Everybody has a morning routine. Whether it be waking up to a certain song, having a specific order to the morning, or wearing a certain perfume or cologne, it’s something that makes you feel more as though your day has a good start. Mine however, is slightly different.

Every morning I start my day by waking up, getting dressed, and then going downstairs to make breakfast. Pretty normal so far, right? Well this is where some people say it might get a little weird. For breakfast, I make a grilled cheese. That’s right, you read that correctly. I make a regular, old fashioned grilled cheese to start my day. But let me answer the question that many so desperately crave the answer to: why grilled cheese?

To start off, grilled cheese is a jam packed with some great nutrition and no, I’m not being sarcastic. I use white bread, lots of butter, and American cheese. I’m a purist so that’s it. The bread obviously has carbs so that’s going to stick with you all morning, but it also had cheese. Cheese has tons of protein and calcium to keep your bones healthy and keep you full throughout the morning.

Grilled cheese is also the perfect breakfast food because it is both very simple and a comfort food. There is something special and so pure about the way the bread gets a beautiful golden color when it’s perfectly toasted in the pan. Or how the golden outside forms a small crunch before biting into the soft fluffy inside of the bread. The best part though, is when your teeth sink into the perfect gooeyness of the cheese and for that brief moment, all is right in the world.

Another comment I regularly hear when I tell people I make grilled cheese for breakfast is “you really take the time to make that in the morning? Do you wake up extra early?!” Why yes, yes I do. I allot twenty extra minutes to make my grilled cheese and I have ultimately learned that it prepares me for my day much better than a shower or coffee or anything else. The time alone in my kitchen to make my grilled keeps me centered and prepares me for my day. It allows me to think about how my day will go, what I have to do, and it keeps my attitude for the day positive and cheery! Not to mention breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

Whatever your morning routine may be, take pride in it. Whether it be waking up to a song that pumps you up, showering in cold water to help keep you awake, or making a grilled cheese in the morning, know that your routine is unique and you should never let someone judge you for it! If you don’t know what your favorite routine is, find one. If all else fails, try grilled cheese. Grilled cheese is my morning muse, what’s yours?