Bag A Bagel owner and self-described foodie Ahmed Sohail has been in the bagel biz for almost 15 years now, and has every kind of filling, topping, and condiment to complement BAB’s delicious bagels figured out.

For Ramazan, Ahmed starts with the basics. “Pick a multigrain bread or bagel – or an oat one – and layer it with peanut butter and banana slices,” he says. “Peanut butter is a good source of fiber and healthy fats, and bananas are rich in potassium and carbs, which will go a long way to keep you fresh and happy through the day.”

Although he says he would never claim bagels are healthier than regular bread, Ahmed does think that because they are densely packed, bagels can keep one fuller longer. For a richer flavor, or dessert-like additions, Ahmed recommends dark chocolate shavings or cacao nibs to the peanut-butter-banana combo.

If something savory is more up your alley, we’ve heard straight from the bagel’s mouth, that tuna – “you can pick water-packed or olive-oil-packed tuna, I feel the latter is better.” – makes for a good sandwich filling. “Salt, pepper, lemon juice, dill, parsley, a little mayonnaise, onions, lettuce: perfect,” Ahmed says.

A more accessible option would be scrambled egg on toast/bagel, “you can add flavor and nutrition by adding cheese or lightly fried hunter beef,” he says, “and a slightly more expensive version would be smoked salmon with smashed avocado and poached egg. Add lemon and pepper, for a very delicious, filling first meal of the day.” – A.B.