25 High-Protein Breakfast Ideas For Kids (Easy + Healthy)
Inside: Need quick, high protein breakfast ideas for kids? These 25 easy, kid-approved breakfasts will keep them full and focused. Perfect for school mornings.
Someday, when my teen is grown and making breakfast in his own kitchen, I hope he’ll hear a little voice in his head saying: “Put some protein with that.”
It’s one of my go-to refrains at breakfast when I catch him grabbing just a muffin or piece of buttered toast for his morning meal.
Protein at breakfast helps keep kids (and grown-ups) fuller longer, which is especially helpful on school mornings when lunch is hours away. Protein is especially important for growing kids.
And no, you don’t have to crack raw eggs into a blender, Rocky-style, to make a high-protein breakfast. These ideas are rich in protein but simple and family-friendly.
25 High-Protein Breakfast Ideas For Kids
For kids who like…EGGS
1. Breakfast Burritos: Scramble some eggs, add cheese, and cooked ground turkey, and roll them up in a whole wheat tortilla. Wrap in foil for an easy grab-and-go breakfast. Bonus: Make a big batch and freeze them to reheat in the toaster oven or oven.
2. Breakfast Sandwich: Layer cooked egg on an English Muffin or bagel with a slice of cheese and a piece of ham or turkey. Remember: Don’t toss the yolk when making eggs–yolks have protein too, plus nutrients (like choline) that the egg white doesn’t.
Recipe: Make-Ahead Breakfast Sandwiches
3. Egg-in-a-Hole: Cut out a hole from the center of buttered bread, place it in a pan and crack an egg in the center, flipping and cooking until egg is set. Serve with a glass of chocolate milk.
4. Breakfast Tacos: Add scrambled eggs, shredded cheddar cheese, and a spoonful of warm black beans into a taco shell.
5. Homemade Egg Bites: Like the Starbucks ones, but way cheaper! Scramble eggs with some cottage cheese, stir in your favorite mix-ins like crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, diced bell pepper, or other veggies, and bake in a muffin tin coated well with cooking spray.
Recipe: Scrambled Egg Bites
FOR KIDS WHO LIKE…SMOOTHIES & Yogurt
6. Smoothie Bowl: It’s a smoothie you eat with a spoon. Blend Greek yogurt, milk (or a high-protein plant-based milk like soy), frozen or fresh fruit, and nut butter for a thick, creamy base. Top with sliced bananas, nuts or seeds, and cereal or granola for extra crunch.
7. Protein Smoothie: A fast, drinkable breakfast that’s loaded with protein. Use Greek yogurt, milk, nut butter or peanut powder, and fruit.
Recipe: Peanut Butter Protein Shake
8. Vanilla Breakfast Shake: Blend a cup of milk (dairy, soy, or another protein-rich alternative) with one banana, a scoop of protein powder if you’d like (this is my current favorite–affiliate link), and a shake of cinnamon.
9. Greek Yogurt Parfait: Greek yogurt has more protein per serving than regular yogurt. Layer it with granola or cereal and fruit in a glass or in a bowl, top with chia seeds for extra fiber.
10. Cottage Cheese Bowl: Cottage cheese is a great source of protein, plus calcium for bones. Top 1/2 cup of cottage cheese with fresh berries and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
11. Chia Pudding: In a small jar stir together 1/2 cup milk with 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and 1-2 teaspoon honey or maple syrup. Cover and chill for a few hours in the fridge, then serve with a drizzle of nut butter and some red raspberries.
FOR KIDS WHO LIKE…PANCAKES & WAFFLES
12. Cottage Cheese Pancakes: Yes, pancakes can deliver protein when they’re made with cottage cheese and eggs. And no, they don’t taste like cottage cheese!
13. French Toast Tortillas: Dip whole wheat tortillas in an egg and milk mixture with a dash of cinnamon, then cook them in a buttered skillet. Spread with nut butter and sliced bananas (or scrambled eggs and cheese), roll up, and eat.
14. Cottage Cheese Waffles: Like the pancakes, you won’t taste the cottage cheese–but you’ll get a nice amount of protein.
Recipe: Chocolate Chip Protein Waffles
15. PJB Roll-Up: Whole grains tend to have more protein than refined. Spread 2 tablespoons peanut butter on a whole wheat tortilla. Place sliced strawberries or raspberries down the middle and roll up. Serve with a glass of milk.
Which milks have the most protein?
There are a lot of different milks to choose from. Here’s how much protein they contain per cup. Keep in mind that protein amounts may vary among brands, so always check the label.
| MILK | PROTEIN PER CUP |
| Fairlife (cow’s milk) | 13g |
| Cow’s milk | 8g |
| Soy milk | 8g |
| Silk Almond Protein milk | 8g |
| Ripple milk (pea protein) | 8g |
| Hemp milk | 5g |
| Oatly oat milk | 3g |
| Almond milk | 1g |
| Cashew milk | 1g |
| Rice milk | 0g |
| Coconut milk | 0g |
FOR KIDS WHO LIKE…CEREAL & OATMEAL
16. Overnight Oats: Combine 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats and 1 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy) in a small mason jar (add a half-scoop of protein powder for an extra boost if you’d like). Cover and let it sit in the fridge overnight. Add choice of toppings in the morning, like sliced fruit, spoonful of nut or seed butter, or drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
17. Make-ahead oatmeal packets: Pulse 1 cup quick oats in a blender or food processor until it forms a powder. Combine oat powder with two cups quick oats. Place half-cup portions into bags or containers with 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 serving of peanut powder or protein powder, and your choice of toppings like freeze-dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and cocoa powder.
Recipe: Make-Ahead Oatmeal Packets
18. Quinoa Breakfast Porridge: Quinoa is a plant-based high-quality protein. On the stove, simmer 1 cup of cooked quinoa with milk. Pour into a bowl and top with 1 small sliced banana, 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of maple syrup.
19. Cereal 2.0: Pour a bowl of protein-rich breakfast cereal like Cheerios Protein and add fresh berries, chopped nuts, hemp or pumpkin seeds, and milk.
20. Protein Granola: Granolas labeled “protein” contain extra protein from sources like whey and soy protein isolate. Serve a cup of high-protein granola with milk (dairy, soy, or a protein-fortified plant-based milk).
FOR KIDS WHO LIKE…TOAST & BAGELS
21. Smoked Salmon Bagel: Spread a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, add 2 slices of smoked salmon and toppings like fresh arugula, spinach, or sliced tomato.
22. Avocado toast: Avocados are rich in healthy fats which make them satisfying. Toast two pieces of whole grain bread (it tends to be higher in protein than regular bread). Top each with ½ smashed avocado, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and a fried egg.
23. Ricotta Toast: Spread ricotta cheese onto two pieces of whole grain bread, add some fresh berries and a drizzle of honey.
FOR EVERYONE
24. Protein Breakfast Box: You know those pricey protein boxes at the coffee shop? Make one yourself using a reusable container. Fill a container with high-protein items like hard-boiled eggs, edamame, cheese, almonds, and whole grain cereal to take on the go. See 50+ Meat-Free Protein Ideas for more inspiration.
25. Dinner leftovers: Any food can be a breakfast food. If you have leftovers from last night and it sounds appealing to your kids, heat ’em up!
Staples to add protein to breakfast
Need to “put some protein with that”? Here are some good ideas for high-protein add-ons:
- Cottage cheese, 1/2 cup: 14g
- Kefir, 1 cup: 10g
- Black beans, 1/4 cup: 10g
- Edamame, 1 cup in pods: 9g
- Milk, dairy or soy, 1 cup: 8 g
- Egg: 6g
- Shelled hemp seeds, 2 tablespoons: 6g
- Chia seeds, 2 tablespoons: 6g
- Peanut butter or sunflower seed butter, 2 tablespoons: 7g
- Peanut powder, 2 tablespoons: 7g
- String cheese, 1: 6g
Important note: Though I’m providing grams of protein in this post as a reference point, I do not recommend tracking how many grams of protein your kids get each day. It’s not helpful and can needlessly stress out you and your kids!
How much protein do kids need?
The basic protein requirements needed for health aren’t actually very high. These are called the Recommended Dietary Allowances (or RDAs), and it’s considered to be the minimum needed for basic needs:
RDA for Kids & Protein
| CHILD’S AGE | GRAMS PROTEIN/DAY |
| 2-3 | 13 |
| 4-8 | 19 |
| 9-13 | 34 |
| 14-18 | 52 (boys), 46 (girls) |
Kids can meet these protein needs pretty easily. For instance, just one cup of milk contains 8 grams or protein!
Keep in mind that this isn’t necessarily ALL the protein kids should get–and eating more is fine. But I hope these numbers are reassuring, especially for parents who are nervous their kid is falling short.
Most kids get plenty of protein because there are lots of foods in a typical child’s diet that contain it, and it all adds up over the course of a day. So for most kids, protein deficiency isn’t a concern.
That being said, some teenage girls are at risk for skimping on protein if their calorie intake is low (if they’re dieting, for instance). A medical condition or extreme picky eating can also make it hard for a child or teen to get enough protein too.
Read more: Age-by-Age Visuals of How Much Protein Kids Need Every Day
Is protein powder safe for kids?
Most protein powders are fine for kids and teens, and extremely picky eaters may benefit from a powder.
But keep in mind that in general, the best way to get protein is through whole foods, since you’ll also get all the other health perks of that food.
Here are a few cautions with protein powder:
- It’s possible to get too much protein, especially if your kid is also eating protein bars and eggs like it’s his job. Excess protein can be dehydrating (and may cause your kid to skimp on other important nutrients).
- Some protein powders contain pea protein, which some kids with peanut allergies are allergic to, so always check labels.
- Many protein powders contain a lengthy list of ingredients including artificial sweeteners, supplements, and mega-amounts of vitamins and minerals that your teen doesn’t need. So look for shorter ingredient lists.
I’m a fan of this brand of whey protein powder (affiliate link) because it doesn’t contain low-calorie or no-calorie sweeteners and has a pretty short ingredient list–and tastes good!
Read more: Is Protein Powder Okay For Kids and Teens?
