Make Healthier French Toast

French toast is a favorite at many breakfast tables, but it’s not always the most health-conscious option. The confection is full of sugar and carbohydrates, which can present a problem for people who are careful about what they eat. Fortunately, there’s no need to eliminate the gooey goody from your diet altogether. By limiting your portion size and wisely selecting alternative sweeteners and other ingredients, you can satisfy your sweet tooth in the morning without putting your calorie count in jeopardy.

Steps

Choosing Healthier Ingredients

1. Start with multi-grain bread. Ditch the overly processed bread products and find a more natural option complete with nutritious whole grains. These not only have more beneficial vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber, but they’ll also let you taste the bread more clearly underneath the heavy coating of sweeteners and other toppings.
   • You could even start making your own bread from scratch, which will give you total control over what goes in it.
   • Low carb breads made without gluten are also a good way to avoid overloading on starches.
2. Use just the egg whites. Separating the whites instead of using the whole egg significantly reduces the amount of cholesterol and overall calories going into the dish. Keep in mind that you may need to crack a few extra eggs to make up for volume you lose by not including the yolks.
   • Isolating the whites may prevent your French toast from tasting so “eggy,” as well.
   • To simplify the cooking process, pick up a bottle of egg white beaters from the supermarket to keep on hand for hassle-free breakfasts.
3. Add a scoop of protein powder. Shake in 20-30g of unflavored powder while you’re mixing up the batter. The added protein will help you feel satisfied faster, which means you’ll eat less and keep your muscles fueled and ready to burn energy all day long.
   • Enriching your French toast with protein can keep you from having to serve fattening side dishes like bacon or sausage alongside it in order to fill up.
   • Avoid flavored protein powders, as these will interfere with the finished product.
4. Go with a lighter sweetener. Opt for a low sugar variety of maple syrup, or, better yet, make the switch to raw honey. These items contain far lower concentrations of sugar without sacrificing the smooth, rich sweetness you need to make the dish taste right.
   • A good serving size for syrup and other sweeteners is around 1-2 tablespoons, or about 30ml.
   • There is evidence to suggest that maple syrup may have certain health benefits, so consider simply going easy on it rather than giving it up altogether.
   • Lend depth to your French toast using sweeteners with complex flavors like orange blossom honey or date syrup infused with fruity or floral notes.
5. Pass on the powdered sugar. Sprinkling on a healthy dose of confectioner’s sugar is usually the last step in preparing French toast, but it adds a lot of unnecessary calories. Stick to a low sugar syrup, honey or fruit to sweeten your breakfast rather than overpowering it with extra sugar. Chances are, you won’t even miss it when it’s not there.
   • Instead of powdered sugar, try a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice. These spices are bold and help promote a healthy metabolism.

Adding Nutritious Toppings

1. Top your French toast with fruit. Slice some fresh strawberries, peaches or bananas and layer them onto the cooked toast. With the boost of bright, tart flavor, you can get away with using half as much syrup. In fact, a fruit compote can even be used to replace other sweeteners altogether.
   • Combine your favorite jam or preserves with a little bit of water to make a spreadable fruit topping, or simply reduce a few cups of juice in a saucepan until it thickens into a syrup.
   • If you’re in a hurry, ordinary apple sauce can make a great readymade topping for French toast.
2. Spoon on some Greek yogurt. Heap your hot-off-the-skillet toast with a generous dollop of yogurt and dig in. Greek yogurt is high in protein, along with other essential nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. It also provides a cool, creamy counterbalance to the soft and slightly crisp texture of the cooked bread.
   • Cut the sharp flavor of Greek yogurt by stirring in a small amount of honey or simple syrup.
   • Ricotta, cottage or cream cheese are among a few other delicious dairy options, if you don’t care for the taste of Greek yogurt.
3. Incorporate all-natural nut butters. Those who prefer a more savory style French toast will enjoy the slight saltiness of some fresh almond or cashew butter. Nuts are good sources of protein, minerals and healthy fatty acids like Omega-3s. For this reason, they’re a smarter pick than additives like Nutella, which tend to be loaded with sugar.
   • Have your nut butters ground fresh in the store as opposed to buying the processed brands. These usually have sweeteners added.
4. Finish with dark chocolate. Add a small handful of chips or morsels directly to the toast as it cooks to get them nice and melted, or simply sprinkle them on when you’re ready to eat. A little bit of chocolate can make your breakfast feel more like dessert.
   • Melt the chocolate in the microwave and drizzle it over the toast, followed by a glob of homemade whipped cream or infused butter.
   • Dark chocolate pairs well with lots of other unique ingredients, from raspberry to coconut.

Controlling Portion Size

1. Slice the bread extra thin. One easy way to cut down on the total number of carbs in the dish is to simply use less bread. Aim for a thickness of about ½ to ¾ inch per slice, about half as much as usual. Be sure to adjust your cooking time appropriately so that the thinner toast doesn’t burn.
   • It may help to choose a sturdier bread, like focaccia or soda bread, that can hold up to being dipped and cooked without falling apart.
   • To prevent the bread from getting too soggy, brush it with the egg dredge rather than completely submerging it.
2. Make it a side dish. French toast doesn’t have to be the main course of your breakfast. Prepare a small batch and serve it alongside other wholesome offerings like an egg white omelette, oats or fresh fruit. That way, you can get a taste without totally stuffing yourself.
   • Decrease the measurements of your individual ingredients to fix just enough French toast for one—the more you make, the more you’ll likely be tempted to eat.
3. Eat French toast sparingly. You shouldn’t feel bad about enjoying foods like French toast as an occasional indulgence. While it may not be the best thing to whip up every morning, having it once a week or so isn’t going to make a lasting negative impact. Start looking at a healthy diet as an ongoing commitment so you’re not stuck obsessing over each individual meal.
   • Save dishes like French toast for special occasions, such as a cheat meal or the morning before a big meeting.
   • Eat clean throughout the week so you can treat yourself to a big breakfast on the weekends.

Tips

• Buy organic, all-natural ingredients whenever you have the option. The fewer additives and preservatives food has, the better it usually is for you.
• If you're vegan or gluten-free, use your own trusty ingredient substitutes to make French toast compatible with your diet.
• Bake your favorite healthy French toast recipes into casserole form. You’ll be able to choose just the right portion size and reheat the leftovers for a quick breakfast on busy mornings.
• Wash down your French toast with a glass of almond milk, black coffee, green tea or fresh-squeezed fruit juice.

Warnings

• Even in a leaner form, French Toast will still contain a considerable amount of carbohydrates. Keep close tabs on the nutrients you consume daily to make sure that the meal fits in your diet.

Sources and Citations

See also

• Make Stuffed French Toast
• Make French Toast
• Make French Toast Waffles
• Make French Toast Sticks
• Make Cinnamon French Toast
• Make French Toast Without Vanilla
• Make Oven French Toast