No time for breakfast? The best grab-and-go options from a dietitian

Airlie Koo is a violinist and producer. The 42-year-old shares her day on a plate.

6am I’m up early for a recording session with Australian Pop Quartet. Breakfast is a hasty croissant and coffee on the way while listening to the songs we’ll be covering.

9.30am Another coffee (iced this time) and a celery green juice to balance it out.

1.30pm Lunch is my usual order of Lebanese chicken with fattoush, eaten in the studio while listening to takes. Ordering the same thing each session means I don’t waste studio time deliberating.

5.30pm We wrap for the day and head for an early dinner at Moxy Kitchen & Bar near Sydney Airport where I order the chilli linguine and a classic margarita. I grab a sneaky second cocktail to take up to my hotel room.

Dr Joanna McMillan says:

Top marks for… Your lunch of real food as it delivered your main serve of quality protein and some much-needed veg. Locking in a go-to order is also a smart strategy when time and mental bandwidth are tight.

If you keep eating like this you’ll… Struggle to hit targets for several nutrients, notably fibre and calcium. Over time, this can affect gut and bone health, as well as energy levels. Skimping on protein early in the day can also make it harder to maintain muscle – especially important in your 40s – and recover from long, demanding days.

Why don’t you try… Swapping the croissant for a drinkable breakfast on the go – such as a smoothie with milk, yoghurt, oats, nuts and berries – to boost protein, calcium and fibre in one hit. Add seafood to your chilli linguine to ensure more even protein distribution across the day and a side salad to get more vegetables onto your plate.

The Australian Pop Quartet’s new album is out now on Spotify.

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