Breakfast should be your biggest meal of the day — you’ve heard this before. But is it true?
Experts believe the concept has legitimacy in 2025.
“The age-old advice that breakfast should be your biggest meal holds true as it aligns with our body’s natural rhythms — helping to optimize digestion, energy levels and overall health,” Michelle Routhenstein, a New York City-based cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished, told Fox News Digital.
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“A larger breakfast can fuel the body for the busy day ahead, while a smaller dinner allows the body to wind down, preparing for rest and recovery.”
Here’s more about why eating a large breakfast may be so beneficial for your health.
A big breakfast can be beneficial to your health. Nutrition experts revealed why. (iStock)
Is a bigger breakfast better for your health?
Research shows that our body’s metabolism works more efficiently earlier in the day, Routhenstein said.
“One reason is that our insulin sensitivity tends to be higher in the morning, meaning we process food and energy more effectively after waking up,” she said.
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“Eating a bigger meal at breakfast helps to stabilize blood sugar levels, fuel your body for the day and provide sustained energy, according to studies,” she added.
Plus, a larger meal at night can be more difficult to digest, increase the likelihood of acid reflux and disrupted sleep due to slower metabolism during the evening, Routhenstein said.
Eating a large meal before bedtime can cause acid reflux and disrupt sleep, a dietitian told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
“The choices we make about the foods we eat and when we eat them are important for our cardiometabolic health,” she said.
Lisa Moskovitz, a registered dietitian, founder of the NY Nutrition Group and author of “The Core 3 Healthy Eating Plan,” isn’t entirely on “team big breakfast” or bust, but she does see the merits of consuming a hearty morning meal.
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If you do have an appetite and the time for a larger breakfast, you may notice fewer cravings and urges to eat at night, more stable energy levels throughout the day and better concentration, she said.
Moskovitz stressed, however, that there is no one-size-fits-all methodology for meal planning and portion distribution.
“Sit down and figure out your specific needs, lifestyle and what’s realistic.”
“The best way to plan out meals is to sit down and figure out your specific needs, lifestyle and what’s realistic,” she said.
Ideally, you want to ingest some kind of nourishment every three to four hours throughout the day — starting with the first hour you wake up and aiming to give yourself at least two to three hours of digestive rest before bedtime, Moskovitz said.
Eating a big breakfast could lead to more stable energy levels throughout the day and better concentration, according to a dietitian. (iStock)
“Generally, people report feeling more energy, fewer cravings and reasonable calorie intake when they make time for a balanced, protein- and fiber-rich breakfast,” she said, further making the case for a filling breakfast.
Sample meal plan
Moskovitz shared a day-in-the-life example of front-loading your diet by eating a larger breakfast, followed by smaller meals for lunch and dinner.
Breakfast: Choose from any of the following options
- 2 eggs + 2 slices of sprouted grain bread + ½ avocado + 1 cup of fresh fruit
- 1 cup of 2% Greek yogurt + 1 banana + ½ cup of high-protein granola + ¼ cup of nuts/seeds
- Whole grain tortilla + lox + ½ avocado + sliced cucumber, tomato and red onion + banana
- Smoothie with 1 cup fresh fruit + 1 cup spinach or kale + 2 tablespoons chia seeds + ½ cup of Greek yogurt + almond milk base + served with 1 slice whole grain toast with 2 tbsp almond butter
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Lunch: ½ sandwich + soup or a large salad topped with lean protein
Dinner: Grilled or baked fish/chicken + mixed green salad or roasted veggies and potatoes
Other options
Looking for more “big breakfast” inspiration?
One breakfast option that’s rarely discussed, said Moskovitz, is eating leftover dinner.
A steak and eggs meal is one way to incorporate leftover dinner as part of your breakfast. (iStock)
“It’s convenient, ready to heat and eat, and is often high in protein and fiber-rich veggies, which is a winning combo for satiety and sufficient energy throughout the day,” she said.
Routhenstein’s sample meal plan, adhering to this bigger breakfast principle, makes use of a robust, savory breakfast, followed by a lighter lunch and a petite dinner.
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Breakfast: Tofu sandwich with lettuce, tomato, veggies and avocado “for a good mix of protein, healthy fats and fiber to fuel your morning.”
Lunch: A Mediterranean-inspired meal with roasted vegetables, grilled salmon and a side of quinoa “for extra protein and fiber.”
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Dinner: Lentil soup is a “nutrient-dense” yet lighter choice that gets Rouhtenstein’s stamp of approval.
