High-protein breakfast ideas include egg muffins, tofu scrambles, or a mushroom and cheese quiche. Consuming enough protein is essential for bones, muscles, and hormones, as well as satiety and energy.
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Make a smoothie and add walnuts, nut butter, chia, or flax for extra fiber and heart-healthy fats. For a protein boost, use cow’s milk, soy milk, or pea milk as the liquid. You can also add protein powder, including vegan options.
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Add whisked eggs and mix-ins to a muffin pan to make egg muffins. Each large egg has 6 grams of protein. You can add cheese or lean meat for extra protein and onions, peppers, and spinach for fiber to help manage blood sugar.
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Top a breakfast pizza with eggs, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella or goat cheese, basil, and spinach. You can add chopped tofu for protein. Go with a whole-wheat pizza crust for fiber.
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One ounce of chia seeds contains 4.7 grams of protein and is a source of healthy fats, antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and vitamins.
Mix one part chia seeds with four parts milk. You can add cinnamon or honey and top it with fruit for fiber. Add walnuts and peanut butter for extra protein.
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Cheddar cheese has 4 grams of protein per slice, and Swiss cheese has 6 grams per slice. Add two slices of cheese to whole-grain bread. Add sliced tomato and spinach for more fiber.
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Use low-fat or non-fat Greek yogurt, which has 10 grams of protein per 100 grams. Greek yogurt also contains calcium, which promotes bone health.
Top the parfait with granola for carbohydrates, fruit for fiber, chia seeds for healthy fats, and sliced almonds for protein.
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Add equal parts old-fashioned rolled oats and milk or Greek yogurt. Top with mixed nuts for protein, healthy fats, and fiber.
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Warm a whole-grain tortilla, and top it with beans, scrambled egg whites, or a hard-boiled egg (use tofu if you are vegan). Sprinkle in scallions, salsa, and avocado, and serve with roasted potatoes and onions.
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Top avocado toast with crumbled feta cheese for 19.7 grams of protein per 100 grams.
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Top whole-wheat bread with peanut butter for about 7 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons. The bread provides about 4 grams of protein per slice.
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One cup of low-fat cottage cheese provides 24 grams of protein and is a source of calcium. Cottage cheese primarily contains saturated fat. Keep saturated fat to no more than 10% of your daily calories.
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Top a bagel with cream cheese, smoked salmon, and capers or dill for flavor. Salmon contains omega-3s, which improve heart health and reduce inflammation. It is also a source of iron and vitamins A and D.
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Quinoa has 8 grams of protein per cooked cup. Top it with eggs, tofu, or beans for more protein. Add avocado for fiber and healthy fats.
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A mushroom and cheese quiche can serve several people or last you a few days. Mushrooms have fiber, minerals, and vitamins. Cheese adds more protein and calcium, and the crust gives you carbohydrates for energy.
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Prepare scrambled eggs with black beans, onions, and peppers. Add them to flour or corn tortillas and top with salsa, avocado, and sour cream. You can swap the sour cream for plain Greek yogurt for more protein and less saturated fat.
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A tofu scramble is an alternative to scrambled eggs. Tofu contains protein and may lower heart disease risk, cholesterol, menopause symptoms, and osteoporosis risk.
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Top whole-grain toast with hummus, tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, chopped kalamata olives, feta cheese, and Za’atar spices. Whole-grain bread, hummus, and feta all contain protein.
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Frozen or made from scratch, top your waffles with fruit, ground flax, chia, or hemp for fiber. If making from scratch, choose a nut-based flour which contains more protein than wheat.
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You can purchase protein pancakes or add protein powder to pancake batter to make them from scratch. You can also use nut flour for the batter for more protein, and top them with nut butter for an additional boost.
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Top a granola bar with nut butter for a source of plant-based protein. Pair it with a piece of fruit on the side for a balanced meal.
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Add black beans, eggs, or cheese to a breakfast burrito for plant-based protein. Opt for sweet potatoes for fiber and antioxidants or avocado for healthy fats, and serve with salsa.
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Add kefir to the smoothie, which has 9 grams of protein per cup. Kefir also contains probiotics, or helpful live cultures that feed beneficial gut bacteria. Add nuts and seeds as toppings for more protein.
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Mix oats, peanut butter, chia seeds, flax seeds, chocolate chips, honey or banana, and protein powder. Combine them until you form balls, then stick them on a baking sheet and store them in the fridge.
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Scramble eggs with spinach and black beans. The eggs provide 6 grams of protein each, and the black beans offer 7 grams per half cup.
Warm a tortilla in a pan, sprinkle with cheese, add the egg mixture, and press the tortilla into a quesadilla. Let it cook until it is golden brown.
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Use oats, eggs, baking powder, and milk to make an oatmeal bake. You can add protein powder and pumpkin puree or blueberries, then top it with nut butter for more protein and flavor.
Breakfast is your first source of energy for the day. Getting carbohydrates, protein, fat, and fiber helps your body get all the nutrients it needs to promote health and energy levels.
Protein helps satisfy your appetite and supplies lasting energy. A high-protein breakfast can reduce blood sugar spikes and crashes, which also affect energy levels.
Just as getting enough protein is important, you can also have too much of a good thing. Limit your protein intake to about 20-30 grams per meal.