14 High-Protein Breakfast Ideas That Will Help You Lose Weight

A protein-packed breakfast can satisfy your appetite and help you eat healthier all day long. Hereโ€™s how to make your favorite morning meals more nutritious and more filling.

Your morning meal may not contain enough protein

Eating more protein at breakfast could help you stay fuller into the afternoon, too. Case in point: According to research published in the Journal of Nutrition, people who ate a high-protein breakfast consumed about 100 fewer calories at lunch than those who ate a calorically identical meal with less protein. It’s possible protein increases satiety by decreasing levels of ghrelin and increasing the peptide YY, a hormone that nudges your brain to realize, “Hey, Iโ€™m full.” It may also increase glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1), also released in response to food. When you don’t get enough protein, your health can suffer, so aim to get the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of the nutrient every day. Forย women over age 19, that’s 46 grams (g); for men, itโ€™s 56 g. Here are a few easy breakfasts to help you hit your target.

Healthy breakfast - a bowl of oatmeal, berries and fruit, orange juice, milk.
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Basic breakfast: Milk and cereal

High-protein idea: Some cereals are loaded with protein while others have very little. Some good options: Kashi GoLean Original, which has 12 g of protein and 13 g of disease-fightingย fiberย  per serving; Bear Naked Fit Almond Crisp, which has 6 g of protein and 5 g of fiber; and Kellogg’s Special K Protein, which has 15 g of protein and 5 g of fiber per serving.ย For even more of a boost, sprinkle an ounce of dry-roasted sunflower seeds for 5 more g of protein as well as the anti-aging vitamin E.

Homemade soft boiled egg and cream cheese bagel sandwich
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Basic breakfast: Egg and cheese on a roll

High-protein idea: Choose a breakfast burrito with beans, or try this easy recipeย for about 25 g of protein in your morning meal from the eggs and beans: Fill a corn tortilla with two scrambled eggs, 1/4 cup diced sautรฉed onions, and 1/4 cup of black beans. Then top with a tablespoon of pico de gallo (or more to taste). Here’s the latest information on egg nutrition you might find handy.

Traditional summer breakfast: sandwiches of toast with peanut butter, berry, fruit apple, peach, blueberry, blueberry, strawberry, banana on a white marble table.
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Basic breakfast: Butter or jelly on toast

High-protein idea: Swap butter for 2 tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter (or one of these nut alternatives, if you’re allergic), which adds about 7 g of protein to your meal. Since processed nut butters can be sneaky sources of sugar and other unhealthy ingredients, look for a super-short ingredient list (like the nut, and maybe some salt).

Healthy breakfast with yogurt, honey granola, fresh apricots.
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Basic breakfast: Yogurt

High-protein idea: Trade a 6-oz nonfat yogurt for a Greek yogurt version to get in about 6 more g of protein per serving (for a total of 14 g). Make your breakfast even healthier by adding fiber-rich berries to naturally sweeten your meal, and sprinkle on seeds, nuts, or high-protein, high-fiber cereal to increase the amount of protein even more.

Oatmeal porridge with walnuts, blueberries and banana in bowl - healthy rustic breakfast
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Basic breakfast: Oatmeal made with water

High-protein idea: Swap water for skim milk (8 g of protein per cup) and sprinkle on some chopped nuts to help you feel full until lunch. Try this apple walnut oatmeal recipe from US News and World Report: Cook 3/4 cups of dry oatmeal with 1 1/4 cup of skim milk. Add 1 chopped apple and 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. Sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with honey. Total: 24 g of protein. Or toss one of these other healthy oatmeal toppers you might not have tried.

Muffins, cakes with cranberry and pecan nuts. Christmas decoration.
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Basic breakfast: Homemade muffin

High-protein idea: Try baking these High-Protein Banana Oat Muffins from Men’s Journal, which contain 8 g of protein per muffin. (Did we mention they are also less than 100 calories and have only 1 g of fat?) Itโ€™s a much healthier alternative to bakery muffins, which can have anywhere from 300 to 500 calories per serving and are usually high in fat, sugar, and sodium. To further amp up the protein of your homemade goods, spread a split muffin with a tablespoon of peanut butter (for 4 more g of protein) and enjoy it with a cup of fat-free milk (for another 8 g).

Healthy breakfast of banana oatmeal and almond milk on a wooden cutting board and white table.
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Basic breakfast: Banana on the run

High-protein idea: Nothing beats a banana for grab-and-go portability, but if you pair it with a protein-rich dairy source, like a single-serving cup of cottage cheese, you could add more than 20 g of protein to your morning meal. Cottage cheese is also a good way to sneak in some calcium and vitamin A.

Breakfast meal of scrambled eggs, salad, and toast on a white table.
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Basic breakfast: Scrambled eggs

High-protein idea: Simplify your morning eggs by swapping out your usual scrambled fare for baked mini egg muffins. Women’s Healthย recommends mixing whole eggs, egg whites, and sautรฉed vegetables together before putting them in mini muffin tins. Or put an egg-citing twist on your dish with these ideas. Depending on how many eggs you use, these muffins could pack a serious protein punch.

Fresh homemade Poppy bagels bread with cup of milk, cream cheese and berries jam.
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Basic breakfast: Toasted bagel

High-protein idea: Turn your morning bagel into a high-protein breakfast by adding some smoked salmon. Trade your bagel for whole wheat bread, and you’ll be fuller even longer thanks to the added fiber. The salmon not only adds about 5 g of protein per ounce, but it also has omega-3 fats that can benefit everything from your brain to your skin, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Stack of pancakes with fresh blueberries, nuts and honey on white plate.
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Basic breakfast: Pancakes

High-protein idea:ย Pancakes might not seem like an opportunity for a high-protein breakfast, but a few key ingredient swaps make all the difference. Try making this SELF recipe that combines Greek yogurt (a known muscle-builder, just like these 9 other foods), eggs, whole wheat flour, and blueberries for about 23 g of protein per serving.

Plate of delicious French toast with bananas, walnuts and dripping maple syrup.
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Basic breakfast: French toast

High-protein idea:ย Egg whites and peanut butter are the key ingredients in this high-protein breakfast recipe from SELF. Fresh raspberries, unsweetened cocoa powder, and vanilla keep the toast sweet without compromising on proteinโ€”one serving has about 21 g of protein.

Making Belgian waffles at home - waffle iron, kitchenware and ingredients - fresh blueberry, eggs and flour.
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Basic breakfast: Waffles

High-protein idea:ย Just like French toast, a few ingredient swaps are the key to making high-protein breakfast waffles. This recipe from Damn Deliciousย only requires eggs, cottage cheese, oats, vanilla, and salt. One serving has about 20 g of protein and only 1 g of sugar.

Detox and healthy superfoods breakfast in bowl. Vegan almond milk chia seeds pudding with strawberries, orange and kiwi. Top view. Flat lay
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Basic breakfast: Pudding

High-protein idea:ย Chia seeds are one of the best foods to eat in the morning thanks to their high-fiber and antioxidant count, according to the American Society for Nutrition. Plus, one serving of chia seeds offers up about 4 g of protein. Thisย recipe from Chocolate Covered Katieย only requires three ingredients: milk, chia seeds, and vanilla extract. One serving has just over 5 g of protein. Or try out one of these delicious chia seed pudding recipes you’re bound to love. Not a pudding person? Whip up a yummy chia jam.

homemade granola bars
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Basic breakfast: Granola bar

High-protein idea: Skip the pre-packaged granola bars that are sometimes sneaky sources of sugar and try making these no-bake high-protein blueberry bars from Inspired Ediblesย instead. Oats, almonds, flaxseed, and almond butter are just a few of the ingredients that contribute to the 8 g of protein found in each bar.

Sources
Medically reviewed by Elisabetta Politi, CDE, MPH, RD, on August 16, 2019
Reader's Digest
Originally Published in Reader's Digest