8 high-energy breakfasts to start the day

Supercharge your day with breakfast foods that help sustain your energy levels.

Updated on November 3, 2025.

Busy mornings can make you feel like eating a healthy breakfast is a luxury you can't afford. But slowing down for a meal can have big benefits. It can help you control cravings and prevent you from overeating later.

These high-energy breakfasts offer inspiration for something to eat across a variety of circumstances. They have lots of fiber plus doses of protein and healthy fats to help you feel satisfied for hours.

Blender bliss

Start with one small banana, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, 1/2 tablespoon honey, and 1/2 tablespoon flaxseed oil. Throw everything into the blender and whip up a delicious, high-energy breakfast smoothie.

357 calories, 15 g protein, 71 g carbohydrate, 7 g fat, 47 g sugar, 5 g fiber 

Grab and go

On even the busiest mornings, there's still time to prime your body with this fast-and-healthy food: a pear or apple, a handful of almonds, and seven baked low-fat wheat crackers.

392 calories, 10 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 18 g fat, 18 g sugar, 12 g fiber 

Desktop parfait

Not ready to eat at the crack of dawn? Take something for later. At home, alternate layers of low-fat vanilla yogurt (1 cup) with 1 cup sliced strawberries in a clear plastic container. Put 1/4 cup crunchy cereal or low-sugar granola in a baggie and sprinkle on top when you get to work.

253 calories, 10 g protein, 53 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fat, 28 g sugar, 7 g fiber 

Morning mini-meeting

If your meeting's casual enough to let you have breakfast while you work, try food that doesn’t make a lot of noise when you eat: half a peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread, a banana, and a half-pint carton of skim milk.

349 calories, 17 g protein, 50 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 28 g sugar, 6 g fiber

Before or after workout

This simple homemade trail mix will get you going: 1 cup o-shaped oat cereal, 7 walnut halves, 2 tablespoons raisins, and a sliced medium apple.

317 calories, 5 g protein, 55 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 23 g sugar, 8 g fiber 

Convenience stop

Even mini-marts and delis have some healthy, high-energy breakfast foods. Snag a low-fat yogurt, a small orange juice, and a single-serving box of whole-grain cereal.

316 calories, 11 g protein, 54 g carbohydrate, 2 g fat, 25 g sugar, 5 g fiber 

The drive-through dash

Not a first choice, but better than nothing. At a donut chain restaurant, order half of a wheat bagel, a small orange juice, and a half-pint of 1% milk.

343 calories, 18 g protein, 70 g carbohydrate, 5 g fat, 24 g sugar, 2 g fiber 

Slow Sundays

At last, there's time to savor the day—and the meal. Start with half a grapefruit. Scramble a large egg with some sauteed veggies and crumbled turkey sausage. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat toast. Relax and enjoy.

355 calories, 19 g protein, 39 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat, 12 g sugars, 6 g fiber

Article sources open article sources

USDA.gov. FoodData Central. Accessed 2025.
Better Health Channel. Breakfast. October 10, 2023.
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Benefits of Eating Breakfast… Recipes and Videos. October 1, 2022.

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