They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so it’s important to make it count! A good breakfast should be balanced with several nutrients and should fill you up so you can begin the day properly. Unfortunately, several breakfast items, such as pancakes, waffles or bacon, are loaded with calories, which can be less than appealing. As such, a high protein, low-calorie breakfast is ideal for keeping you full for a long time, while also staying on the healthy side. Eggs will be the go-to choice when thinking of protein, but there are many other ways to incorporate protein into your diet — check out this guide to some quality protein breakfasts, both with and without eggs!
Egg-Free High Protein Breakfast Ideas
When thinking about foods that make you feel full, you’ll want to grab foods that are filled with protein and fiber. These are generally low-calorie filling foods, able to sustain your appetite for a long while without ruining your diet. Certain foods that make you feel full include:
Cottage Cheese Avocado Spread
One layer of avocado spread and one layer of cottage cheese on a piece of toast will make for a perfect high protein breakfast food. Avocados are an incredibly nutritious fruit, and their fiber and healthy fat content make them a simple ingredient that is bound to make you feel full. Add some cottage cheese to the mix, which is a low-fat and low sodium cheese, and you’ll have a healthy, filling breakfast that’s relatively low in calories.
Greek Yogurt Parfait
Greek yogurt is filled with probiotics and essential nutrients. It’s thoroughly strained, giving it a thick texture, and ensuring it’s loaded with protein. To truly make this a filling breakfast, it’s recommended to throw granola into the mix, as the fiber in the granola will do wonders for keeping your tummy full throughout the morning. For additional flavors and nutrients, toss some of your favorite fresh fruit into the yogurt for a complete breakfast in a cup — certain berries are known to be antioxidants, a necessary component to maintaining healthy cells in the body.
Peanut Butter And Jelly Smoothie
A traditional peanut butter and jelly sandwich will do wonders for filling you up with protein, sugars, and healthy fats, but the bread can be a turn-off for many — the high calories and gluten might end up making you feel more sleepy than full and energized. What’s one to do? Well, make a peanut butter and jelly smoothie! By taking the two ingredients and pairing them with Greek yogurt, milk and additional fruit, you can make an extremely powerful morning smoothie that will get you through morning easily. If you want to cut back on the sweetness, substitute regular jelly for frozen fruit, as jelly is known to be quite high in sugar. Also, for an added touch of protein, almond milk will make for a nice punch.
Salmon And Avocado
A great source of protein that’s low in calories, mashed avocado spread on a slice of toast and topped with smoked salmon will make for a delicious morning treat that shakes things up from the traditional breakfast foods. If you feel like risking the extra calories, a small amount of cream cheese will make the dish that much more flavorful. Salmon and avocado provide the body with plenty of healthy fats and protein, leaving you satisfied for that morning rush. To get additional fiber into your body, opt for whole grain bread instead of white.
Oatmeal Varieties
The obvious choice for a filling breakfast food, the fiber in a bowl of oatmeal can easily get you through a long morning of work. Of course, the dish by itself can seem a bit…bland. This means you’ll need to add some ingredients to make it a more appealing, complete breakfast. There are two primary approaches to a morning bowl of oatmeal:
- Sweet oatmeal, which will use ingredients such as fresh fruit, a touch of maple syrup, and almond milk for a well-rounded breakfast filled with nutrient-rich foods.
- Savory oatmeal, which incorporates ingredients such as peameal bacon, bell peppers, onions, garlic, and seasonings such as salt and pepper for a heftier bowl of oatmeal. The protein and fiber combination, along with seasonings and vegetables, make this a complete breakfast choice that will be both tasty and filling.
Egg-Based High Protein Breakfasts
Poached Egg And Avocado
A slight variation of poached egg on toast, replace the high calorie, gluten-based toast with a healthy fruit full of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. By removing the pit from the avocado, you leave a hole perfect for two poached eggs to fit right inside!
Oven-Baked Omelet
A baked omelet takes some time to prepare, but the end result is more than worth it. The protein from the eggs mixed with whatever vegetables and spices you put in can make for a healthy and filling morning treat that won’t overload your calorie intake!
Tomato And Mushroom Frittata
A frittata is a type of egg-pancake that’s baked in a cast-iron skillet and loaded with whatever ingredients you choose! As the egg will serve as the heaviest portion of the dish, try to opt for healthier ingredients such as cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, green onions, and chives rather than bacon and cheddar cheese. All you have to do is combine all the ingredients into the skillet and let it bake until the egg is completely cooked. If you simply must have cheese in your morning dish, add some Buffalo mozzarella about two minutes before the frittata finishes cooking so it melts perfectly into the dish.
What To Look For In A High-Protein Breakfast
When thinking of dolling up a high-protein low-calorie breakfast, there are a few things to look out for:
- Some high protein foods are also high calorie and high-fat foods, such as bacon and certain cheeses. These can make managing your diet and calorie count a struggle, so focus on finding foods that are high in protein but low in calories overall — think nuts, avocados, and eggs for the most part.
- Look for foods loaded with fiber, as fiber is able to fill you up without overloading the body with carbs or calories. Certain breads and oatmeal are examples of foods that will make you feel full.
- Experiment! Once you know which foods are high in protein, contain reasonable amounts of fiber and are low in calories, you’ll want to mix up and vary your breakfast choices so that you don’t get bored. Try certain egg dishes, smoothies, and egg-free breakfasts to enjoy the many different and healthy options you have in the morning.
