I am a huge breakfast person. I wake up hungry and get hangry if I don’t eat by 9am at the latest. I also don’t love a cooked breakfast; they randomly stopped agreeing with my body as I got older.

So for me, the breakfast of choice is always a smoothie (except in the absolute depths of winter when I change it out for bircher). It’s basically a chocolate milkshake comprising some or all of the following: soaked cashews, linseed, hemp seeds, cacao powder, collagen, cinnamon, cardamom, Mother Made AM mushroom blend, a protein powder, brazil nuts, maca, ashwagandha, reishi, tahini, avocado, honey and lots of ice.

Desperate to know how others start their morning, I checked in with a handful of people whose opinions I admire for some fresh inspo. 

Zoe Hobbs, Olympian

Breakfast never changes for me, no matter what day of the week. Always eggs on toast. Sometimes fried, sometimes boiled. Sometimes with avocado. 

Monique Fiso, chef 

My go-to is eggs on toast, often poached eggs. On busier mornings, it's Fix & Fogg crunchy peanut butter on toast. During the colder months of the year, I love to make porridge with sultanas. A weekday breakfast for me should be simple and nourishing.

Jessica Roimata Clarke, co-founder Mother Made and model

Honestly, I’m not much of a breakfast person, but when I do eat it, I usually go for coffee, egg whites and avocado on gluten-free toast with Marmite.

Maia Svadlenak-Gardiner, podcaster and wellbeing advocate

I have three different drinks before my parakuihi (breakfast). I start the day with warm lemon water, a turmeric latte with oat milk and a heavy metal detox smoothie (recipe from the Medical Medium). Then I have parakuihi, which has currently been scrambled tofu on toast. 

Dr Libby, nutritional biochemist, author, speaker

You can’t beat eggs for a nourishing breakfast food. I like to pair mine with avocado for some whole food fats and spinach and mushrooms to ensure there are some vegetables at the start of my day. Lucy’s The Seedy One GF bread is my go-to.

Makanaka Tuwe, researcher, storyteller, cultural producer and founder Sesa Mathlo Apothecary 

In cooler months it's mocha and croissant. I picked this combo up when I spent a couple of months in Morocco in 2018 and it has stuck. Thankfully it’s no longer accompanied by a cheeky cigarette! In warmer months it’s a berry smoothie and mocha. 

Karen Walker, designer and founder

I always start the day with a pot of Earl Grey tea – my preference being Storm and India’s.

Stacy T. Sims PHD, female health and performance physiologist

I am pretty boring on this. My standard is a protein-fortified cold brew (double espresso, 2tbsp protein powder, 200ml unsweetened almond milk) before training, then after training a bowl of mixed berries, oats, chia seeds, low-fat greek yogurt and mānuka honey (and probably another double espresso..)

Lucy Vincent, founder Sans Ceuticals

Poached eggs on rye, coffee and a bitter green juice.

Ngahuia Williams, model and agency owner

I’m currently in the northern area of India where savoury oats are a regular [breakfast]. They’re good for energy and taste really nice as an alternative from the sweet I am used to growing up in Aotearoa, where I normally just enjoy a big bowl of seasonal fruit. 

Sarah Lindsay, owner Sala Studio

My go-to is a green smoothie with protein, spinach, spirulina, cacao and chia seeds. It’s a powerhouse. The protein fuels my muscles, while spinach offers iron and antioxidants. Spirulina is a superfood, boosting energy and detoxification. Cacao adds rich flavour and magnesium to calm the nervous system, and chia seeds provide fibre and omega-3s for balance. It’s quick, easy, and perfect for sipping on the way to playgroup with my little one.

Chantal Cuthers, NZ registered nutritionist

Filter Raglan Roast coffee with cream and collagen, and an everything bagel with avocado, cottage cheese and a generous sprinkle of mixed hemp hearts, black sesame and dried shallots I make and keep in a jar in the fridge for crunch and salt. When I run out of time it's leftover pancakes from my kid’s plate and a collagen coffee on the school drop off because sometimes life is hectic and we can't always get it right. 

Julia Matthews, founder and director Two Islands

If I have a bit of time, I love making an omelette. We’re fortunate to have a neighbour with chickens, so we trade our food scraps for fresh eggs. On those super busy mornings, I mix protein and collagen powder in a shaker and sip it on the go.

Niki Loe, naturopath and The Beauty Chef ambassador

First of all, I love a strong black plunger coffee or, if I’m at my local fave, Little Bird, I have to have a cold brew coffee with hazelnut milk. 

For brekky, I love a big hunk of fresh sourdough with scrambled eggs and veggies, or a bowl of seasonal fruit topped with lashings of coconut yoghurt and a drizzle of Honuka honey. At the moment I am loving fruit salads made with kiwifruit, oranges, mandarins, and bananas.

I often make a “Body Wellness” shake to sip on with or after brekky to ensure I start the day with high quality protein (but make it chocolate). 

Keva Stanley, founder and designer Papa Clothing

I'm a smoothie girl: frozen banana, ground flaxseed and LSA, cacao powder, 'Everything Butter' and oat milk. It's so delicious but not great in the winter ‘cause I get a chill for about two hours after I drink it lol.

Vanessa Marshall, editor House of Wellness

Eggs, eggs and more eggs. I try for an omelette but if I'm pressed for time, hard-boiled with half an avocado and lashings of olive oil is just as good. I'm lucky my father does the mahi raising chickens, so he gives me heaps for free. Nothing beats proper free-range, grown with love.

Megan May, founder Little Bird Organics

At the moment I’m having a chia bowl with warm berries combined with Ārepa brain boost powder, hemp, bee pollen, and topped with our Little Bird sprouted granola and coconut yoghurt. I developed a version of it for a recipe we are doing and have had it almost every day since. I love the taste and how it makes me feel. It also has a good amount of protein – something I'm trying to make sure I get more of at the moment while also upping my intake of micronutrients and immunity supporting foods to get through the last of these wintery weeks.

Damian Chaparro, founder Aro Ha Wellness Retreat 

My wife jokes that I can make a taco out of anything. We often do lettuce cups or soft corn tortillas filled with egg, tomato, avocado, spinach, goat feta and my "world famous" chilli sauce.  

‍Emma Lewisham, founder Emma Lewisham

I love Little Bird berry and macadamia granola, which is made in NZ, is GF and is good for my gut health and microbiome. The muesli goes so well with this Puhoi Valley Greek yoghurt which adds a lovely sharp note to my breakfast, and really helps me start the day energised.

Jane Cronin, medical herbalist and naturopath Clinicians 

I love me a BLAT – bacon (naturally cured so no nitrate and free range), avocado, rocket from the garden and tomato, with some yummy sourdough bread and mayo. Otherwise, it is bacon, eggs and baked beans (English roots kicking in here). Processed meats are a treat for the weekend as health-wise they are best eaten in moderation.

Petra Bagust, podcaster, broadcaster and media chaplain

Scrambled eggs on homemade bread (my husband makes good use of the bread maker) with avocado or bacon, a sprinkle of pickled red onion and feta cheese, some pesto or toum [a Lebanese garlic sauce], plus spinach and parsley from the garden. Basically whatever is tangy and to hand – I love a savoury start to the day.

Libby Boxall, naturopath, nutritionist and founder Milou Beauty and Dose & Co 

I love to start the day with something easy to make but also high in protein that I can throw together in five minutes. I usually have scrambled eggs with an avocado and pico de galla for some spice. I never get sick of this meal, it fills me up until lunch time and my kids love it too.

Niki Bezzant, journalist, menopause and women’s health advocate

Grainy toast with cottage cheese and eggs. A drizzle of chilli oil if I'm feeling spicy. This gives me a good whack of protein and fibre, and it’s tasty and filling. 

Brodie Kane, broadcaster and podcaster

Man I go through some real phases with breakfast, but the phases are usually long ones! At the moment I'm absolutely in and around some yummy muesli, a scoop of protein powder and yoghurt. 

Jase Te Patu, founder and CEO Hauora Aotearoa, international speaker, mental health advocate

A peanut butter, choc protein smoothie with one scoop of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Isolate, a tablespoon of Fix and Fogg’s crunchy (always crunchy) peanut butter, ice and lactose-free milk. Also, add a teaspoon of cinnamon for that edge and a banana or Weetbix to thicken.

Dr Frances Pitsilis, medical practitioner and author Well Woman A Prescription for Lifelong Health

I try not to have breakfast, just a coffee in the morning. This is because fasting stimulates the survival genes, called Sirtuins, which extend life, may reduce cancer and protect the heart and the brain. If I feel I need something, I will have a small piece of apple. I eat lunch at 1pm and dinner at 6pm. This way I have a large window of fasting during the day so that I get maximum benefits. If I can’t fast, I ensure I at least keep my calories down as this has also been found to be beneficial for health.

Emma Wehipeihana, doctor (surgical registrar) 

Black coffee x2 – one in the car on the way to work and one from Elixir at Middlemore Hospital after the ward round (or before AND after, if it’s been a particularly rough day prior).