6 Quick Post-Workout Breakfast Ideas + Tricks
A new training client asked me what would be some of the best breakfast meals to eat after our workouts in the morning, and it's a super commonly asked question. A post-workout meal should be healthy, protein-packed, and filling because you want to make sure that you're reaping in the benefits of that hard workout you just sweated your butt off for. But then combine that with the morning rush of trying to get out the door on the weekdays for work, it can make things a little tricky sometimes, leaving some people to skip breakfast. And that is the worst thing you can do after a workout! So, I wanted to share some of my favorite quick and easy post-workout breakfast ideas and tricks.
Before we jump into breakfast suggestions, let me explain a little bit on why what you eat immediately after a workout is so important. When you workout, you're actually tearing muscle fibers and wearing your body down-- contrary to what one would naturally think, you're not actually building any muscle or strength right then and there. Your recovery from that workout is when you build that muscle and strength. The two biggest components of proper recovery are sleep and nutrition.
To simplify things, your body needs protein to help repair those torn muscle fibers from your squats and burpees you just made it through, and it needs carbs to replenish your energy stores so you're not tapped out of gas during the next strenuous activity you do.
For most of the us (depending on your goals too), a 2:1 carb to protein ratio is a generally good rule of thumb. So something with 40g of carbs and 20g of protein would be a great post-workout meal. Ironically, this is why chocolate milk is touted as a good post-workout recovery drink, but I'd like to suggest a few healthier options for your mornings.
Here are my 6 quick post-workout breakfast ideas and tricks:
1. Overnight Oats (GF, Vegan-Optional)
Preparation time: 0 minutes in the morning (5 minutes to assemble at night)
One of my all-time favorite stars for several reasons. First, this takes no time at all in the morning, since you make it the night before. One serving of my recipe for overnight oats clocks in around 44g carb and 22g of protein and is bound to keep you feeling full all morning. It's also an awesome blank canvas for variations like pumpkin overnight oats, stirring in matcha, and topping with fruits, nuts, and seeds. So a healthy breakfast that is sitting in the fridge waiting for you, AND is portable? Count me in.
2. Power Greens Frittata (GF, Vegetarian)
Preparation time: 0 minutes in the morning (5 minutes to assemble + 15 min to cook at night)
Even if you're a horrible cook, this is a super easy make-ahead breakfast that you can store for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. I love the idea of a frittata because you can pack in a TON of veggies and it's protein-packed with lots of omega-3’s.
3. Power Greens Smoothie
Preparation time: 10 minutes in the morning
Super versatile, easily-digestible, and packs in so many nutrients to kick your day off strong and recover smoothly from your workout. Spinach or kale is packed into this smoothie and greek yogurt gives it it's extra boost of protein and creaminess. I also love using smoothies as an opportunity to pack in a ton of flax and chia seeds for a myriad of benefits. You could also sub a non-dairy yogurt in and then add in plant-based protein powder or collagen too if dairy isn't your thing.
4. High-Protein Yogurt + Homemade Granola (GF, Vegan-Optional)
Preparation time: 3 minutes in the morning (< 1 hour to make granola at night-- < 10 min of prep, then 40-50 minutes of bake time)
Another one of my favorite easy grab-n-go breakfasts is a homemade granola and yogurt. Storebought granolas tend to be packed with sugars, so I love making granola at home packed with superfood seeds and healthy ingredients. This matcha cacao granola has a little extra morning zing from the matcha, or you could crumble these yummy no-bake peanut-butter pistachio bars for it's healthy ingredients and natural sugars to top your greek yogurt or high-protein non-dairy yogurt for the source of protein.
5. Avocado Toast + Hardboiled Eggs (GF optional)
Preparation time: 5-10 minutes in the morning (~10 minutes to boil eggs at beginning of the week)
Avocado toast is a great healthy choice in the morning, but lacks protein on it's own. One of my favorite ever healthy hacks slash tricks is to hardboil (I do 5 minute eggs- here's a great guide for the perfect boiled eggs) a carton of eggs at the beginning of the week to put in the fridge, so that I have them on hand throughout the week. One egg has 6g of protein and very healthy fats, so it is the perfect snack and protein topper for your avocado toast. I usually do 1 slice of toast, 1/3 an avocado, and 2 eggs.
6. Protein Pancakes (GF, Vegan-Optional)
Preparation time: If frozen, reheating takes 2 minutes. ~10-15 minutes to cook fresh.
When it comes to protein pancakes, did you know you can freeze them? They actually reheat amazingly well in a microwave. This is one of my favorite tricks to an easy morning and I will hold and eat a pancake like it's a cookie. I love these apple-cinnamon oat pancakes that you make in a blender and pour on a griddle to save time and cleanup- however, I do advise that you add some protein powder or collagen to increase the protein content if using them as a post-workout meal. Add a scoop, and a splash of whatever milk/mylk you use to balance out the consistency, and you're good to go!