Traditional breakfast foods usually consist of bagels, pancakes, waffles, home fries, cereal, etc. These savory and comforting foods are perfectly fine to have for breakfast, but adding in a protein source will give you a more complete diet. Adding in protein at breakfast helps keep your blood sugars stable, which helps with mood and hunger.
One serving of protein is equivalent to 7 grams of protein. You want to try and aim for 3-4 servings of protein per meal, which equals about 20-30 grams of protein per meal. If you barely get protein in your diet now, it’s a good idea to start by adding in just one serving of protein to your breakfast.
Many people have a difficult time adding in protein to breakfast due to their existing eating habits, especially if you’re not a fan of eggs.
Here are examples of how to get in one serving of protein at breakfast:
- 2 tbsp. peanut butter
- One egg
- 1 C Greek yogurt
- ½ C cottage cheese
- ½ C beans (i.e., chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans)
- 1 oz. cheese
- 1 oz. smoked salmon
- 1 oz. uncured, low sodium deli meat
- 1 oz. Canadian bacon
- ¾ C Kashi GO cereal
- Special K Protein Plus cereal
- 1 oz. almonds, cashews, peanuts, walnuts
- ½ C edamame
- ½ C pumpkin seeds
- 2 tbsps. chia seeds
Start The Day with a Nutritious Meal
Making a simple change to get more protein in what you eat for breakfast is a great way to start eating healthier. Starting your day with a nutritious breakfast will give you the energy you need to handle important tasks and feel good. Identifying areas where your diet can be improved is a critical part of maintaining a healthy diet. Starting with minor changes is the best way to make sure you can make steady improvements to your diet and don’t fall back on bad eating habits.
Remember, “breakfast foods” are just traditional foods we have for breakfast. You can have whatever you want to have for breakfast (i.e., salmon, chicken sausage, etc.). If you’re having trouble eating healthy, finding the right support to improve your diet is essential. Meeting with a Nutritional Counselor at Behavioral Nutrition can be a great way to identify changes you can make to your diet that will allow you to eat healthier in a sustainable manner. Reach out to learn more about our Nutritional Counseling Services.
