Healthy Eating
Healthy Breakfast Meals for Weight Loss
You must eat breakfast. You shouldn’t eat breakfast. When it comes to losing weight, the breakfast debate rages on. Health and wellness are highly personal, and what works best for one person may not be an ideal approach for the next.
What we do know is that choosing nutrient-rich foods with low caloric density—no matter the time of day—supports your overall health and weight goals. You’re more likely to lose weight when you stick to a diet that’s not only healthy, but enjoyable.
Losing weight can be challenging, especially when you don’t know how to start your day. We’ve gathered some delicious healthy breakfast ideas to give you a hand.
Healthy Breakfast Ideas for Weight Loss
The best healthy breakfast recipes to boost weight loss will help keep you full for longer. Let's explore some easy and healthy breakfast ideas for weight loss—all of which can be customized according to your budget and preferences. Plus, virtually all these recipes can be made in 30 minutes or less and/or prepared in advance.
1. Breakfast Burrito
Breakfast burritos offer a savory, satisfying, and potentially spicy start to your day. To make a breakfast burrito, fill a whole wheat or other low carb tortilla with any combination of vegetables, meat, eggs, and low-fat cheese. Some favorite healthy breakfast burrito ingredients include mushrooms, red peppers, onions, turkey sausage, eggs, and shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese. If you like it, add some cilantro to deepen the flavors and get some green in there.
Breakfast burritos can be prepared and frozen for up to a week. Simply pop one out of the freezer in the morning, reheat it, and you have a delicious, nutritious breakfast to keep you full and support weight loss!
2. Veggie Scramble
Get those daily veggie servings in early with a morning veggie scramble! Simply select, dice, and sauté your favorite vegetables before pouring into scrambled eggs, egg whites, or egg replacement. We like to mix it up and include anything from mushrooms, sweet potatoes, broccoli, asparagus, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and more.
If you need a little more flavor, consider adding herbs and spices before reaching for the salt. Salsa or hot sauce can also give your veggie scramble a little kick without adding many calories and compromising your health goals.
3. Avocado Toast
Avocado toast is a delicious, nutritious, and filling breakfast—and best of all, it’s incredibly easy to make. First, mash a ripe avocado and add sea salt and pepper to taste. Toast a slice of whole grain bread and top with the mashed avocado. Add turkey bacon, deli meat, sliced tomato, or fresh spinach for some variety, or with red pepper flakes for a bite.
4. Oatmeal & Fruit
Oatmeal is a healthy whole grain that offers the comfort of a home-cooked breakfast with the nutritional benefit of fiber. To sweeten up your oatmeal naturally, consider adding zero-calorie stevia or fruit like blueberries, strawberries, or bananas. Frozen fruit is a great way to save money and keep produce on hand without the pressure to eat it before it goes bad!
There are two versions of oatmeal that you can make the night before for your convenience. Overnight oats are prepared, left in the fridge overnight and served cold the morning. Crock pot oatmeal simmers in the slow cooker overnight and is warm and ready for the morning.
5. Protein Pancakes
Protein pancakes are a quick, easy, and indulgent substitute for the classic breakfast dish. You can either buy a box of pre-made, high-protein pancake mix or make your own by referencing online recipes. If you’re trying to eat a healthy breakfast for weight loss, top your pancakes with fresh fruit, honey, or a dollop of whipped cream instead of imitation maple syrup (which is primarily processed sugar).
6. Smoked Salmon Benedict
Eggs benedict doesn’t need to wait for Sunday brunch. Pair poached eggs, pre-bought or frozen smoked salmon, and hollandaise sauce for a fine morning meal of smoked salmon benedict. Skip the English muffin to cut back on simple carbs. You can also make your own healthier hollandaise sauce by using low-fat Greek yogurt.
7. Breakfast Smoothie
If you need a versatile, on-the-go breakfast option that satisfies your sweet tooth, this is it. Breakfast smoothies give you the perfect opportunity to clean out the fruit bowl, the fridge, and even the freezer while enriching your body with the nutrients it needs.
The best smoothies need all three components:
- Liquid: Milk, soy milk, almond milk, herbal tea, coffee, yogurt, or coconut water
- Fruits and veggies: Spinach, avocado, berries, bananas, mango, acai berries
- Protein: Protein powder, nuts, nut butters, chia seeds, oats
You might also choose to add extracts, herbs, or spices like mint, basil, or cinnamon to enhance the flavor.
8. Hard-Boiled Eggs
Too busy to cook in the morning? You can prepare hard-boiled eggs in advance and grab a couple on your way out the door. To make hard-boiled eggs, simply place eggs in a pot of cold water over high heat and bring to a boil. Turn the heat off and cover for 7 minutes. You can peel the shells off the night before for added time savings in the morning, too. Pro tip: add a little baking soda to the water to help make shells come off easier, or use slightly older (but still fresh) eggs.
9. Tofu Scramble
Tofu has many talents, but did you know you can scramble tofu just like an egg? Now you can make high protein, low cholesterol scrambled eggs without any animal products. Roughly chop a block of extra-firm tofu and sauté in a little olive oil. Add some garlic and onion powder for flavor and some turmeric for the bright yellow color—plus, stir in anything you’d add to your typical eggs. Unlike regular scrambled eggs, though, scrambled tofu can be made in advance and pre-divided into morning portions.
Final Notes
If you’re embarking on a long-term weight loss journey, it’s essential to find healthy morning meals to start each day off with success. By eating balanced meals that leave you feeling fuller for longer, you can provide your body with the nutrients it needs. Try out one or more of the easy weight loss breakfast ideas above to see which one becomes a favorite in your kitchen!
Frequently Asked Questions
Does skipping breakfast food help with weight loss?
While some people find passing up breakfast as a form of intermittent fasting works for them, skipping breakfast by itself does not definitively lead to long-term weight loss. Making healthier food choices over time can help you lose weight and maintain it. As a rule, choose whole foods whenever the option is present: fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, to name a few.
What is the best breakfast for weight loss?
Any breakfast that leaves you feeling deprived is not a healthy breakfast choice for weight loss. If you’re aiming for weight loss, breakfast should be varied and colorful (yes, that means vegetables for breakfast!). Choosing a breakfast that is high in nutrients and low in caloric density—typically foods with lots of fruits, veggies, or water in them—can help you feel full and stay full longer. The fiber in whole grains and oatmeal can also support weight loss.
How can I lose weight aside from eating a healthy breakfast?
Aside from incorporating these healthy breakfast ideas for your weight loss journey, you can continue to eat well-balanced meals and incorporate physical activity into your routine. Weight loss, including the psychology around what we eat, when we eat, and why we eat, is incredibly complicated. Many people need to supplement their efforts at home with additional support, which can even include prescription weight loss medications in some cases.
Visit with your doctor to discuss adding prescription weight loss pills that can help support weight loss, especially if you continue to struggle to lose weight or have a weight-related medical condition. Ask them about your options and how to get started on therapy.
