Ah, mornings. They’re a bright window of opportunity, an emblem of hope for the day ahead, and something you too often waste on bad moods and boring breakfasts. But the start of Spring is the new January, health is the new black… and coconuts are the hot new foodie fridge staple.

You’ve obviously heard of coconut oil and coconut water, but coconut milk is no longer a canned thing you keep in your cupboard for unexpected Thai curry cravings.

Vitasoy Coconut Milk is the latest dairy milk alternative, and it’s a breakfast all-rounder that’s bound to make your mid-year resolutions stick. Made from real coconut cream but with a similar consistency to lite milk, it’s lower in calories than dairy milk, a source of calcium, naturally lactose and dairy free, and contains no colours or preservatives.

Here are five ways to make mornings exciting with the trendy new nut on the block.

Don’t Skip Breakfast

Preparing something to eat in the morning is probably the first thing you’re prepared to cross off your AM to-do list if it means you can snooze for an extra ten minutes. But you’ve heard a million times that breakfast is the most important meal of the day… and grabbing a biscotti with your milky flat white on your way into the office doesn’t make it count as a meal.

Break out of your boring breakfast rut by preparing something you’ll actually be excited to get out of bed for. Vitasoy Coconut Milk pairs beautifully with crunchy granola and other cereals, and when summer’s in full fling, enjoy a Vitasoy Coconut Milk smoothie with tropical fruits such as pineapple, mango, and lychee.

Drink a Glass of Veggies

Leafy greens probably aren’t the first things that spring to mind when you think of breakfast. But you don’t have to wait until lunchtime to get some veggies into your diet. Alternative milks add a delicious creaminess to smoothies – Vitasoy Coconut Milk has 1/3 less calories than lite dairy milk – and pineapple or mango will cut the bitterness from a handful of spinach or kale. Squeeze in some lemon and a spoonful of crushed ginger for extra zing.        

Exercise Now Not Later

With summer on the horizon, your after-work schedule’s about to blow up – and who wants to blow off an alfresco happy hour just to hit the gym? Skip FOMO, sweat it out in the morning, and leave your evenings free to do whatever. Just remember to reward your body with some extra protein after your workout. Try adding non-fat Greek yoghurt to your Vitasoy Coconut Milk smoothie. You can even enjoy it on-the-go from an eco-friendly travel mug.

Get Organised the Night Before

You don’t have to feel bad about not being a morning person. It’s a common affliction. But if evening hours are when you’re at your most productive, use them to make the AM ones less painful. Overnight oats are the ultimate convenience breakfast because they literally make themselves while you sleep. Just mix rolled oats with Vitasoy Coconut Milk and your choice of flavours: apple and cinnamon or maple and peanut butter will make cool mornings almost magical (you can blast them in the microwave after you take them out of the fridge,) while mango and shredded coconut or blueberry banana are divine eaten cold. Take them with you in a lidded mason jar to be the envy of your entire office.   

Upgrade Your Weekends

Skip your favorite brunch spot and impress your girlfriends by hosting a morning meal at your place. The aim is obviously to make it look fabulous on Instagram, so swap scrambled eggs for edible art. Vitasoy Coconut Milk can be used to create beautiful breakfast cups, rainbow coloured juices, and sneaky dessert-for-breakfast treats. Since Vitasoy Coconut Milk is as good for baking as it is for drinking, use it in place of dairy to make mini muffins or breakfast bars. All your friends will have to bring is the bubbly.   

Vitasoy Coconut Milk Original (1L) and Vitasoy Coconut Milk Unsweetened (1L) are available now in Woolworths for $3.79 each.

This message is sponsored by Vitasoy