7 High-Protein Breakfasts to Power Your Morning

During the hustle and bustle of a hectic week, getting a healthy dinner on the table starts to feel like mission impossible. But you can always win at breakfast. Fitbit dietitian and nutrition curriculum designer Tracy Morris wants you to wake up to a meal with at least 20 grams of protein, to keep carb cravings and sugar crashes at bay. Which means a bowl of frosted cereal just isn’t going to cut it. And, surprisingly, neither will a couple of eggs—unless you add a sprinkle of cheese!

Here are some top sources of protein that sound appealing in the morning and will help get you to 20 grams.  

• 7 oz Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat 20 grams protein
• ½ cup cottage cheese, low-fat 14 grams protein
• 2 oz turkey sausage 14 grams protein
• 2 large eggs 13 grams protein
• 1 cup milk, nonfat 8 grams protein
• 1 cup quinoa 8 grams protein
• ½ cup black beans 8 grams protein
• 2 tablespoons crunchy peanut butter 8 grams protein
• 1 oz cheddar cheese 6 grams protein
• 1 whole-wheat English muffin 6 grams protein
• 1 oz smoked salmon 5 grams protein
• ½ cup oats 5 grams protein
• 1 slice whole-wheat bread 3 grams protein

If you’ve got the ingredients, you still might be wondering what to do with them. Here are seven quick and easy ideas for high-protein breakfasts to power your morning.

Overnight Oats with Blueberries

½ cup oats + ½ cup Greek yogurt + ½ cup milk + 1 tablespoon chia seeds + ½ cup blueberries

395 calories, 25 grams protein per serving

For full recipes, check out 6 Overnight Oat Recipes with Fresh Flavors to Try.

Cottage Cheese Toast

2 slices sprouted toast + ½ cup cottage cheese + ¼ avocado + 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

319 calories, 20 grams protein per serving

Smoked Salmon Bagel  

½ whole-wheat bagel + 2 tablespoons cream cheese + 1 oz smoked salmon + ¼ cup alfalfa sprouts

314 calories, 20 grams protein per serving

Beany Breakfast Burritos

1 whole-wheat tortilla + 2 large eggs + ½ cup black beans + 2 tablespoons salsa fresca

Per serving: 332 calories, 21 grams protein

For the full recipe, check out Sweet Potato & Black Bean Breakfast Burritos.

Turkey Sausage & Egg Sandwich

1 whole-wheat English muffin + 2 oz turkey sausage + 1 large egg + 1 oz cheddar + ½ cup baby spinach

393 calories, 29 grams protein per serving

Lemon & Chia Seed Muffins

335 calories, 20 grams protein per serving

For the full recipe, check out Lemon & Chia Seed Muffins.

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Protein Shake

408 calories, 23 grams protein per serving

For the full recipe, check out Chocolate & Peanut Butter Protein Shakes.

Becky Duffett

Becky Duffett is a contributing nutrition editor for Fitbit and a lifestyle writer with a passion for eating well. A former Williams-Sonoma cookbook editor and graduate of San Francisco Cooking School, she’s edited dozens of cookbooks and countless recipes. City living has turned her into a spin addict—but she’d still rather be riding a horse. She lives in the cutest neighborhood in San Francisco, spending weekends at the farmers’ market, trying to read at the bakery, and roasting big dinners for friends.