35 Best Low-Calorie Breakfast Ideas, According to Dietitians

You had us at “taco!” This handheld breakfast clocks in at an impressive 25 g protein per serving. Couple that with bold flavors that hit all the major notes — spicy, tangy, salty, with a herby finish from the cilantro — and you can assemble them all on a sheet pan to just throw in the oven while you get ready to start your day.

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Move over Starbucks, we’ve cracked the code on making grab-and-go egg bites at home. Once they become part of your regular rotation (because they’re so delicious, we know they will!), mix it up with any of your favorite veggie or meat toppings.

Get the Customizable Egg Muffins recipe.

Get veggies (there’s a carrot in there!) and your protein in one refreshing sip. This smoothie gets you 16 grams of the macronutrient, plus tons of vitamins and minerals from the fruit-and-vegetable combo.

Get the Mango Madness Smoothie recipe.

Yes, you can 100 percent have potatoes for breakfast while keeping it low-cal. Shoemaker recommends opting for sweet potatoes (which are a good source of fiber and vitamin A) as part of a savory hash. Skip the chorizo in this recipe for a lower-cal option.

Get the Roasted Sweet Potato Hash recipe.

For a quick breakfast, spread healthy toppings on matzo or crispbread. Shoemaker likes nut butter (like peanut butter and almond butter) because it’s rich in both protein and healthy fats. Pair it with banana to boost the fiber content for an even more filling meal.

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When in doubt, keep it simple! This classic is a great base for add-ins, too: Shoemaker loves to make scrambled eggs with mushrooms and mozzarella cheese, which has protein and calcium.

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This smoothie comes together so quickly, so you may feel like you have extra time to create a cute DIY glass design: Slice cucumbers thinly with a peeler, press them against the sides of a wide glass and pour your smoothie in.

Get the Pineapple-Cucumber Smoothie recipe.

If you’ve never had savory oatmeal for breakfast, consider this your sign to give it a try. Collingwood says that eggs check the boxes for both protein and healthy fats; it’s a two-for-one win! The greens, tomato and oats up the fiber content even more.

Get the Oatmeal with Greens, Tomato and Egg recipe.

Talk about a sweet start to the day! You’ll spoon up 21 g protein and 5 g fiber per serving, providing you with the dream “stay full for longer” nutrient pairing. Feel free to have fun with the fruit topping and mix it up with whatever’s in season.

Get the Almond-Buckwheat Granola with Yogurt and Berries recipe.

Our nutritionists love Greek yogurt for breakfast because it’s a good source of protein, but have you ever used it to make a spin on French toast? Yep, it works. The egg blended into the yogurt in this recipe delivers additional protein as well as unsaturated fats. Use multigrain bread to get a good dose of fiber.

Get the Yogurt Toast recipe.

Break out your muffin tin to whip up a batch of bake-and-take egg cups that you can keep in the fridge, then heat and eat all week.

P.S. Did we mention each one packs in 4 g of protein? Yep.

Get the Spinach and Goat Cheese Egg Muffins recipe.

Pair your oats with Greek yogurt, almonds and a drizzle of honey — Collingwood likes that Greek yogurt is full of protein. The almonds add more protein to your bowl and join the oats in delivering filling fiber.

Get the Oatmeal with Yogurt and Toasted Almonds recipe.

This is the classic banana-PB snack (or breakfast toast), but in smoothie form! In this recipe, banana and almond butter are combined with almond milk and blueberries for an easy and delicious morning meal you can sip while answering emails.

Get the Blueberry Banana Nut Smoothie recipe.

Collingwood is a fan of smoothies for breakfast — as long as they pair the fruit and/or veggies with enough protein to fill you up. Her recommendation is to add Greek yogurt, like with this recipe for a raspberry-banana smoothie. Bonus: It’s portable, so you can take this breakfast to go.

Get the Razzle-Dazzle Smoothie recipe.