EATING breakfast has been proved to boost alertness, sharpen memory and reduce the risk of overweight, yet half of Americans skip it.

Many Americans are pressed for time, while others aren't sure what to eat, according to surveys.

That's why I've whipped up 50 ideas for quick, healthy breakfasts.

TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT

Before we get to the menus, here are three ways breakfast makes life better:

Children who eat breakfast are half as likely to be overweight, according to a study of 300 Australian schoolchildren.

German high school students who ate breakfast showed improvements in memory, alertness and mood compared with classmates who skipped breakfast.

American girls who eat breakfast are more likely to get adequate calcium, important for strong bones, as well as fiber, important for digestion.

All these studies, while done in young people, likely apply to adults as well.

Each breakfast menu I'm providing includes a fruit or vegetable for flavor, fiber and vitamins; plus a protein- and mineral-rich food, such as milk, yogurt, cheese, eggs, tofu or nuts. Some breakfasts include whole grains as well for extra energy.

SOME LIKE IT HOT

Hot cereals are my favorite breakfast this time of year. To make hot cereal go from boring to bling bling, try different combinations.

You need at least four ingredients:

a cereal

a flavor

something crunchy

something creamy.

Examples of the first category--hot cereals--are oatmeal, Wheatena, seven-grain cereal, brown rice cereal or even stone-ground cornmeal.

Once you've picked a hot cereal, add a sweet flavor such as chopped pears with ginger, minced apples with cinnamon, cranberries with maple syrup, cocoa powder and honey, or sliced bananas and nutmeg.

Third, add something crunchy, such as walnuts, pecans, chopped almonds, pecans, toasted hazelnuts or sunflower seed kernels. (These nutty ingredients add protein and help you feel full longer.)

Fourth, top your cereal with something creamy, such milk, rice milk, soy milk, vanilla yogurt or lemon yogurt.

An example of a complete meal might be oatmeal with chopped pears, ginger, walnuts and milk. You can easily come up with 20 different combinations from these ingredients.

CHILLIN' BREAKFASTS

Cold cereals are also an easy breakfast option. Look for low-sugar cereals with 10 or more grams of fiber, and top your cereal with low-fat milk and fresh or frozen blueberries.