If your morning meal is constantly making you hungry long before lunchtime, can we recommend replacing some high-protein breakfasts?
Protein-rich breakfasts can be the key to long-lasting satisfaction, because they help increase satiety, which means you feel full longer. This makes them different from meals that contain mostly carbohydrates, which provide a short but intense burst of energy, such as cereal or toast with jam.
“Protein is an essential part of a healthy breakfast,” says Jessica Jones, SELF columnist, MS, RD, certified diabetes educator and co-founder of food heaven. Ideally, you’ll want to have a balance of protein, carbs, and fat in your breakfast to keep you fueled and energized throughout the morning, she says.
However, it’s easy to get into a high-protein breakfast rut. For some reason, scrambled or hard-boiled eggs are the protein-rich breakfast of choice for many people. And while good old eggs are great, so is variety.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to think outside the box (or should we say, out of the shell) when it comes to adding protein to your morning meals. For starters, you don’t even need animal products to meet your needs, Rhyan Geiger, RDN, owner of Phoenix Vegan Dietitian, says SELF. “There are so many protein options to choose from, from tofu to beans to lentils and even nuts and seeds,” she says. Sure, you can use protein powder to boost your protein for your morning meal, but with all those protein sources, you definitely don’t need it.
Ultimately, the best protein for breakfast is the one you’ll actually eat, Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, of Street smart food, says SELF. « When considering your options, think about what’s affordable and realistic for your budget and lifestyle, and perhaps more importantly, what you’re willing to eat, » she explains. So if it’s eggs, lean into it, and if not, there are plenty of other high-protein breakfast options to choose from.
As for Who choice ? Well, we’ve got you covered, with 51 high-protein breakfast ideas that use eggs in more creative ways, like poached eggs in a tomato shakshuka or classic hard-boiled eggs, but this time in a breakfast. salad— or forgo them altogether in favor of other protein sources (like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and tofu). Plus, all of these tasty recipes contain at least 15 or 20 grams of protein per serving, so you don’t have to worry about them not filling you up.
Whether you need a protein breakfast on the go or something you can sit down and enjoy, there’s sure to be something that fits the bill on this list.