I’m not the type who can fast in the morning. After being awake for an hour, hunger sets in and I start to get hangry.

With busy mornings devoted to other things, making sure I have a healthy go-to breakfast is key. But my biggest gripe with breakfast is that oftentimes, it doesn’t keep you full until lunch, making mid-morning snaking an essential part of the day that can either make or break your nutrition goals.

The key for me is that every meal (all three of them) needs to keep me full until the next one. If left to fill the gaps with snacks, it’d be too hard to stay on track and too tempting to pick up things that aren’t good for me. Or, I’d wind up eating my full bodyweight in fruit every day, because that’s usually my go-to.

To keep things easy, I’ve gotten into practice of making a shake for breakfast every morning. Shakes for breakfast are super-quick to make, provide dense nutrition, and when made with the proper ingredients, can keep you full until lunchtime calls.

The magic formula

Every good morning shake should be satisfying, savory (and a bit sweet), have a dose of healthy fats, high-quality protein, and be loaded up with other vitamins and good carbs to keep you going.

Power in the powder

The most important ingredient in your shake is the powder, and they’re not all created equal. Lately, I’ve been buying those with a protein and green combo, so you get all the advantages of protein plus an extra boost of veggies. For an anti-inflammatory diet, stay away from milk-derived proteins (go plant-based) and ensure the powder is non-GMO and gluten free. Remember that with these, you get what you pay for. My go-to right now is Garden of Life Organic Protein + Greens Shake Mix in chocolate, but I also love Skakeology by Beachbody although I find it a bit pricey.

Experiment with avocado

At one point in time, I couldn’t stand avocados — I hated both the taste and texture. But with their sudden rise to fame and all their touted benefits, they’ve slowly incorporated themselves into my everyday diet. I’ve found the easiest way to eat them (and to actually use them before they go bad) is to plop a whole one into my morning shake. In addition to the loads of healthy fats, they add creaminess and don’t contribute much taste. This is my secret ingredient to ensure that my shake holds me over until lunch.

Go dairy-free

I’ve found that the best non-dairy milk for an anti-inflammatory diet is coconut milk, and boy is it delicious. Stay away from nut-based milks and soy, as properties of these can actually increase inflammation. And when choosing a good coconut milk, go for the organic, unsweetened kind. My favorite is unsweetened So Delicious Dairy Free Coconut Milk, available at Target and most grocery stores.

Go easy on the fruit

Fruit is, by far, my most favorite food on the planet. I can’t get enough of it. But, like all other things, it should also be consumed in moderation. It’s easy to want to throw a bunch of fruit into your morning shake to increase its sweetness, but adding too much can actually work against you. While high in fiber, vitamins and minerals, they won’t keep you full for long. If opting for a piece of fruit, throw in a banana, which is high in potassium, vitamin B6 and healthy carbs, and will also help you stay fuller longer.

My Go-to Recipe

While I like to mix things up occasionally, here’s my current go-to morning recipe. And this has been the first shake that actually keeps me full (thank to that avocado) until lunchtime:

• 2 cups unsweetened organic coconut milk
• 1 small ripe banana
• 1 small avocado (yep, the whole thing)
• Dash of organic cinnamon
• Cold filtered water to fill the top

Making my shake and chugging it before I head out the door has become a super easy way to get in proper nutrition and fill me up all morning. While it can be argued that breakfast is not the most important meal of the day, for me, it sets the tone for what I eat for the rest of the day. Good habits are made in the morning (and in the kitchen), and with something this easy, satisfying and nutritionally dense, it’s hard not to make it a part of morning ritual.