Mom may have been right with her common refrain of, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” In fact, consuming a low-calorie breakfast is a daily habit for 78 percent of those in the National Weight Control Registry (all of whom have lost at least 30 pounds and kept them off for at least one year). And a 2017 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology adds even more evidence that skipping the morning meal is a foolish food strategy. It found that those who abstain are at higher risk for several cardiovascular disease risk factors including high cholesterol and blood pressure.
So stop counting coffee as your a.m. meal and kickstart your day in a healthy way with one of these low-calorie breakfasts instead. (And be sure to steer clear of these 15 common breakfast mistakes.)
Waffles with Blueberry Maple Syrup
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 305 calories
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 whole-grain waffles
- 1 tablespoon pecans
Directions
- Microwave blueberries and syrup together for 2 to 3 minutes, until berries are thawed.
- Toast waffles and top with warm blueberry syrup. Sprinkle with pecans.
Spinach and Bacon Omelet
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 308 calories
Ingredients
- 1 egg plus 2 egg whites
- 2 slices cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup baby spinach
- Cooking spray
- 1 slice whole-grain toast
- 1 teaspoon butter
Directions
- Whisk together eggs, bacon and spinach.
- Coat a skillet with cooking spray; cook egg mixture and serve with toast and butter.
Related: Which is Healthier, Whole Eggs or Egg Whites Only?
Pumpkin and Granola Parfait
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 304 calories
Ingredients
- 1 container (6 ounces) plain low-fat yogurt
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 whole-grain crunchy granola bar, crumbled
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
Directions
- Mix together yogurt, honey, and pumpkin-pie spice.
- In a bowl, layer yogurt mixture, granola-bar crumbs, and pumpkin.
Bagel and Cream Cheese with Tomato
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 302 calories
Ingredients
- 1 small (3-ounce) whole-grain bagel
- 2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
- 2 large slices tomato
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Toast bagel halves and spread with cream cheese.
- Top each side with a slice of tomato and season with salt and pepper.
Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 306 calories
Ingredients
- 1/2 small banana, chopped
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
- 1/3 cup prepared whole-grain pancake batter
- 1 teaspoon honey
Directions
- Add banana and peanut butter to batter.
- Cook pancakes according to package instructions and serve with honey drizzled on top.
Bonus: 10 Keto-Approved Pancake Recipes
Blueberry-Pistachio Parfait
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 310 calories
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1/2 cup Kashi GoLean Honey Almond Flax Crunch
Directions
- Mix yogurt, honey, pistachios, and cinnamon.
- Top with blueberries and Kashi cereal.
Berry Smoothie
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 310 calories
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup frozen berries (any kind)
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until combined.
Related: 10 Green Smoothies Anyone Will Love
Whole-Grain Waffles with Ricotta, Peaches, and Almonds
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 410 calories
Ingredients
- 2 whole-grain waffles (toasted)
- 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1/2 cup sliced frozen peaches
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
Directions
- Spread waffles evenly with ricotta.
- Top with frozen peaches and almonds.
Warm Quinoa and Apple Cereal
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 400 calories
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1/2 cup chopped apples
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon, for topping
Directions
- Heat quinoa, milk, and apples in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Top with walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Up Next: These 10 Breakfast Quinoa Recipes Will Make You Forget All About Oatmeal
Ricotta and Pear Wrap
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 400 calories
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 whole-wheat tortilla
- 1/2 cup sliced pears
- 4 teaspoons chopped pistachios
Directions
- Spread ricotta evenly on one side of the tortilla.
- Top with pears and pistachios and roll.
Whole-Grain Cereal with Almonds and Banana
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 410 calories
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded wheat
- 3/4 cup nonfat milk
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 1/2 banana, sliced
Directions
- Pour shredded wheat into a bowl.
- Top with milk, almonds, and banana.
Healthy Low-Calorie Breakfast Takeout Options
From Starbucks
- Oatmeal with brown sugar and nuts (310 calories)
- Tall black coffee
From Dunkin’ Donuts
- Veggie Egg White Sandwich (290 calories)
- Medium coffee with skim milk (25 calories)
Mom may have been right with her common refrain of, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” In fact, consuming a low-calorie breakfast is a daily habit for 78 percent of those in the National Weight Control Registry (all of whom have lost at least 30 pounds and kept them off for at least one year). And a 2017 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology adds even more evidence that skipping the morning meal is a foolish food strategy. It found that those who abstain are at higher risk for several cardiovascular disease risk factors including high cholesterol and blood pressure.
So stop counting coffee as your a.m. meal and kickstart your day in a healthy way with one of these low-calorie breakfasts instead. (And be sure to steer clear of these 15 common breakfast mistakes.)
Waffles with Blueberry Maple Syrup
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 305 calories
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup frozen blueberries
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup
- 2 whole-grain waffles
- 1 tablespoon pecans
Directions
- Microwave blueberries and syrup together for 2 to 3 minutes, until berries are thawed.
- Toast waffles and top with warm blueberry syrup. Sprinkle with pecans.
Spinach and Bacon Omelet
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 308 calories
Ingredients
- 1 egg plus 2 egg whites
- 2 slices cooked turkey bacon, crumbled
- 1 cup baby spinach
- Cooking spray
- 1 slice whole-grain toast
- 1 teaspoon butter
Directions
- Whisk together eggs, bacon and spinach.
- Coat a skillet with cooking spray; cook egg mixture and serve with toast and butter.
Related: Which is Healthier, Whole Eggs or Egg Whites Only?
Pumpkin and Granola Parfait
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 304 calories
Ingredients
- 1 container (6 ounces) plain low-fat yogurt
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice
- 1 whole-grain crunchy granola bar, crumbled
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
Directions
- Mix together yogurt, honey, and pumpkin-pie spice.
- In a bowl, layer yogurt mixture, granola-bar crumbs, and pumpkin.
Bagel and Cream Cheese with Tomato
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 302 calories
Ingredients
- 1 small (3-ounce) whole-grain bagel
- 2 tablespoons low-fat cream cheese
- 2 large slices tomato
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Toast bagel halves and spread with cream cheese.
- Top each side with a slice of tomato and season with salt and pepper.
Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 306 calories
Ingredients
- 1/2 small banana, chopped
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
- 1/3 cup prepared whole-grain pancake batter
- 1 teaspoon honey
Directions
- Add banana and peanut butter to batter.
- Cook pancakes according to package instructions and serve with honey drizzled on top.
Bonus: 10 Keto-Approved Pancake Recipes
Blueberry-Pistachio Parfait
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 310 calories
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1/2 cup Kashi GoLean Honey Almond Flax Crunch
Directions
- Mix yogurt, honey, pistachios, and cinnamon.
- Top with blueberries and Kashi cereal.
Berry Smoothie
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 310 calories
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup frozen berries (any kind)
- 1/2 banana
- 1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until combined.
Related: 10 Green Smoothies Anyone Will Love
Whole-Grain Waffles with Ricotta, Peaches, and Almonds
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 410 calories
Ingredients
- 2 whole-grain waffles (toasted)
- 1/4 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1/2 cup sliced frozen peaches
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
Directions
- Spread waffles evenly with ricotta.
- Top with frozen peaches and almonds.
Warm Quinoa and Apple Cereal
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 400 calories
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup cooked quinoa
- 1/2 cup nonfat milk
- 1/2 cup chopped apples
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- Cinnamon, for topping
Directions
- Heat quinoa, milk, and apples in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Top with walnuts and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Up Next: These 10 Breakfast Quinoa Recipes Will Make You Forget All About Oatmeal
Ricotta and Pear Wrap
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 400 calories
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup part-skim ricotta
- 1 whole-wheat tortilla
- 1/2 cup sliced pears
- 4 teaspoons chopped pistachios
Directions
- Spread ricotta evenly on one side of the tortilla.
- Top with pears and pistachios and roll.
Whole-Grain Cereal with Almonds and Banana
Low-calorie breakfast stats: 410 calories
Ingredients
- 1 cup shredded wheat
- 3/4 cup nonfat milk
- 2 tablespoons slivered almonds
- 1/2 banana, sliced
Directions
- Pour shredded wheat into a bowl.
- Top with milk, almonds, and banana.
Healthy Low-Calorie Breakfast Takeout Options
From Starbucks
- Oatmeal with brown sugar and nuts (310 calories)
- Tall black coffee
From Dunkin’ Donuts
- Veggie Egg White Sandwich (290 calories)
- Medium coffee with skim milk (25 calories)
