granola

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The Happier Meal: A Portable Pick-Me-Up

Grab-and-go breakfasts make it easier to get out the door in the morning, leaving you satisfied with your adaptable self. That flexible attitude also puts you squarely in the mindset of optimists. They might curse their hour-long commute, "but they'll quickly move on and start thinking about what they can do to work around the challenge," says Reivich, like choosing a breakfast they can easily eat in the car.

Try: Drinkable kefir, with its good-for-the-gut probiotics. "Research suggests that a healthier gut can improve mood and even decrease anxiety," says Drew Ramsey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University and a co-author of The Happiness Diet. And because of its smooth, yogurt-like taste, kefir is one of the few fermented foods people are psyched to eat, Ramsey adds.

Another Idea: Fill a baggie with granola made with pumpkin seeds and almonds. Both are good sources of magnesium, which helps nerves and muscles relax and may play a protective role against depression, says Ramsey. (Adequate magnesium levels may also ward off migraines, which are linked to persistent bad moods.)