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I’m enjoying talking about wellness topics that can apply to nearly everyone, and getting more protein at breakfast (aiming for 25 grams of protein at breakfast) is one of those topics!

Many of us fall short of protein at breakfast, so hopefully these high protein breakfast ideas can help keep you nourished, full and energized for the day.

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How much protein should I eat at breakfast?

This is a common question among clients I work with.

Per readers’ recommendations, I’ve decided to start with suggestions for getting 25 grams of protein at breakfast.

This is a great goal for most, but may need to be catered for specific groups, such as pregnancy, lactation and athletes.

Furthermore, I’ll add that most of us get enough protein but NOT at breakfast.

This is often a non diet resolution I work with on clients, because we can learn to incorporate more protein at breakfast from a self-care perspective.

That and taking any necessary supplements you may need (based on testing, not YOUR own judgment!), like iron, Vitamin D, a prenatal, etc. I love taking my smart gummies!

Many dietitians preach the importance of breakfast. If you’re wondering what a dietitian eats in a day, a balance of protein at each meal is part of it!

However, adding more protein in at breakfast is something I work with many clients on. 

A high protein breakfast for pregnancy is very important for several reasons, especially as we age.

It has its challenges, as some clients are vegan, some are dairy-free, etc.

But, vegan breakfast meal prep can be similar to any other breakfast, just swapping out certain ingredients.

We still want to get veggies in wherever we can, too!

And have no fear – if you’re someone who loves pancakes for breakfast, check out these high protein sides for pancakes that can help you reach that goal.

Grab these ingredients for High Protein Breakfasts

Collagen

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Naked Protein

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chia seeds

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flax seeds

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drippy peanut butter

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pb2

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hemp seeds

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smoothie pouches

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protein powder

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Why You Want a High Protein Breakfast

The reason we focus on high protein breakfast recipes is because we want to start our day with a strong tone.

Protein is an essential part of the satiety equation. It’s actually an ironic macronutrient because in general, Americans have no shortage of protein in their diets.

The typical diet should be about 15-30% protein.

But the truth of the matter is, many individuals, especially women, aren’t getting ample protein. We are on the other side of the equation.

And protein for athletes is of even more importance.

Many people also save all of their protein for dinner, or a large meal. When instead, we want to spread it out throughout the day.

And getting a protein rich breakfast is part of that equation.

These examples of performance plates do a great job of visually showing you how to do that.

Each meal should include some sort of protein and it’s a creative equation to figure out how to fit it in.

So here are some of my top high-protein breakfast options with about 25 grams of protein. And there are plenty of high protein breakfasts without eggs as well.

High Protein Breakfast Ideas

If you try some of these high protein breakfast recipes consistently, I’m sure your blood sugar and cravings will stay more stable throughout the day, and you’ll feel better overall.

Oatmeal with Nuts/Seeds 

Oatmeal is a wonderful platform for adding any and all toppings.

Best of all, you can meal prep oatmeal in so many different ways to work for your lifestyle.

Here are some of my favorite recipes:

• Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
• Turmeric Oatmeal
• Strawberry Baked Oatmeal

Another basic outline is:

• 1/2 cup oatmeal – 5 grams
• 1/2 cup 2% milk – 4 grams
• 1 tbsp chia seeds – 3 grams
• 1.5 tbsp peanut butter or almond butter- 6 grams
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds – 7 grams
• 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup blueberries, cocoa nibs – there is negligible protein in fruit, but great for antioxidants and micronutrients, like magnesium!

Total: 25 grams

You could also cook an egg into your oatmeal or top with yogurt! Another strategy is adding protein powder to oatmeal.

Overnight Oats

If you’re not a fan of hot oats, overnight oats are an easy way to add more protein to breakfast and give a different texture and flavor.

I love them in the warm summer months because it’s a cool, on-the-go option.

These lemon blueberry overnight oats are light and airy, and give you more than 30 grams of protein!

Also, if you want more protein without protein powder, try cherry overnight oats or cottage cheese overnight oats.

Cookie dough overnight oats are just a favorite among those with a sweet tooth!

Egg Breakfast Sandwich

Many of us probably use eggs to reach 25 grams of protein at breakfast. Here’s the protein breakdown of an egg breakfast sandwich.

• 2 eggs – 12  grams
• 2 pieces whole grain toast – 5-6 grams (you could also go for a whole grain english muffin or whole wheat wrap. Remember, whole grains have protein!)
• 1 slice cheese – 6-8 grams
• 1 cup spinach – 1-2 grams

Optional (vegan or vegetarian) add in’s: beans, lentils, plant-based cheese, nutritional yeast or tofu. It’s also easy to add breakfast veggies to this sandwich.

Total: 24-27 grams

Yogurt Bowl

Yogurt is one of my favorite ways to get protein or add protein to oatmeal, etc. It’s also rich in probiotics for gut health, and can offer calcium and Vitamin D!

You can also use cottage cheese as a substitute.

• 1 cup plain greek yogurt (or cottage cheese) – 23 grams (can be up to 30 with cottage cheese!)
• 3/4 cup blueberries – negligible but it offers fiber
• 1/2 banana – negligible but it offers fiber
• 1 tbsp peanut butter – 4 grams (or 1 oz nuts/seeds, or all of the above!)
• You could also add a peach donut in there for more flavor and protein!

Total:  27+ grams

If you can’t stand the texture of yogurt or cottage cheese, you could sneak it in through these cottage cheese pumpkin pancakes!

Protein Smoothie

A smoothie or smoothie bowl (I love this strawberry banana smoothie bowl) is a great way to get more protein and fruits/veggies!

Here’s a basic recipe

• 1 scoop protein powder: 20-25 grams, depending on brand
• 1 cup dairy milk – 8 grams (or non dairy milk, 0 grams)
• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, banana, spinach – negligible
• 1 tbsp chia seeds – 3 grams
• 1 tbsp hemp seeds – 3 grams

Load it up with any toppings!

We also love any and all greek yogurt smoothies and this peanut butter coffee smoothie.

Total: 30+ grams

There you have it. It’s actually quite easy to get to 25 grams, it just takes a little bit of prep.

Also, I can’t stress enough how always having chia seeds/hemp seeds/pumpkin seeds on hand adds a punch of nutrition in seconds, and relying on any pantry staples to make it easier.

• You can add them to these sheet pan kodiak cakes – enjoy a couple with a scoop of protein powder mixed in to get to 25 grams!

• If you’re looking for some dinner recipes with 25+ grams of protein, may I suggest these easy Wednesday night dinner ideas.

• We often rely on ground turkey burgers with sweet potato or air fryer turkey burgers, or general easy 30 minute meals.

• Instant pot tortellini soup is another favorite!

Just make sure to think about protein at each meal and snack (plenty of ideas for healthy athlete snacks and protein balls) and you’ll be in a better place.