Everyone knows the famous opinion that breakfast is the most important meal of the day!
And, there’s a reason for that opinion.
A lot of energy is lost during sleep, so you need your breakfast to make up for that.
Also, eating energy-packed breakfast foods can help keep you full and motivated until lunchtime. A balanced breakfast can help keep your energy levels in check, and also help keep your blood sugar in check, to keep your heart healthy.
Many people think that to have a good, balanced, energy-packed breakfast, they need to wake up super early to prepare it. But that’s not the case.
A healthy breakfast does not necessarily mean you have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or that you have to have expert culinary skills. You can prepare something tasty and healthy with little to no skills.
A healthy breakfast choice consists of fresh fruit, veggies, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, protein, and fiber. It doesn’t consist of foods that have added sugar, or processed foods.
So, here are some healthy breakfast options and ideas that you can eat to start your day with a great energy boost and a bit of extra protein that will give you all of the nutrients and energy you need before it’s time for lunch. Let’s get into energy-boosting breakfast ideas.
35 Energy Packed Breakfast Foods
Asparagus and Sun Dried Tomatoes with Eggs
305 calories
Ingredients
1 cup Asparagus spears – 27 calories
1 Tbsp Tomatoes, sun-dried – 17 calories
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Cut off hard ends of asparagus.
Stir fry asparagus for ~5 minutes, until cooked through.
Add sun-dried tomatoes at the end.
While veggies are cooking, spray a second pan with an oil spray.
Crack eggs in pan, fry until desired consistency.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Avocado & Egg Toast with Sourdough
349 calories
Ingredients
1 Bread, slice, sourdough – 160 calories
½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
1 Egg, large – 72 calories
1 Everything bagel seasoning, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Toast bread
Spray a small non-stick pan with an oil spray
Crack in eggs & fry on medium heat to desired consistency
Top bagel with avocado slices (mash if you like), egg, and everything bagel seasoning
Note: a hard boiled egg is pictured – use a fried egg or hard boiled here, whatever you like!
Gluten-free? Use gluten free bread.
Bacon Bits Eggs Benedict Sandwich
365 calories
Ingredients
1 English muffin, whole wheat – 120 calories
2 Uncured bacon, slice – 88 calories
1 Egg, large – 72 calories
1 tsp Hot sauce (tsp) – 0 calories
1 Tbsp Hollandaise sauce – 85 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Slice English muffin in half and toast.
Cut bacon into small pieces. Cook in a pan on low heat, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
To poach egg: Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Reduce to simmering. Crack in egg, let cook for 3 minutes. Scoop out egg with a ladle and add to English muffin.
Add bacon bits, two sauces, and pepper to English muffin.
No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon. No dairy? Skip the hollandaise sauce (you will have extra calories you can add to somewhere else!).
Baked Sweet Potato with PB & Banana
405 calories
Ingredients
1 Potato, sweet, medium, 5 inches – 112 calories
2 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 188 calories
1 Banana – 105 calories
1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Poke holes in potato with a fork.
Microwave on a microwave safe dish for 4 minutes on each side.
Slice potato in half, top with peanut butter, then sliced banana, then cinnamon.
No nuts? Use seeds, e.g. sunflower seed butter.
Don’t like or can’t eat peanut butter? Use another nut butter, like almond butter.
Avocado Feta Toast with Bacon
424 calories
Ingredients
1 Bread, slice, whole wheat – 120 calories
½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 99.75 calories
2 Uncured bacon, slice – 88 calories
Ins
tructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cut bacon into small pieces. Turn burner to low. Cook bacon pieces for ~10 mins on low heat, stirring frequently, until cooked through.
Toast bread.
Remove avocado half from skin and add to a bowl. Mash it with a fork so it becomes a guacamole texture (you can also use guacamole here instead of avocado, if you prefer).
Add mashed avocado to toast.
Top with cheese and bacon.
No dairy? Use more avocado and/or bacon. No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon.
Blueberry Banana Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds
419 calories
Ingredients
2 Tbsp Chia seeds – 120 calories
½ Banana – 52.5 calories
½ cup Blueberries, fresh – 35 calories
½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
½ cup Milk, 2% (cups) – 61 calories
Instructions
Combine oats, milk, and chia seeds
Let sit in container with lid (like a Ball jar) overnight
Top with blueberries and banana
Greek Yogurt Bowl with Apple and Chocolate
356 calories
Ingredients
1 Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, single-serving container – 110 calories
1 Apple, small – 77 calories
1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories
1 Tbsp Chocolate chips, Tbsp – 70 calories
¼ tsp Vanilla – 0 calories
¼ tsp Honey – 5 calories
Instructions
Combine yogurt, vanilla, and honey, stirring until evenly mixed.
Top with PB, chocolate chips, and diced apple.
Want a flavored yogurt? Choose one with less than 15 gm of added sugar. No dairy? Use dairy-free yogurt. No nuts? Feel free to use any other nut/seed butter you prefer.
Breakfast Scramble with 2 Eggs
310 calories
Ingredients
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
½ Onion, yellow – 27.5 calories
½ Bell pepper, orange – 12 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Chop onion & bell pepper.
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Stir fry onion and bell pepper ~5 minutes on medium heat.
Crack in eggs for ~2 minutes, until egg has mostly cooked through.
Add spinach and cheese ~1 minute, or until spinach has wilted.
Top with seasonings.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, avocado, or oil.
Avocado & Feta Frittata
386 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
¼ Avocado, small – 58.25 calories
¼ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 99.75 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
This recipe works best if you’re quadrupling (4x) it
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Crack eggs in a bowl and whisk together, add in garlic salt
Spray an oven-safe pan with an oil spray
Add in eggs and mozzarella, cook for 5 minutes
Remove pan from oven, top with feta and avocado slices
Bake for another ~3 minutes or until eggs have set
2 Eggs & 1 Avocado
377 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
1 Avocado, small – 233 calories
Instructions
Hard boil egg
2 Pesto Eggs
264 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
2 Tbsp Pesto (Tbsp) – 120 calories
1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Turn heat to medium heat.
Add in pesto and crack in eggs into the pan.
Cook for 3-5 minutes, depending on how cooked through your like your eggs
Top with red pepper flakes.
No dairy? Use dairy free pesto, available at most stores.
Banana Pancakes with 1 Tbsp PB
271 calories
Ingredients
1 Banana – 105 calories
1 Egg, large – 72 calories
1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories
1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Whisk banana and eggs. Add in cinnamon.
Spray a non-stick pan with an oil spray
Add small amount of batter to pan, flip when you can easily slide turner under it
Make a sandwich with the PB or dip pieces of pancakes into the PB on the side
Breakfast-Style Quesadilla
541 calories
Ingredients
1 Tortilla, whole wheat – 120 calories
1 Tbsp Pesto (Tbsp) – 60 calories
½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
2 tsp Red wine vinegar (tsp) – 2 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Whisk eggs in a bowl, then pour into the pan. Turn heat to medium. Mix eggs frequently until cooked as desired.
Slice avocado.
Fill half of the tortilla with eggs, pesto, avocado, and cheese.
Use the remaining ingredients to make a side salad (spinach, red wine vinegar, salt & pepper).
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, or add more avocado. Also, use a dairy-free pesto (available at most stores).
No gluten? Use a gluten-free tortilla, e.g. corn.
Broccoli Frittata
271 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories
½ cup Broccoli – 15.5 calories
½ Onion, yellow – 27.5 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings at once, so double or triple the ingredients above and then divide the frittata into 2 or 3 equal-sized servings.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Spray a pan with an oil spray.
Add in veggies (chopped), stir-fry for 6-7 minutes on low heat.
Crack eggs into a bowl, whisk with a fork, add in cheese and seasonings.
Spray an oven-safe pan (e.g. cast iron skillet) with an oil spray.
Add in veggies to the oven-safe pan.
Add in eggs & cheese mixture to the oven-safe pan.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until eggs have cooked through.
No dairy? Use bacon bits or oil.
Carrot Cake Oatmeal
329 calories
Ingredients
½ cup Oatmeal, dry oats (uncooked) – 150 calories
½ Carrots, whole, medium – 12.5 calories
¼ cup Raisins – 130 calories
½ tsp Vanilla – 0 calories
1 tsp Butter (tsp) – 36 calories
1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
If not already, cut cabbage into 3 strips (seen in picture).
Wrap 1 strip bacon around each cabbage slice.
Bake for 30 minutes, flipping over midway through.
Top with sour cream & spices.
No dairy? Use more bacon. No meat? Use turkey or soy bacon.
Bacon Wrapped Cabbage
213 calories
Ingredients
3 slice Cabbage – 51 calories
3 Uncured bacon, slice – 132 calories
1 Tbsp Sour cream – 30 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
If not already, cut cabbage into 3 strips (seen in picture).
Wrap 1 strip bacon around each cabbage slice.
Bake for 30 minutes, flipping over midway through.
Top with sour cream & spices.
No dairy? Use more bacon. No meat? Use turkey or soy bacon.
Berries and Quesadillas
407 calories
Ingredients
2 One small whole wheat tortilla, 60 calories each – 120 calories
2 oz Cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/ regular – 220 calories
½ cup Raspberries, fresh – 32 calories
½ cup Blueberries, fresh – 35 calories
Instructions
Fold cheese into half of tortillas and heat briefly in toaster oven, or microwave.
Have berries on the side.
If you’d prefer 1 larger, ~120 calorie tortilla, that’s fine! Stick with a whole wheat one.
Gluten-free? Use gluten free tortillas, e.g. corn.
Berry Smoothie
149 calories
Ingredients
½ cup Blueberries, frozen – 35 calories
½ Banana – 52.5 calories
¼ cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 1.75 calories
3 tsp Honey – 60 calories
½ cup Water – 0 calories
Instructions
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add ice if you need it.
Blend until smooth.
Blueberry Pineapple Acai Bowl
252 calories
Ingredients
½ cup Blueberries, frozen – 35 calories
½ cup Pineapple, frozen chunks, unsweetened – 46.5 calories
8 oz Yogurt, plain, Greek, 2%, from tub – 170 calories
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in a blender, pour into a bowl, & enjoy!
No dairy? Use a dairy-free yogurt.
Blueberry Muffin in a Mug
229 calories
Ingredients
¼ cup Flour, whole wheat – 110 calories
1 tsp Sugar – 16 calories
¼ tsp Baking powder – 0 calories
½ tsp Butter (tsp) – 18 calories
⅛ cup Milk, 2% (cups) – 15.25 calories
1 cup Blueberries, frozen – 70 calories
1 Salt – 0 calories
1 Cinnamon, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Melt butter very briefly in the microwave.
Stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, milk, and butter.
Sprinkle 2 Tbsp blueberries over top. Microwave for 90 seconds.
Have other blueberries on the side (so we have our full serving of fruit!).
Breakfast Burrito Bowl
422 calories
Ingredients
½ cup Rice, brown, cooked – 120 calories
½ cup Salsa – 32 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
1 tsp Hot sauce (tsp) – 0 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Cook rice as instructed on package.
Crack eggs in a bowl, whisk with a fork.
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Pour in eggs. Cook eggs on medium heat ~2 minutes, until cooked through.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cheese, avocado, or oil instead of an oil spray.
Cheesy Scrambled Eggs with Peppers
211 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
1 Bell pepper, red – 37 calories
1 Tbsp Cheese, shredded, cheddar (Tbsp units) – 30 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Dice pepper.
Spray pan with an oil spray, add in peppers, stir-fry 5 minutes on low heat.
Crack eggs in a bowl, whisk with a fork. Add in cheese and seasonings.
Add to pan. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until eggs have cooked through.
No dairy? Use a dairy free cheese, or avocado
Easy Green Smoothie
234 calories
Ingredients
1 Banana – 105 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 7 calories
1 cup Milk, 2% (cups) – 122 calories
Instructions
Blend all ingredients together in a blender (add ice cubes if needed)
Eggs, Bacon and Spinach
239 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
2 Uncured bacon, slice – 88 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 7 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Fry bacon on stove top by cooking on low heat & turning every few minutes. Alternatively, you can cook bacon in the microwave or in the oven (~20 minutes at 400 degrees) if you prefer.
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Heat pan on medium heat. Crack in egg, flip when cooked most of the way through. Let cook for 30-60 seconds, then remove from heat
Serve on bed of spinach. Add seasonings.
No bacon? Use turkey or soy bacon.
Feta Scrambled Eggs
277 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, crumbled, feta – 133 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Whisk eggs and feta in a bowl, pour into the pan. Mix frequently until cooked as desired.
No dairy? Have avocado on the side.
Egg Bagel with Salad
296 calories
Ingredients
½ Bagel, regular, whole wheat – 155 calories
1 Egg, large – 72 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories
1 Bell pepper, red – 37 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 17.5 calories
1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Toast bagel.
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Set to medium heat.
Crack in egg, then flip when cooked most of the way through. Top with seasonings.
Add egg to bagel.
Mix salad with other ingredients.
Gluten free? Use a gluten free bagel or bread.
Protein Smoothie
294 calories
Ingredients
1 Protein powder – 120 calories
1 cup Strawberries, fresh – 50 calories
1 cup Almond milk – 30 calories
1 Tbsp Peanut butter (Tbsp) – 94 calories
Instructions
Slice strawberries.
Mix all ingredients in a blender, add ice if you like.
Egg Tacos
310 calories
Ingredients
2 Tortilla, soft, whole wheat or low carb – 140 calories
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories
1 cup Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 7 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Turmeric powder, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Crack eggs into a small bowl, whisk with a fork. Add in seasonings.
Spray pan with an oil spray.
Stir fry bell pepper (finely chopped) and spinach in the pan for ~2 minutes.
Pour eggs into the pan, stirring occasionally until eggs are cooked through (~2 minutes total).
Add egg & veggie mixture to tortillas.
No turmeric? Leave out.
Gluten free? Use a gluten free tortilla, e.g. corn.
Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Bagel with Avocado
374 calories
Ingredients
½ Bagel, regular, whole wheat – 155 calories
0.9999 Tbsp Cream cheese, whipped – 33.33 calories
3 oz Smoked salmon – 99.75 calories
2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 10 calories
1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, light (less than 50 calories per 2 Tbsp) – 17.5 calories
¼ Avocado, small – 58.25 calories
Instructions
Toast bagel
Top bagel with cream cheese, salmon, and avocado
Mix lettuce and dressing
No dairy? Use a dairy-free cream cheese, or extra smoked salmon
Note: I like Trader Joe’s fat free vinaigrette – but Paul Newman, Whole Foods, etc. all have good light dressings.
Gluten free? Use gluten free bagel or bread.
You can also swap cream cheese for cottage cheese, if you prefer it.
Egg Bites in Muffin Tin
256 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
⅓ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 112 calories
1 Everything bagel seasoning, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
This recipe works best if you’re making 2 or 3 servings at once.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Crack eggs in a bowl and whisk with a fork, add in cheese and seasoning.
Pour evenly in muffin tin. Silicone muffin tins work best.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until eggs have set.
No dairy? Use bacon.
Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
350 calories
Ingredients
3 Egg, large – 216 calories
4 tsp Mayonnaise (tsp) – 128 calories
3 Lettuce leaves for lettuce wraps – 6 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Hard boil eggs by bring a pot of water to boil (with eggs in the pot) and letting eggs boil for 8 minutes. Remove from heat and peel when cooled.
Chop eggs into small pieces.
Mix eggs with mayo, salt & pepper.
Add to lettuce wraps.
Egg Sandwich with Cheese
247 calories
Ingredients
1 Bread, slice, whole wheat – 120 calories
1 Egg, large – 72 calories
½ oz Cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/ regular – 55 calories
1 Salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
Instructions
Spray a pan with an oil spray. Crack in egg and fry to desired consistency. Add seasonings.
Toast bread.
Add egg and cheese to bread – fold over to make sandwich.
No dairy? Use bacon or avocado. Gluten free? Use gluten free bread.
Egg “McMuffins”
298 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
1 Uncured bacon, slice – 44 calories
1 oz Cheese, sliced cheese, full fat/ regular – 110 calories
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and spray a muffin tin with an oil spray
Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk with a fork so that yolks blend with whites
Pour evenly into 2 muffin sections of the muffin tin. Bake for ~15 minutes – until your eggs are cooked through. Check frequently
While eggs are cooking, fry bacon on stove top (or in the microwave if you’re in a rush!)
Make sandwiches
Cheesy Eggs with Two Sausages
357 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
¼ Bell pepper, red – 9.25 calories
2 Breakfast sausage – 120 calories
¼ cup Cheese, shredded, mozzarella – 84 calories
Instructions
Dice pepper.
Spray pan with an oil spray, add in chopped peppers, stir-fry 5 minutes on low heat.
Crack 2 eggs into the pan, stir until eggs are cooked through. Season.
While eggs are cooking, spray a second pan with an oil spray. Cook sausages for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
California Breakfast Casserole with Avocado
279 calories
Ingredients
2 Egg, large – 144 calories
½ Avocado, small – 116.5 calories
1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories
1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories
½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings
Chop bell peppers
Spray casserole dish with an oil spray
Add in bell peppers
Whisk eggs in a bowl
Pour eggs into casserole dish; add in spices and mix contents around
Bake for 17-20 minutes or until eggs are cooked through
While casserole is baking, chop avocado
Add avocado on top of casserole; bake for another 2-3 minutes
Need more flavor? Top with additional spices and/ or hot sauce
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