Creating a Balanced Breakfast that Works for You

Have you ever heard someone say that it’s best to, “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”? While this often-repeated recommendation is supposed to be the key to health, it may not be true for everyone - especially when it comes to breakfast.

Let’s review how to build a balanced breakfast that works for you, your lifestyle, and your individual goals.

Understanding Caloric Needs

Daily Caloric Intake Recommendations

Understanding your daily caloric needs can help you plan each of your meals. There are many factors that go into determining your calorie needs, including age, weight, height, and activity level.

Factors Influencing Caloric Needs

Weight Goals

A calorie is a measure of the energy in food. If you are looking to maintain your current weight, the general rule of thumb is “energy in must equal energy out”, or the average calories consumed per day must equal the average calories burned per day. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you’ll lose weight. In contrast,  if you eat more calories than you need, your body stores that energy for later, causing you to gain weight. 

It’s important to remember that managing your weight is complex. If you’re looking for help or guidance, consider working with a registered dietitian who can create an individualized plan to help you reach your goals.

Activity Level

Your body uses calories from food to help fuel your daily activity. Those with higher activity levels will require more calories than those who are sedentary (not active). Whether you’re doing cardio, lifting weights, or playing your favorite sports, your calorie needs will be higher.

While there are tools to help you calculate your calorie needs on your own, it’s helpful  to have the guidance of a registered dietitian to ensure all factors are taken into consideration. 

How Many Calories Should Be in Your Breakfast?

General Guidelines

A proposal from the International Breakfast Research Initiative suggests that caloric intake at breakfast should fall between 300-500 calories based on a 2000 calorie diet.. In contrast, Cleveland Clinic recommends a range of 300-500 calories for breakfast for those who want to lose weight.

Research Insights

Although there is limited research regarding how many calories should be consumed at breakfast, other research shows the overall health benefits of eating breakfast each morning. 

This review found that those who ate breakfast consumed lower added sugars, as well as higher levels of fiber, folate, iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, and calcium. This group was also found to have healthier overall eating habits. 

Regular daily breakfast habits have also been found to improve cardiovascular and metabolic health. Those who ate breakfast more than three times per week had a lower risk for conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and strokes.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

The amount of calories you eat for breakfast will depend on your overall calorie goals, which are highly individualized and can be determined with the help of a registered dietitian. Depending on your goals, you may opt for lower, moderate, or higher calorie breakfast options. 

Lower Calorie Breakfasts

When building a lower calorie breakfast, aim to include protein and fiber, both of which can keep you feeling full and satiated for longer periods of time.

Fats are also nutritious and can be filling, but they are not as likely to help you feel as full as many protein or fiber-rich foods. Fats are also calorie dense, so it’s important to consume them in moderation. 

Many “grab and go breakfasts” are made from refined carbohydrates, which are digested quickly and can lead to blood sugar spikes. These options, including baked goods, white bread, waffles, and toaster pastries, often lack the nutrients and fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied. As a result, you may feel hungry again soon after you eat. 

Lower calorie breakfast options that are high in protein and fiber include protein smoothies made with protein powder, berries, and spinach (you can also add ground flaxseeds for an added fiber boost!), or an egg white omelet with veggies and a side of oatmeal. 

Moderate Calorie Breakfasts

For a moderate calorie breakfast, protein and fiber should still be included. Since you have a bit of wiggle room to add more calories, you can focus on increasing your portions of fats and carbs.

Try Greek yogurt topped with berries plus a side of toast with peanut butter. Or, a homemade breakfast burrito with two scrambled eggs, beans, avocado, and salsa on a whole wheat tortilla

Higher Calorie Breakfasts

If you are highly active or looking to gain weight, then a higher calorie breakfast may be more your style. 

You can make a loaded smoothie with banana, protein powder, peanut butter, and milk to help you meet your needs. A three-egg scramble with cheese, veggies, and a side of avocado toast is also a great option for a higher-calorie breakfast.

Tips for Balancing Your Breakfast

Including Protein, Carbs, and Fats

The three main macronutrients in foods are carbohydrates, protein, and fat. To build a healthy breakfast, it’s important to include the proper balance of each macronutrient. This means sticking to the appropriate portion size for each food group. .

To help build a balanced breakfast, here are a few examples of each macronutrient group:

• Carbohydrates: whole grain bread, fruits, vegetables, oatmeal

• Protein: eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, smoked salmon

• Fat: nut/seed butters, avocado

Incorporating Fruits and Vegetables

Do you eat fruits and vegetables at breakfast? 

Fruits and vegetables provide fiber, which isas an important nutrient to help keep you feeling full until lunch. They also provide a variety of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. 

Changing your habits takes time, so you can start out by adding a piece of fruit to your breakfast three times per week and go from there. Before you know it, you’ll be eating spinach omelets and kale smoothies like a breakfast champ!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it okay to skip breakfast?

While we already discussed the research-backed benefits, it may not be the right meal for everyone. For example, those who are intermittent fasting will most likely not be eating breakfast.

If you’re skipping breakfast because you’re not hungry in the morning, here are some tips that can help!

Can a high-calorie breakfast aid weight loss?

So let’s get back to our question from the start of this article: should you “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper”?

Well, a recent study found that people who ate a big breakfast (a high-calorie meal containing 69% of the participant's individual total daily energy expenditure) burned twice as many calories as those who ate a big dinner (a high-calorie meal containing 69% of the participant's individual total daily energy expenditure).

Clearly more research is needed to understand what’s optimal when it comes to breakfast and weight management.

Conclusion: Tailoring Your Breakfast for Optimal Health

As you can see, the amount of calories you should eat at breakfast can vary widely depending on your unique circumstances. However, it’s clear that it’s important to have a well-balanced breakfast with a variety of nutrients.

Our registered dietitians can take the guesswork out of breakfast by helping create a tailored nutrition plan to meet your individualized needs. Click here to get started!