Whether breakfast is the most important meal of the day or not, it is an important opportunity to get a nutritious start to the day. In this post we'll go over the basic building blocks to putting together a healthy breakfast for yourself, and provide a few recipes to try out. Not a breakfast fan? No problem- scroll down to check out some other quick and easy ideas.
Your Recipe for a Healthy Breakfast
1-2 servings of protein
+
1 serving high fiber carb
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1-2 serving of fruit or veggie
Proteins for breakfast
Protein is a key component for a healthy breakfast in pregnancy for several reasons. As protein requirements dramatically increase in the second and third trimesters, it may be difficult to meet your daily needs without including a protein in the morning. Also, having a protein source with your morning meal can help to stabilize your blood sugar and prevent headaches, mood swings, dizziness and nausea later in the day. In fact, having a double portion of protein for breakfast can be a great way to start your day!
Here is a list of high protein foods that you can consider adding to your breakfast routine:
1-3 Eggs
½ cup beans
1 serving of tofu or tempeh
1-2 Tbsp nut butter
1 handful of nuts or seeds
1 cup cottage cheese
1 cup Greek yogurt
1 cup of Milk or Soy Milk*
1 slice of cheese
1 Serving Meat (sausage, chorizo, ham, turkey)
*Note: Other milk alternatives such as almond, coconut, rice or hemp are not a significant source of protein
High-fiber carbs for breakfast
Extra fiber in the morning helps to balance your blood sugar and support your gut health throughout the day. It can also help to keep you fuller longer, prevent after meal-fatigue and help your avoid constipation.
Here are a few high-fiber carb options for the morning:
1 piece of 100% whole wheat or sprouted whole grain toast
1-2 6 inch corn tortillas or ½ 12 inch whole wheat tortilla
1 whole wheat English muffin
3/4 -1 cup whole grain cereal
1 whole grain pancake or waffle
½ cup brown rice, quinoa, farro, barley or other whole graine
3/4 cup polenta
1/2 cup granola or muesli
1/2 cup oatmeal, cream of wheat or other hot cereal
1/2- 1 cup of starchy veggies like yams, sweet potato, beets
Small oat-bran muffin
1/2 a whole wheat bagel
Fruits & veggies for breakfast
Breakfast is an ideally time to get in your fruits & veggies. With their high-fiber content and vitamin-rich nature, these super foods are essential with your morning meal.
You really can go wrong, but here is some food for thought about what fruits & veggies you can work into your breakfast:
1 cup (about a fist-full) of berries, melon, pineapple
1 small-med size piece of fruit (apple, pear, peach, nectarine, mango)
½-1 banana
1 cup spinach, kale, chard, collards or other greens
mushrooms
tomatoes, cucumbers, radish
zucchini, cabbage, broccoli, carrots, peas
avocado
15 Healthy Breakfast Ideas & Recipes
So does your breakfast need to fit this template exactly to be healthy? Not necessarily! There is no one right way to eat healthy. If your not a big eater in the morning, its ok to keep things simple and skip one of these components. Its also ok to make modifications based on your tastes or your own personal nutritional needs. Also, feel free to think out side the box and try having lunch or dinner foods for breakfast instead!
Looking for some inspiration? Check out these 15 breakfast ideas or create your own variations
Protein- Rich Avocado Toast- use sprouted whole wheat bread to make this breakfast classic high-fiber, and top with a fried egg, turkey bacon, or 2 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for protein. Here's an easy recipe with 12 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber from Stacey Homemaker: https://www.staceyhomemaker.com/high-protein-avocado-toast-2/
Breakfast Tacos- easy, satisfying and cheap, tacos are a fun and healthy breakfast choice. Try this simple recipe from Jar of Lemons: https://www.jaroflemons.com/the-best-healthy-breakfast-tacos/. Or, here a vegan option to check out: https://runningonrealfood.com/vegan-breakfast-tacos/
Extra-fiber Breakfast Sandwich - using a whole wheat English muffin and adding in some veggies can help you to create a fiber-rich egg sandwich for breakfast. Check out this recipe from Show Me the Yummy that includes instructions for meal prep and freezing as well: https://showmetheyummy.com/healthy-breakfast-sandwich/
Balanced Breakfast Bagel- If bagels are your go to breakfast (why do they taste so good in pregnancy?), then they leveling up your game with these tasty recipe ideas:
Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, turkey, tomato and pumpkin seeds
Whole wheat bagel with humus, spinach, grated carrot and cucumber slices
Whole wheat bagel with egg salad, Tomato, parsley, and red onion
Nut Butter Toast- for a quick no fussy breakfast that will provide you with a ton of nutrition, try using 1 slice sprouted whole grain toast topped with 2 tablespoon nut butter or your choice (peanut, almond and sunflower butter all work great), and slices of banana, apple or pear
Ful Mudammas - If you haven't tried amazing dish, your in for a treat! Traditional to Arab and north African cuisines, it's made with canned fava beans and provides a super tasty and hearty breakfast. Recipe & image from The Mediterranean Dish: https://www.themediterraneandish.com/foul-mudammas-recipe/
High-fiber Cereal Bowl- Yes, cereal can be a healthy choice for breakfast with a few tweaks. Try this recipe for a healthy bowl:
1 serving size of high fiber cereal (look for at least 7 grams on the nutrition label)
1 cup cow milk or soy milk (using other milk alternative won't provide any protein)
1 tablespoon slivered almonds or pecan pieces
1 handful of berries or 1/4 cup of raisins
Gritts and Greens Bowl- Gritts are staple of southern cuisine made of stone ground corn, which is high in fiber and vitamins. Topped with greens, tomatoes and eggs it makes for a healthy and comforting breakfast. Fabulous recipe & image from Seasoned To Taste: https://www.seasonedtotasteblog.com/southern-grits-and-greens-breakfast-bowl/
Breakfast Wraps- Combining a whole wheat tortilla with eggs, cheese and veggies creates a delicious and versatile breakfast option. Check out these 7 breakfast wrap variations from Alpha Foodie here:https://www.alphafoodie.com/healthy-breakfast-quesadillas/ , or maybe these freezer-friendly breakfast burritos from Cookie & Kate:
High Fiber Granola Bars- If you're needing grab and go option for breakfast, then consider making your own high protein fiber rich granola bars with this great recipe from Fork In the Kitchen: https://www.forkinthekitchen.com/granola-bars/ . If your looking for a store bought option, like these brands:
Peanut Butter RxBars (5g fiber)
Kind Bars (3-5 grams depending on flavor)
Larabars (3-5 grams depending on flavor)
Fiber-full Smoothies
Check out these recipes to meet your healthy carb, protein and fruit needs all in one!
- Love this chocolate smoothie bowl from Laura Fuentes: https://www.laurafuentes.com/high-fiber-protein-chocolate-smoothie-bowl/
- Greek yogurt berry smoothie from Sweet As Honey: https://www.sweetashoney.co/greek-yogurt-smoothie/#Nutrition
- Really good green smoothie from Eating Well: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/270514/really-green-smoothie/
On the Go Snack Pack- put together a balanced breakfast that you can take on the go with these ingredients:
Handful of high fiber crackers (Marys Gone Crackers, Ryvita, Wasa Brands)
1-2 Hard boiled eggs
1 String cheese stick
1/4 cup of nuts
1 cup of grapes, melon, berries, carrot sticks, cucumbers
Leveled-up Oatmeal
Oatmeal into it's self is relatively high fiber, but try these additions for a fully balanced and nourishing breakfast
1 cup Oatmeal
1 Tablespoon chia seeds or flax seeds
1 Tablespoon, nut butter or nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans)
Scope of Greek yogurt
Handful of fresh or frozen fruit (like berries, apples, mango)
Alternatively, here is a great recipe option to check out from Milk & Honey Nutrition:
Chia seed pudding
If your looking for low-carb breakfast option that still has a ton of fiber, give chia seed pudding a try. It's also great for easy meal prep as you put all the ingredients together at night and then magically wake up to a yummy breakfast!
Here's a simple recipe with variations from Cookie and Kate: https://cookieandkate.com/chia-seed-pudding-recipe/
Quinoa breakfast Bowls
Quinoa is a super food whole grain with a nutty flavor. It's packed with protein, fiber and vitamins and minerals. Give it a try for breakfast!
- Basic quinoa bowls with lots of variations from Bowls are the New Plates:
- Cinnamon quinoa bowls from Love & Lemons:
- Savory quinoa bowls from Crowded Kitchen (vegan):
Hope you enjoy these recipes and breakfast ideas!
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