#Brinner, Eating Breakfast For Dinner, May Be A New Trend But How Healthy Is It?

It may be Breakfast Week but eating cereal, waffles, pancakes and a full English in the morning is so 2014.

Instead, everyone who's anyone seems to be chowing down on breakfast in the evening.

Brinner - eating breakfast for dinner - is a trend growing from strength to strength.

Restaurants like IHOP have been serving breakfast all day, every day for years in America.

And in the last couple of years, the UK has jumped on the bandwagon with restaurants such as The Waffle House and the Cereal Killer Cafe popping up around the country.

But how healthy is eating traditional breakfast foods at dinner time?

Speaking to HuffPost UK Lifestyle, Cara Sloss, a spokesperson from the British Dietetic Association, says she can understand why the trend has gained popularity, with fewer people working a typical 9-5 day than ever before.

But rather than the timing of the meal, the ingredients and portion size is the crucial factor to whether or not it is healthy.

"Eating a full English breakfast, which is high in calories and fat, is unhealthy whether eaten in the morning or the evening," she says.

"Having said that, other typical breakfast foods - an omelette with wholemeal toast or a bowl of cereal following a gym workout - would give the protein, complex carbohydrate and vitamins to sustain energy levels and provide a balanced meal."

A common myth is that foods eaten in the evening will be stored as fat. But according to Sloss, the key to a healthy diet is the balance of foods eaten throughout the day.

“Brinner may be a new trend but in reality there are no additional health benefits of eating in this way," she says.

"By ensuring a balance of good quality protein, carbohydrate, fruit and vegetables, you will be providing your body with all the vital nutrients.

"Whether you consume these foods in the morning or evening, will not affect your health. Having a fried breakfast or sugary muffin for brinner will definitely leave you feeling sluggish, tired and will likely lead to weight gain.”

Take a look at the #brinners being posted on Instagram

Delicious recipe coming your way next week. Beer Waffles stuffed with sausage and cheese.

A photo posted by thekitchenarium (@thekitchenarium) on

love brinner | lazyman's gruyere avocado croque madame #fancyeggmcmuffin #brinner #avocado

A photo posted by Erin Dillingham (@erin7877) on

This is my fav thing to eat for dinner! Lol #brinner #cereal #carl #yummy

A photo posted by daianna antunez 🍒 (@bambi_227) on

So if you're going to eat brinner, what kind is best to go for?

Nutritonist Karen Poole tells us she would avoid typical American-style options such as pancakes and syrup as they tend to be high in sugar, salt and fat.

Instead, she gives the following recommendations:

Eggs are a good source of protein and vitamin D, which can help with concentration and blood cholesterol levels. Choose either steamed, baked or boiled and avoid fried to limit your fat intake.

Light greens such as spinach, rocket, watercress, chicory, lettuce or kale help support the liver as it works hardest at night during energy management and digestion. Light greens will also provide calcium and magnesium vital for energy production, nerve and brain function.

Fibre rich foods will aid gut function as the body will be focusing on rest and repair during the night, so add beans and pulses to your burrito or frittata. Use sweet potato as it offers a lower GI and put raw oats and seeds into your yoghurt cheese or pancake fillings. Ideally make your pancakes from chickpea or wholemeal flour.

Limit the sugar intake from syrup, cream and fruit compote and opt for natural yoghurt or creme fraiche and fruits that crunch to slow down that sugar release.

If you are using bacon, then trim it well and then grill or opt for a slice of trimmed dried ham such as Parma. It does the same job and you use a lot less.

Maintain the essential fat content and choose trout or herring for your egg dishes, make salmon pancakes and add a topping of ground seeds or nuts, walnuts hazelnuts, sunflower and pumpkin are a good choices and will suit most dishes.

Fresh herbs will offer calcium and iron and also raise the antioxidant content. Dill, basil, coriander and parsley are great choices that will compliment a typical brinner dish.

Breakfast For Dinner Recipes