6 Convenient Protein Sources for a Quick Breakfast Without Eggs

The benefits of eating a protein-packed meal for breakfast are no secret. Long-term feelings of fullness, kick-starting your metabolism after not eating for 10 or more hours, and gaining the energy you need for a full day are major reasons eggs have been a go-to breakfast staple. However, the rising costs of eggs in some areas leave many folks wondering how they can get their protein fix without spending too much.

Vegan egg substitutes, like Simply Eggless and Just Egg plant-based eggs, are probably the closest replacement you can find, with 5 grams of protein per serving to an egg’s 6 grams. But they’re not always available at major retailers in rural areas and are often even more expensive than real eggs. Rather than look for an egg substitute, it may be time to look for a protein substitute. While eggs are quick, easy, and can be prepared in numerous ways to suit your palate, you can still have a protein-packed breakfast without them.

And when it comes to affordability, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives that offer the same amount of protein per serving as eggs. Some even offer more. Options like certain dairy products, bacon, sausages, and even overnight oats may not be as traditional as eggs, they’re just as protein packed and delicious. And, with a little creativity, you can prepare them to be just as portable for a grab-and-go breakfast!

Creamy, tangy, and just begging for added fruits and whole grains, Greek yogurt is a top-notch breakfast choice for when you need plenty of protein, fast. Though it depends on the brand, one 7-ounce serving of Greek yogurt contains anywhere between 10 and 19 grams of protein. And with it being so readily available, it’s easy to find one at a price point that suits your tastes.

On its own, Greek yogurt already has plenty of protein. But whether you’re looking to sweeten it up to taste like dessert or trying to unload some of your excess whey powder, there are plenty of options to give it even more.

If you have more of a sweet tooth in the mornings, frozen protein waffles and pancakes are a great alternative to eggs. Two eggs have approximately 12 grams of protein, whereas two of these waffles offer around 28 grams, depending on the brand, at a comparable price. Much like Greek yogurt, these are easy breakfast items to dress up to fulfill your other nutrition needs, whether it’s with added fruits, berries, or nut butters.

As a bonus, frozen protein pancakes and waffles are a convenient meal for those in a hurry to get out the door in the morning. A couple minutes in the microwave is all you need to have a protein-packed meal ready to go.

Whether you bake it, fry it in a pan, or just stick it between paper towels in the microwave, it’s hard to beat the convenience of turkey bacon. With 17 grams of protein in a two-ounce serving, few options are more convenient or satisfying than turkey bacon in the morning. Especially once you factor in how readily available, and affordable, it is at most retailers.

Unlike eggs, turkey bacon is easy to buy and freeze in bulk, all in its original packaging. If you bulk-buy eggs, you run the risk of some of them expiring, especially if you mostly just consume them for breakfast. For turkey bacon, however, all you need to do is let a pack thaw in the fridge 24 hours before you’re ready to eat.

If you’re looking to get your breakfast protein requirements checked off in one go, cottage cheese may just be the best choice. In addition to being creamy and delicious, just half a cup contains roughly 12 grams of protein. Cheap and easily found at most retailers, cottage cheese is also a great source of fat and calcium.

Since it requires no preparation other than getting scooped out of the container, cottage cheese makes for a much faster meal than eggs in the morning. It works deliciously as a topping for frozen protein waffles, bulking out an already filling food, but there’s nothing stopping you from treating it as your main breakfast course. Whether you’re mixing in fruit, flax seeds, protein powder, or even crumbled turkey bacon, there are plenty of unexpected ways you could be using cottage cheese.

Even the high price of eggs can’t deter some folks from wanting a hot, satisfying breakfast they can sit and eat or take with them on the go. The beauty of sausage is that it comes in such a huge variety, from turkey to pork, crumbled to sticks, vegan and meaty, that it’s all but impossible to not find something you like. However, if you’re looking for an egg protein substitute, you’ll need to pay close attention to the nutritional information on the back of the box, as the amount can vary.

With that great variety of types comes an equal diversity in pricing. While not all popular breakfast sausage brands are made equally, you can rest assured that you’ll find something you like at your preferred price point. However, if you’re looking for a protein-packed grab-and-go breakfast, you may want to stick to sausages that have a casing. This makes it easier to wrap up in a paper towel or stow in a container to eat later.

A rising trend amongst folks looking for easy egg substitutes, overnight oats are a breeze to make. All you have to do is soak them in milk while you sleep! This is an especially great grab-and-go breakfast option since you can soak an individual serving in a mason jar and snag it on your way out the door.

By themselves with no additives, most oats have around 10 grams of protein per 4 ounces of oats. However, it’s a cinch to add nuts, nut butters, protein powder, or flaxseed to bump that number up however much you want — especially if you’re using a milk or milk substitute high in protein to soak them. Between how easy they are to make and how cheap they are when purchased in bulk, overnight oats are an easy vegetarian source of morning protein.