Could the Same Breakfast Every Day Be a Secret Weapon?

What started as mild horror at my friend’s cereal habit turned into a deep dive into decision fatigue, discipline, and Jennifer Aniston.

This isn’t me, but it would be if I had to eat the same thing every day. (Photo by Tamas Pap on Unsplash)

I have a friend who has eaten the same breakfast since high school. We won’t get specific about how many years that’s been, but suffice it to say, we’re older than Google.

Every day. Same thing.

When we lived together in college, I was somewhat horrified by that level of boringness. Before carbs were on my watchlist, breakfast in college was my Olympics. Endless variations of breads, baked goods, fruits, cereals, omelets, and even more ambitious options let me cycle through delicious favorites to my heart’s content. Meanwhile, my friend ate her bowl of cereal before we left the house and was tempted by nothing but coffee.

We’re all grown up now, and still, she’s eating the same bowl of cereal—same brand, same amount. Someday her great-grandchildren will bury her with that bowl and spoon.

Interestingly, I noticed the same behavior in a family member. She’d get on a kick and eat the same breakfast on repeat for years at a time. Then one day she’d pivot to a new one and stick with that for another set of years. Their breakfasts were different, but there was one similarity between these ladies: they were both thin and regular.

Obviously, I could easily see that they were both thin. Knowing about their regularity came from living with each of them. TMI, yes. But interesting data gathering nonetheless.

Then…I found out that Jennifer Aniston ate the same exact lunch throughout all the years of filming Friends. Never deviated. Same salad, every day. When asked why, she said it freed her from having to think about it. She knew she liked it, and that was that.

Me being me, I had to read up on this. All three of these women were creatures of habit (and possibly a little OCD), but they were also all fit. Was there something to eating the same meals again and again as a diet strategy?

Short answer: yes. Maybe.

Eating the same meals on repeat reduces decision fatigue. That alone might be reason enough for me to try it, if I’m being honest. I hate having to think about meals (especially planning dinner at breakfast). Taking the choice out of one-third of your eating is probably efficient, stress-reducing, and a good way to avoid overeating. You know exactly what you’re getting—no more, no less.

But detractors say it could lead to nutritional deficiencies if you do it for all three meals. (I don’t know what psychopaths are able to eat the same three meals on repeat. I’d be gagging by day three, but you do you, Boo.) However, if the meal on repeat is nutrient-dense, it may actually prevent vitamin deficiencies, improve regularity, and increase productivity.

Fans of the no-thought meals say it helps them eat healthier. In one piece on NBC News, busy twenty-somethings said they liked having go-to meals because it reduced decision-making, saved money, and kept them from getting distracted during busy workdays.

So maybe my friend was onto something.

But also…maybe the cereal shouldn’t have been Cocoa Pebbles.

P.S. You didn’t think I’d leave you hanging, did you? 😉

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