Heightened protein awareness has become one of the biggest influences on our eating habits of the decade so far. Whether motivated by healthy weight maintenance, muscle building, managing energy levels, or all three — protein-conscious eaters are closely tracking their macros like never before.
And, while it’s easy to smash half your day’s protein intake in a single sitting with a heavily meat-based lunch or dinner, starting the morning with a protein-rich breakfast has numerous health benefits.
Dietitian Shannon Lavery explains: “Eating a protein-rich breakfast helps slow digestion, supporting steadier blood glucose levels and keeping you satisfied for longer.
“It also plays a role in appetite regulation throughout the day and may help reduce mid-morning cravings. Without adequate protein, blood glucose levels can spike and crash, leaving you low in energy and reaching for a second coffee or snack by 10am.”
How much protein should you eat at breakfast?
What constitutes a ‘high-protein’ breakfast can vary significantly depending on your dietary preferences. Some carnivore-leaning eaters can easily clock up 25g or more early in the day, while others, particularly vegetarians, may need to combine several plant and dairy sources to meet their needs.
Shannon says 15g or more of protein at breakfast is a good target for many adults, although individual needs vary by age, gender and activity level.
If you’re looking to increase your protein intake in the morning, there are plenty of options to suit your diet. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites below, including both sweet and savoury, vegetarian and meat-based options. Each has around 15g protein or more per serve.
Double (or even triple) the protein in your breakfast
Eating more protein doesn’t mean ditching the breakfasts you love in favour of tucking into steak before 9am. Our nutrition editor, Chrissy Freer, has even developed higher-protein versions of our most popular recipes, including our two most searched-for breakfasts: pancakes and overnight oats:
– Our highest-protein overnight oats recipe features seeds, protein yoghurt and soy milk, and boasts more than double the protein of our standard fruit-based overnight oats recipe.
– Our protein-rich twist on classic pancakes, has more than triple the protein per serve compared to our basic pancakes recipe, plus hidden legumes for an extra fibre boost.
Want to up your protein even further? Try:
-Adding a dollop of cottage cheese to smashed avo and eggs
-Choosing a high-protein Greek yoghurt for overnight oats and brekkie bowls
-Swapping regular bread for your own seeded bread — this homemade seed bread has almost 15g protein per serve
Discover our favourite protein-rich breakfasts below…