High-protein breakfast meal prep: what works all week

Breakfast is where most people fall short on protein, because toast and cereal have very little. Three ingredients fix that, and all of them prep well for four days.

Which breakfasts have the most protein?

By the estimates on each recipe:

• High-protein overnight oats, about 31 g a jar.
• Freezer breakfast burritos, about 22 g each.
• Blender protein pancakes, about 21 g for three.
• Cottage cheese egg bites, about 16 g for two.
• Egg and veggie muffin cups, about 14 g for two.

How do you prep eggs for the week?

Baked egg bites and egg muffins keep four days in the fridge and reheat in under a minute. Breakfast burritos freeze for up to three months. Slightly undercook eggs you plan to reheat, because they finish cooking in the microwave. A lower oven temperature, around 325°F, keeps baked eggs soft instead of rubbery.

How do you use Greek yogurt?

Overnight oats made with Greek yogurt as well as milk can reach 30 grams of protein a jar. Make five jars at once and leave them at least four hours. Keep crunchy toppings separate until you eat. More uses are in Greek yogurt in meal prep.

What about cottage cheese?

Blended into pancake batter or egg bites, cottage cheese adds protein without changing the taste much, and blending removes the texture some people dislike. It also works as it is, with berries and honey. See cottage cheese meal prep ideas.

Which breakfasts can you eat on the way out?

• Overnight oats and berry chia pudding, straight from the jar.
• Burritos, reheated and wrapped in a paper towel.
• Egg bites, which are fine warm or cold.
• Baked berry oatmeal squares, eaten by hand.

Which ones freeze?

Burritos, egg bites, pancakes and baked oatmeal all freeze. Overnight oats and chia pudding do not. The methods are in freezer breakfasts for mornings with no time.

How long does a week of breakfasts take?

Any one of these takes 10 to 35 minutes for four to eight breakfasts. Pick one, repeat it for four days and change it next week. Trying to make three different breakfasts is how people burn out.

Do you need protein powder?

You can add it to oats or pancakes, but you do not need it. The recipes here reach their figures with ordinary groceries. See hitting your protein target without powder.

Where to go next

All make-ahead breakfasts are in the breakfast category. To plan the rest of the day, start with high-protein meal prep for beginners.