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Starting your day with protein during pregnancy can make or break your energy, cravings and overall exhaustion later in the day. I’ve personally found that starting my day with a high-protein smoothie sets me up for so much success later. There are of course many more options besides smoothies for a protein-rich meal, so I’m going to give you guys some of my other favorites as well!
If I skip on the protein early in the day, I will find myself devouring the rest of my kids lunches in the late afternoon. I learned really quickly that I can avoid the afternoon slump of mindless eating if I start with a more satiating, protein-rich meal. Of course Bump Dust is my go-to prenatal protein powder that tastes so good! On busy days I just shake with almond milk and drink it. I love it!
I do tend to intermittent fast to lose weight after pregnancy, but I don’t fast so much during pregnancy. I wake up with an empty, icky stomach basically throughout the whole pregnancy, so eating makes me feel so much better.
My Favorite Foods and Meals For Morning Sickness
What are some of the best, protein-rich foods for a prenatal breakfast?
- Turkey Bacon (natural, no nitrates etc. Because it is cooked, you are pretty safe with turkey bacon)
- Eggs and egg whites
- Overnight protein oats (made with a scoop of protein powder)
- Low-carb, high protein cereals (there are lots of brands out there!)
- Low-fat cottage cheese
- Low-fat greek yogurt
- Chia seed pudding
- Large almond-milk or low-fat dairy latte can be rich in protein and a breakfast too!
Once you have a good list of foods to choose from, planning and making some great breakfast ideas is a MUST to help keep you satisfied during pregnancy. High-protein meals will also help you stay full, and less likely to give into cravings – thus gaining all the weight!
How I Control My Weight Gain During The First Trimester
Here are some amazing, high-protein breakfast ideas for a healthy bump all pregnancy:
My Favorite Prenatal Protein Frappuccino
This is my favorite high-protein breakfast recipe for super fast morning, and for the mamas that don’t want to totally give up coffee! Lean, clean and full of energy!!
The Best Protein-Packed Pregnancy Smoothies
Baked Omelet Muffins by Kirbie’s Cravings
I love baked omelet or egg muffins because you can store them and grab them through out the week!
Make-ahead Low Carb Breakfast Wraps by Kasey Trenum
You really don’t need a recipe for these, but a good low-carb wrap makes a big difference. I love that you can make these ahead of time, and grab them all week as well. I change up the egg scramble every week. Sometimes it is lots of veggies, other times it is just eggs and turkey bacon.
Mocha Protein Oatmeal by Running on Real Food:
I love adding protein to the oatmeal because you are getting the combination of fiber and protein. This combo is what will really fill you up, and leave you literally not wanting to eat for hours. I use Bump Dust as my protein with oatmeal, and it is so sweet and yummy! You can add a scoop of cocoa powder to the Bump Dust, and it turns into a chocolate powder flavor.
Easy, 3-Ingredient Protein Pancakes by Mason Fit
These are SO easy! Just add your protein powder to your favorite pancake mix with some milk of choice. I recommend the Birch Benders Paleo mixes to keep the carbs down and protein high.
Prenatal High-Protein Chocolate Milk Shake:
Who doesn’t want a chocolate milk shake for breakfast?? Seriously, this is so good, and you can have it as dessert as well! All you have to do is blend together:
- 1 scoop Bump Dust prenatal protein powder
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1 tbsp of coconut cream (the top part of canned coconut milk)
- About 2 tbsp of cocoa powder (depending on how chocolatey you like it)
- About 1 cup of milk of choice. Fairlife high-protein non fat milk blends really well with this, or any non-dairy milk too!
- Non-fat whipped cream for topping (optional)
- A non-sugar added chocolate drizzle (optional)
You will love this if you are a sweet breakfast person, or working and like something to eat and drink on your commute!
Low Carb Chocolate Protein Muffins by Bake It Paleo
These are amazing, low carb and high in protein! Using Bump Dust protein powder can make them even more nutritious for your pregnancy 🙂
Apple Cinnamon Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl by Budget Bytes
Yummy! I love apples and cinnamon in the fall and winter, so this is right up my alley! The key is to use a low-fat cottage cheese, so your protein count is higher per serving.
Paleo Granola by The Real Food Dietitians
I love that you can pack this for an on-the-go breakfast, or have as a snack. It really is nice to have it available as both. You could even turn it into a cereal with some milk in a bowl!
Blueberry Coconut Chia Seed Pudding by Mad About Food
Chia seeds have a huge nutritional bang for their buck, and I love a good pudding texture. They can thicken up your smoothies too, and really go with all sorts of flavors!
There you have 10, high-protein breakfast ideas to keep your bump healthy and fit.
I highly recommend investing in a good protein powder for quick smoothies, because it often comes down to energy for prepping and preparing food!
I know I’m 36 weeks pregnant now, and for some reason cooking and food prep is not at the top of my list. I’m more interested in a new car seat, organizing baby clothes and new strollers. So, smoothies are fast and easy for me, so I can accomplish the things I want, without having a lot of clean up and prep time.
