is sponsored by the Washington State Beef Commission.

One of the biggest factors in assuring he will have the fuel he needs is starting off with a good breakfast. It can be a challenge, between his insistence that he isn’t hungry at the crack of dawn and the limited amount of time he has at home before heading to school. I’ve found the best way to combat this early-morning dilemma is to plan ahead! There are so many awesome and filling breakfast recipes that can be prepared over the weekend so you’re not trying to whip up a frittata on a weekday morning. This Country-Style Waffle Sandwich is the perfect weekday morning breakfast and will be such a great way to send your athlete off right! There are a lot of ways to customize this sandwich, especially if you have a picky eater. The thing that makes these sandwiches an optimal choice is the beef. I cook with beef most often at dinnertime but incorporating it in the morning when I know my son has a big day ahead is a game changer! Beef is not only a high-quality protein source, but it is also packed with essential amino acids. Including those that support muscle recovery and help repair muscles.

If you’re looking for a nutrition plan this sports season, check out the Sports Nutrition Game Plan. It is packed with protein-rich recipes that are sure to give your kiddos fuel to help them thrive!

It’s also important to remember that even if many of us moms don’t work out quite as hard as our student athletes, we need strength to tackle our day, too! Starting our day right so that we have the energy to support our families is vital. It’s a lot harder to take care of everyone if our nutritional needs aren’t being met. So, keep yourself in mind and maybe make a few extra Country-Style Waffle Sandwiches! In this sports season and the many that follow, hang in there, mom! It’s a lot to juggle and there are a lot of mouths to feed, but not a second of the time we spend planning and preparing meals for our children is wasted.

Country-Style Waffle Sandwiches

Ingredients:

1 recipe Basic Country Beef Breakfast Sausage (see recipe below)
2 eggs, slightly beaten
8 frozen waffles (regular or gluten-free)
Toppings (optional)
Sliced cheese, spinach, avocado slices, hot sauce, salsa, sour cream, sliced peppers.

Prepare Country-Style Beef Breakfast Sausage (see recipe below)
Meanwhile, heat separate skillet over medium heat until hot. Add eggs, cook and stir until eggs are scrambled. Toast frozen waffle according to package directions.
Top each of the four waffles with a sausage patty. Divide eggs evenly among sandwiches. Add preferred toppings. Top off with remaining waffles.

Basic Country-Style Beef Breakfast Sausage

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef (93% lean or leaner)
2 tsp chopped fresh sage or ½ tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp crushed red pepper

Directions:

Combine ground beef and seasonings in large bowl, mix lightly but thoroughly.
To make patties, lightly shape sausage mixture into four ½ inch thick patties.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot.
Add patties; cook 10 to 12 minutes or until thermometer inserted horizontally into center reads 160 degrees F, turning occasionally.