Studies show that eating a healthy breakfast lowers risk for obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. But while science backs up the claim that breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, morning disruptions prompt many to go without it. Make room for a little breakfast with these tips:

• Think outside the cereal box. Whip out last night’s leftovers and reheat them while you dry your hair or iron your shirt — as long as it’s well rounded, dinner fare can be a healthy way to start the day.

• Prepare ahead of time. Throw oatmeal in a slow cooker before bed to enjoy when you wake up; top with fruit and a handful of nuts. Dice up extra veggies while you make dinner, then toss them into scrambled eggs with low-fat cheese the next day. Blend low-fat yogurt with berries and granola for a ready-made parfait.

• Grab and go. Toast whole-grain bread or a waffle and spread it with peanut butter, and then snag an apple with the other hand. Another quick-exit option: bottled vegetable juice, a hard-boiled egg, and a banana.

• Wrap it up. Fill a whole wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs and spinach, or sliced banana and peanut butter.

Give breakfast a fighting chance — set your alarm a few minutes earlier, and give yourself more time to fuel your morning.

In addition to eating breakfast, knowing your numbers, such as cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI, is also a key to good health. If you’re a KP member, you can view most lab results via My Health Manager on kp.org.