50 Quick, Low-Calorie, Filling Breakfast Ideas
Quick, Low-Calorie, and Filling Breakfasts
For many people breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A low-calorie breakfast should be one that's also filling and balanced with proteins, carbohydrates, and good fats. Eating good food in the morning means you can face the day with confident energy.
Many of the following breakfasts are suitable for vegetarians and all are useful for those following a weight-loss plan.
Included is a protein table to help you decide which protein is best for you.
You'll find handy tips and advice too. As you look at each breakfast idea, don't be afraid to mix and match where possible and create your ideal breakfast.
So, have fun choosing and bon appétit!
Low-Calorie, Filling Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast
| Calories
| Benefits & Goodness
|
|---|---|---|
2 Wholewheat Slices of Toast, 1 egg white, tbsp jam/honey/marmalade and margerine, herb tea.
| 199
| Quick and easy - protein, fiber, iron and calcium
|
Half a cup Oatmeal with sliced apple, 1 slice wholemeal bread with honey, small glass skimmed milk.
| 278
| Extra protein,filling,tasty.
|
2 mini croissants, half a tbsp butter, cottage cheese, slice of watermelon,herb tea.
| 316
| Delicious cheese filling, vitamins and minerals.
|
Half a cup wheat bran, raisins, small fat free greek yoghurt, slice wholemeal toast and tbsp peanut butter
| 309
| Fiber rich, extra protein, filling.
|
2 crisp breads, 2 tbsp honey, small glass full milk, half a cup strawberries.
| 235
| Easy to prepare, fiber, vitamins (C), quick energy boost
|
Turkey bacon slice, mushroom, tomato, egg white, 1 slice w/w bread,small yoghurt.
| 188
| Very low calorie, good protein, filling.
|
Oatmeal with strawberries, crisp bread and tbsp cream cheese, large apple,small glass V8 juice.
| 275
| Iron, calcium,protein,fiber plus taste.
|
Whole egg poached, 1 rasher fried bacon, 2 slices w/w bread, small glass skimmed milk.
| 360
| High protein, good fats, filling.
|
1 fried turkey sausage, 1 egg white poached, 1 slice w/w bread small yoghurt, 1 orange, cereal bar.
| 319
| Good mix of protein, vitamins and fiber.
|
Toasted Bagel with poached egg, half an avocado, herb tea.
| 357
| Filling, protein, vitamins, good fats.
|
Breakfast
| Calories
| Benefits & Goodness
|
|---|---|---|
Half a cup of oats cooked in water,quarter cup skimmed milk,sliced apple, raisins,crisp bread and tbsp peanut butter
| 300
| Filling - vitamins, fiber.
|
Scrambled egg, grapefruit, small yoghurt, cereal bar.
| 259
| Vitamin C, protein, light.
|
Waffle with 2 tbsp peanut butter, kiwi fruit, english muffin and jam.
| 320
| For energy - vitamins.
|
1 slice Quiche Lorraine(egg,bacon,cheese), large banana with small yoghurt.
| 420
| High protein, vitamins, good fats.
|
2 slices w/w toast with banana slices, 1 orange.
| 289
| Very quick to prepare, vitamins.
|
1 Weetabix, cup of Rice Milk, 1 crisp bread and 2 tbsp cottage cheese, handful of red grapes.
| 255
| Light and tasty with protein.
|
2 poached egg whites, spinach and tbsp fetta cheese on w/w slice bread, small yoghurt with handful raisins or cherries.
| 239
| Filling - protein, good fats.
|
Bowl of bran flakes, half a cup of skim milk, half a cup blueberries, small yoghurt.
| 295
| Easy, tasty - vitamins, iron.
|
3 poached egg whites, tomato, mushroom, 1 slice w/w bread, 1 apple, small greek yoghurt.
| 280
| Filling - protein, fiber.
|
2 slices w/w bread with honey, peach, 1 crisp bread and tbsp peanut butter.
| 343
| Easy to prepare - good for energy, protein.
|
Unprocessed Food High in Fiber Is Best
With so many easy to obtain refined foods around these days it's hardly surprising to find that more and more people are becoming obese and suffering from ill health.
There is a way to buck this trend - Eat more natural unprocessed foods, eat more raw and if possible organic foods. Ideally, all refined and processed sugars should be cut out of the diet. This isn't easy to do but with willpower and a 'pause and think' approach these potentially harmful foods can be left behind!
Fiber is the difference. Although it's not absorbed by the body, it plays a crucial role in allowing the slow uptake of sugars into the blood system. Blood sugar levels are then less spiky, leading to sustained energy levels and fewer cravings and feelings of acute hunger.
Breakfast Food Protein Table
Food
| Protein (grams)
|
|---|---|
1 slice w/w bread
| 3.6
|
1 hard boiled egg
| 6.3
|
100g Greek Yoghurt
| 7.6
|
Half cup cottage cheese
| 14
|
Half cup cream cheese
| 9
|
Half cup Muesli
| 3.5
|
Half cup All Bran
| 4
|
Half cup Full Milk
| 3.9
|
1 egg white
| 3.6
|
1 crisp bread
| 1.5
|
1 avocado
| 4
|
1 slice turkey bacon
| 2.1
|
1 rasher bacon
| 2.3
|
For a Filling Breakfast, Balance Proteins, Fats, and Fiber
If you eat proteins and fats for breakfast (with fiber included) you are less likely to want to snack mid-morning. These help make you feel full and if eaten in moderation can help you control your calorie intake.
The amount of protein you eat depends on your activity levels but the ideal would be between 25-35 grams a day.
With both protein and fiber in most of these breakfasts you should be able to stave off hunger until lunch time.
If you do need to snack between meals try to make sure they're low fat and as unrefined as possible.
Water
If you drink water throughout the day you are helping to cleanse your body. It flushes out unwanted toxins and aids in getting fatty tissue - which burns off into water, (heat plus CO2) out of the system. Don't drink too much at one go however as this can lead to problems. Better to have a small glass at breakfast or before, and one straight after. Another mid-morning and several more at lunch, tea/supper on up to bedtime.
Water helps you feel full and stops any chances of dehydration.
Calories and Weight Loss Diets
If you start on a diet and fitness regime and eat say 1200 calories a day you have a good chance of losing weight for the first week or two. Your work outs are going well, with a decent activity level. But in the third, fourth and fifth weeks you don't lose any weight? What's happening?
The answer is - you need more nutrients. Your body is retaining fat because your activity levels are too much for the nutrients in your system. The body is looking to survive, so keeps as much fatty tissue going as it can. Recovery time from exercises also slows down.
Solution? Eat more. Up the proteins, carbs and fats a little - to 1600/1700 cals a day. You'll start to lose weight again as your system balances out.
Calories & Exercise
If you move around, your body will start to use more energy and that means you'll start to lose calories. How many you 'burn up' depends on the amount and intensity of the movement.
- Walking for 30 minutes...............may use up 100 calories.
- 30 minutes mix of warm ups, stretches, squats and crunches......up to 200 calories.
- 30 minutes intense speed runs, star jumps, pull ups, press ups...up to 270 calories.
These numbers are only guides and will differ for each and every person because we all burn up calories at different rates.
Easy and Quick Breakfasts
Breakfast
| Calories
| Benefits & Goodness
|
|---|---|---|
1 slice w/w toast and scrambled egg, Granola with small yoghurt and half a cup skim milk.
| 349
| Protein, iron, fiber.
|
Sliced banana on 1 w/w toast, half a cup cottage cheese with sliced apple.
| 239
| Very easy - Vitamins, good fats,
|
2 egg whites, rasher of bacon, carrot, apple, mixed fruit juice.
| 325
| Protein, fiber, vitamins.
|
Small pancake, half a cup cottage cheese with pineapple chunks, 1 oatcake with tbsp peanut butter.
| 265
| Nice mix - protein and fats.
|
1 egg omelette, low fat cheese (grated), rasher of bacon (cut up).
| 248
| Filling - iron, fats and protein.
|
Egg white on w/w toast, add spinach, tbsp fetta cheese, half a cup rice milk.
| 199
| Very low cals.
|
Half a cup cornflakes and All bran, skim milk, 6 almonds, 10 raisins
| 215
| High fiber, good fats.
|
Toasted bagel with whole poached egg, small yoghurt.
| 237
| Filling - protein.
|
Porridge (half a cup water and oats cooked up), add sliced apple, 10 sultanas, 3 tbsp full milk,medium banana.
| 245
| Energy booster - good fats.
|
1 scambled egg, 2 mushrooms, rasher bacon, 1 tomato, grapefruit, apple.
| 341
| Filling - fiber and protein.
|
Too Busy for Breakfast?
If you're run off your feet and don't have time to prepare even a light breakfast, you might try preparing the night before. Ten minutes getting all you need on the table or breakfast bar could be the secret of success!
Some really organised people cook meals at the start of the week—muffin tin omelettes are good, baked for 20 minutes then frozen and used when needed via the microwave.
Quick Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast
| Calories
| Benefits & Goodness
|
|---|---|---|
Half a cup muesli, add greek yoghurt, half a cup skim milk,carrot
| 230
| High fiber - vitamins.
|
2 slices w/w toast, 2 tbsp cottage cheese, 1 large orange.
| 250
| Quick and easy - protein +
|
2 poached egg whites, 1 vegetarian sausage, 1 mushroom, 1 tomato, small glass skim milk cereal bar.
| 196
| V.Low calories - protein+
|
2 rashers bacon between 2 w/w slices bread, apple.
| 430
| Filing - protein, fats.
|
3 brown rice cakes with tbsp honey, jam, cottage cheese, 6 almonds, 10 grapes.
| 200
| Light and energy giving - vitamins.
|
English w/w muffin, 2 tsp cottage cheese, banana and small greek yoghurt.
| 290
| Filling - protein.
|
Small pancake, 2 tbsp ricotta cheese, grapefuit.
| 190
| Protein, good fats.
|
Half a cup multigrain oatmeal with water, 4 strawberries, half a cup cottage cheese, sliced apple, glass of rice milk.
| 300
| Filling - vitamins and fiber.
|
1 egg white on w/w toast, 1 weetabix with skim milk, peach, apple.
| 340
| Filling - protein, fiber.
|
Poached egg, low fat w/w bread slice, small Greek yoghurt, slice of watermelon
| 231
| Vitamins and protein.
|
Dried Fruit
Dried fruits can be a useful snack or addition to a breakfast. Tasty and good sources of energy, vitamins and fiber.
These figures are for one fruit.
- Prune - 20 calories
- Apricot - 17 calories
- Fig - 35 calories
- Date - 23 calories
Breakfast
| Calories
| Benefits & Goodness
|
|---|---|---|
1 egg white omelette, carrot, half a cup red peppers, small greek yoghurt, banana.
| 218
| Light - vitamins, fiber, protein.
|
2 oatcakes, 2 tbsp peanut butter, apple, glass skim milk.
| 315
| Quick - protein.
|
Half a cup muesli, 6 raspberries, skim milk, slice w/w bread with tbsp honey.
| 289
| Filling - fiber+
|
Poached egg on slice w/w bread, half an avocado, small yoghurt with raisins.
| 335
| Filling - good fats, iron, protein.
|
2 Rye crackers with half a cup cottage cheese, slice watermelon, pear.
| 271
| Easy - protein, vitamins.
|
Rasher of bacon, 2 egg whites between w/w bread, apple and 6 grapes.
| 388
| Filling - protein.
|
Half a cup cornflakes with 1 weetabix, half a cup skim milk, small yoghurt, 1 oatcake with tbsp peanut butter.
| 300
| Quick - protein, good fats, fiber.
|
Half a cup bran flakes with sliced apple and pear, half a cup skim milk, 1 waffle and 3 tbsp cream cheese.
| 350
| Filling - fiber and protein.
|
2 egg white omelette, 2 tbsp grated low fat cheese, turkey bacon slice, 1 brown rice cake, banana
| 301
| Filling - protein+
|
1 slice w/w toast with sliced banana, apple, cereal bar, glass skim milk.
| 329
| Light - energy+
|
Final Word
To lose weight on a long term basis make sure you use these low calorie but filling breakfast ideas as part of a total ongoing regime of fitness and well being.
I've really enjoyed creating this list. I hope you get the most out of them! Bon appétit.
Questions & Answers
© 2013 Andrew Spacey
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