DAVID NAYLOR — U of T President

A bowl of high-protein or high-fibre cereal, usually with water or soy milk. I may also grab a bowl of plain low-fat yogurt, an orange or banana, or a handful of almonds. However, on occasion, I just stand and graze in the refrigerator, attacking left-over fruit salad, green salad, or even cold vegetables from the previous night’s dinner. I then grab a cup of coffee in a travel mug (homogenized milk, no sugar), and head off to the office… It’s all about trying to get full with minimum time and minimum calories, while trying to limit saturated fats and boost fibre intake.

 

CHERYL MISAK — Vice-President & Provost

I eat leftovers from the previous night’s dinner, whatever that might be — stir-fry, pasta, curry, soup… I get up very early in the morning and work on my own research during the time it takes to make and drink two cups of tea and two cups of coffee. Then I rush in to make it to work before the traffic kicks in. By the time I get to my office, I’m hungry and I’ve been up for a couple of hours, so I eat my lunch. And then I eat another lunch at the normal hour.

JILL MATUS — Vice-Provost, Students

I typically have fruit (berries), cereal (oatmeal or muesli), milk and yogurt… I am not very hungry at breakfast and usually only want a cup of tea or coffee. But if I don’t eat anything, I am ravenous by mid-morning, so I try to eat something that will keep me going through the morning till lunch.

PAUL GOOCH — President, Victoria College

Kicking Horse coffee, Three Sisters blend, two cups black (because it tastes great and kicks the system into gear in the early morning); a clementine (more fibre than juice has); steel cut oats in oatmeal porridge with added bran; a bit of two per cent milk and a sprinkle of brown sugar (steel cut oats have a lower glycemic index than rolled or instant oats; bran is good roughage). Multivitamins, especially vitamin D in the winter… It may look like I have a preoccupation with my internal workings. I don’t. I eat this way to avoid having a preoccupation with my internal workings.

WENDY CECIL — Chancellor, Victoria College

I always start with a hot cup of black tea with skimmed milk and wildflower honey along with one of the following: a bowl of hot Red River cereal with raisins, chopped almonds, and vanilla soy milk; or one to two scrambled eggs with either a little parmesan, old cheddar cheese, baby tomatoes, or mushrooms along with a slice of toasted granary bread; or a slice or two of toasted granary bread, thickly spread with crunchy almond butter, jelly, or jam and a small fruit smoothie… Immediately afterwards, I do a five-mile power walk and then resistance/weight training at the gym for an hour… when I return from my workout, I will often have another cup of tea with milk and honey and a small “second breakfast” of something I didn’t have for my “first breakfast…When we were growing up, my mother would never allow my sister or me to leave the house without first having had a really good breakfast. It is a lifelong habit for me and I must confess that I love breakfast! I wake up looking forward to it. Without breakfast, the day couldn’t possibly be even half as wonderful — because I wouldn’t have as much energy to enjoy it! 

MARY L’ABBE — Professor and Chair, Department of Nutritional Sciences

I’m not a big breakfast eater. On weekdays it’s usually yogurt, a bagel, and cream cheese. On meeting days I eat a more filling breakfast, like porridge, because I don’t know when I’ll be able to eat lunch.

MICHAEL IGNATIEFF — Professor, Department of Political Science, the Faculty of Law, the Munk School of Global Affairs, and the School of Public Policy and Governance

Coffee, black, and lots of it, fresh fruit (mangoes are popular in this house), cereal, toast, and occasionally, in a nod to Russian roots, kasha, a buckwheat cereal, eaten plain with butter.

CATHERINE MAH — Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, Head, Food Policy Research Initiative

Scottish-style oatmeal with dried cranberries.  Sometimes I add pumpkin seeds, toasted almonds, or plain yogurt.  When I don’t have oatmeal, I like to have poached eggs with buttered toast and grapefruit. I try to buy organic and local whenever possible. If not, then I try to buy fair trade… My breakfast reflects my work: supporting sustainable food systems and public health.

VIVEK GOEL — Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, President; CEO Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion

Fruit, yogurt, and granola; coffee… It’s healthy and it tastes good!

GRAD STUDENTS

ERIK LEUNG — Master’s Student, Music

Mondays and Tuesdays: a large bowl of plain Cheerios and Shreddies with a teaspoon of sugar, a small bowl of plain yogurt with marmalade jam, plain whole wheat toast with a sausage, water, and a protein shake. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays: 2–3 scrambled, hard boiled or poached eggs, whole-wheat toast, 3–4 sausages, grapefruit juice, and a protein shake. Saturday: cereal and a protein shake. Sunday: oatmeal with large teaspoon of peanut butter and honey. I love breakfast and I love eating in general.  I work out every morning at 7 am for an hour or so. I find that I am always hungry after my workouts and need a lot of food to replenish my energy levels.  I once tried to cut down on the amount of food that I ate but I found that my muscles were really sore and didn’t recuperate as quickly as normal.

SHANNAN GRANT — PhD Student, Nutritional Sciences

One cup cooked large flake oatmeal with 1 tablespoon of 100 per cent peanut butter, a half cup of unsweetened fortified soy milk, one cup of blueberries or strawberries, a half cup of berry smoothie, and 1–2 cups of coffee with soy milk and cinnamon. I choose all of my food based on taste, how full I feel and for how long, sustainability and cost (I have been a student for a very long time).

PHILLIPA CHONG — PhD Student, Sociology

Either oatmeal with some fruit or a good cereal, where “good” means it is low in sugar and ideally has a fair amount of protein. I used to eat a couple pieces of toast before coming to campus and literally by the time I was off the subway, I was so hungry again.  There’s nothing worse for me than having to spend time hunting for food  especially around campus, which typically doesn’t have the healthiest options.

MARC MITCHELL — PhD Student, Exercise Science (former CFL football player)

Cereal (usually Frosted Mini-Wheats, Shreddies, or Raisin Bran) with 1 per cent milk and a glass of OJ (from concentrate but slightly more diluted). When motivated, and have the ingredients, I’ll make yogurt smoothies with 0% natural yogurt (one cup), frozen berries (one cup), ginger, one banana, and sometimes an ounce or so of frozen spinach, again, when the stars align, approximately twice a week.

SARAH CAPPELIEZ — PhD Student, Sociology

I start with a glass of juice — it’s the only juice I drink all day. Then, I generally eat cereal or bread. In the winter, I prefer hot cereal with almond milk, some sweetener (usually maple syrup), and maybe some fruit and nuts. If I am eating bread, I usually have two pieces of whole grain bread with either peanut butter (natural/unsweetened) or jam. I sort of stopped drinking coffee, I found that it gave me a too much of a tired feeling in the afternoon. I find that with the green tea, I don’t feel this way — I feel more “refreshed” rather than jolted into being awake. I often drink some water as well to rehydrate after the night. I also take vitamins with my juice.

JESSE KANCIR — Medical Student

Always a cup of coffee and usually a muffin to go with it. About once a week, when I have early clinical hours, I have a full breakfast that consists of an egg or two alongside some ham or bacon, some yogurt with muesli, a cup of juice, and perhaps some toast that I’ll layer thickly with peanut butter… I know from life experience and now medical education why I shouldn’t normally skip breakfast. I do most of the time, but my strong preference is to have the larger breakfast, where my choices are based around my preference for a higher protein meal and a minimization of grain products.

UNDERGRAD STUDENTS

CLARA HO — Third year, Research Specialist in Psychology, Minor in Diaspora and Transnational Studies, UTSU Vice-President, University Affairs

A bowl of cereal with milk and a cup of cream earl grey tea with milk and sugar or
a matcha green tea latte with soy milk. The cereal varies from muesli to granola to a mix of both…It’s easy and quick to put together, and it’s what I enjoy.

DAVID GREEN — Third year, Life Sciences, Varsity Football Player

Four-egg omelet with spinach and ham/turkey mixed in a bowl of cottage cheese (a cup and a half) with blueberries. A glass of water, and my multivitamin and omega-3 supplement. Lastly, I eat about a handful of almonds (5–7). I may have a slice of toast depending on how hungry I am… Because I am out of season at the moment, I don’t consume many [grain-based] carbs. Instead, I fill my diet with a lot of fruit and vegetables and I try to get a lot of protein to help rebuild my muscles. We are training hard during the off-season so making sure my muscles are repairing properly and have enough nutrients are my main goals.

REBECCA LI — Second year, Nutritional Sciences and Pharmaceutical Chemistry

I’ll usually have one or a combination of the following: a warm bowl of steel-cut oats with almond milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, applesauce, flax seeds, sweetened with maple syrup (If I’m feeling an early morning chocolate craving, I’ll add some cacao or carob powder); or an organic egg omelet with any seasonal vegetables I happen to have on hand; or a smoothie made with soy or almond milk, flax or chia seeds, a handful of spinach, and either mixed field berries or banana and strawberry. The spinach might scare you, but I swear you can’t taste it.

HARRISON BEEFORTH – Fourth year Kinesiology, Varsity Blues Football Player

On days that I have practice or am going to workout, I usually have a bowl of Vector cereal and two per cent milk. I find this breakfast is easily digestible and it provides me with enough energy to last the entirety of my workout (which can sometimes last up to 2 hours). I also try to drink at least a cup of  water before leaving my house…On days when I have class first I usually just have a bowl of cereal (Mini-Wheats, Shreddies, whatever I have on hand, but never Vector) with milk. I have been trying to get into better habits on these “class-first” mornings by making myself oatmeal and adding a handful of raisins, a tablespoon of flaxseed, 1.5 handfuls of sliced almonds, and a scoop of peanut butter. A lot more nutritious and balanced, but it takes longer to make and eat.

MARY SCOURBOUTAKOS – Master’s Student, Nutritional Sciences

For me, breakfast begins with a glass of water (sleep makes me thirsty), followed by a big bowl of large-flake oats and milk along with a medley of 1–2 tablespoons of each of the following mixed in: flax seeds (freshly ground to enable maximum absorption of the omega-3s they contain), sesame seeds (which are surprisingly rich in calcium), sunflower seeds (rich in vitamin E, which is an antioxidant), wheat germ and wheat bran (high in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and iron). Finally, I conclude my breakfast with 1–3 cups of green tea. And as you might expect, breakfast is definitely my favourite meal of the day!

Illustrations by Jenny Kim