Start the day right by meeting your protein needs and ensure you last until lunch with these simple protein upgrades for breakfast:
Porridge
- Make with cows or unsweetened soy milk instead of water - 1/2 cup adds 4-7g protein
- Add a dollop of protein yoghurt on top - 1 tbsp adds 3-4g protein
- Add a sprinkle of nuts +/or seeds - 15g almonds adds 3g protein
- Add a teaspoon of nut butter - 6g of peanut butter adds 1.3g protein
Total protein boost: 11-15g additional protein
Total protein count if using 1/4 cup plain rolled oats: 15-19g protein
Toast with spread
- Spread with a homemade avocado and broad bean dip instead of marmite, jam, honey etc - 1 heaped tablespoon adds 2-3g protein
- Top with a poached egg - adds 6-8g protein
- Sprinkle with pumpkin seeds - 15g adds 4.7g protein
- Crumble some feta on top - 20g adds 3.4g protein
Total protein boost: 16-19g additional protein
Total protein count if using 1 slice extra thin Vogel’s toast: 19-22g protein
Weetbix with milk
- Add a dollop of protein yoghurt on top - 1 tbsp adds 3-4g protein
- Mix in a scoop of whey, pea, soy or collagen powder - adds 9-15g protein
Total protein boost: 12-19g additional protein
Total protein count if using:
- 1 Weetbix: 14-21g protein
- 2 Weetbix: 16-23g protein
Fruit smoothie
- Make with cows or unsweetened soy milk instead of water, juice, coconut water, almond milk - 1 cup adds 8-15g protein
- Add a tablespoon of almond butter - 15g adds 3.3g protein
- Add 2 teaspoons collagen powder - 11g adds 9g protein
Total protein boost: 20-27g additional protein
Total protein count if using 1/3 cup berries and 1/2 banana: 21-28g protein
- Note fruit contains very little protein
Baked beans on toast
- Top with a poached egg - adds 6-8g protein
- Spinkle with 20g grated Edam cheese - adds 5.6g protein
Total protein boost: 12-14g additional protein
Total protein count if using 1/2 cup lite baked beans and 1 slice extra thin Vogel’s toast: 22-24g protein
Protein values were found using the NZ food composition data base: https://www.foodcomposition.co.nz/
Where a food product was not available, information was obtained from the nutrition information panel from the prouct itself.