Low calorie breakfast ideas
Eggs, beans or porridge for under 260 calories. Each is an NHS recipe portion. But the lowest-calorie pick has the least protein, and the NHS says protein can help you feel full.
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What is a good low calorie breakfast?
Eggs, beans, porridge or mushrooms on toast. In NHS recipes, each one comes in under 260 calories a portion.
Four of the ten below are under 200 calories. The other six land between 200 and 300.
The NHS recipes serve four. Each row shows what one plate holds, so you can match it at home.
| Breakfast (one plate) | Calories | Protein and fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Kiwi, grapes and melon with 2 tbsp low-fat yoghurt | 117 | 6g protein, 1g fibre |
| 1 reduced-fat sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms on 1 slice wholemeal toast | 180 | 13g protein, 3g fibre |
| Mushrooms cooked in semi-skimmed milk on 1 slice wholemeal toast | 185 | 9.9g protein, 5.1g fibre |
| 2-egg omelette with peppers and spring onion | 190 | 14g protein, 2g fibre |
| Porridge (about 37g oats made with water), 2 tbsp yoghurt and berries | 207 | 8.4g protein, 3.7g fibre |
| Baked tomatoes with a little cheese on 1 slice wholemeal toast | 212 | 10g protein, fibre not given |
| A quarter tin of reduced-salt and reduced-sugar beans, with veg, on 1 slice wholemeal toast | 247 | 12g protein, 10.9g fibre |
| 2 scrambled eggs on 1 slice wholemeal toast, grilled tomato and mushrooms | 255 | 17g protein, 3g fibre |
| 1 lean bacon rasher, 1 egg, beans, tomatoes and mushrooms, no toast | 262 | 20g protein, 6g fibre |
| Overnight oats soaked in apple juice, with dried fruit, yoghurt and berries | 294 | 10g protein, 8g fibre |
Sources: NHS: fruit salad; sausages on toast; mushrooms on toast; omelette; porridge; baked tomatoes; beans on toast; scrambled eggs; full English; overnight oats
Pick two you’d enjoy and put them on this week’s shopping list.
Which low calorie breakfast is most filling?
Pick one with protein and some veg. The NHS says protein, like beans, fish or eggs, can help you feel full for longer.
It says most vegetables are high in fibre, low in calories and can help you feel fuller for longer.
Now look at the lowest-calorie pick in the table. That’s the fruit salad.
Sources: NHS: fruit salad; NHS: beans on toast
So the smallest number isn’t always the best pick. Adults should aim for 30g of fibre a day, and that one plate of beans gives about a third.
Love fruit salad? Add an egg or a spoon of beans on the side. For more ideas, see high-protein breakfasts and low calorie filling foods.
How many calories should breakfast be for weight loss?
For most adults, about 400. Public Health England’s rule of thumb is to aim for 400 calories from breakfast and 600 each from lunch and dinner. It’s a guide for everyone, not a weight loss target.
That’s based on about 20% of the day’s calories at breakfast. The daily guide is 2,000 for women and 2,500 for men.
- 400 calories or belowWithin the 400 rule of thumb.
- Above 400 caloriesMore than the 400 rule of thumb.
Source: GOV.UK: 400:600:600
To lose weight, the NHS says eat around 600 calories a day less than now. In its example, about 100 of those come off breakfast.
Its breakfast tips: weigh your cereal, and stay away from jam and chocolate spreads. See how many calories to eat to lose weight for the whole day.
What is a very low calorie breakfast?
The lowest NHS one here is the fruit salad, at 117 calories. There’s no NHS lowest safe number for breakfast.
Going lower by skipping it has a catch. The NHS says don’t skip meals, because you might end up snacking more when you feel hungry.
A better first cut: swap sugary cereal for a wholegrain one. For the eat or skip question in full, see the best breakfast for weight loss.
Easy low calorie breakfast on the go
Make overnight oats the night before. The NHS version is 294 calories and you just grab the bowl.
It also has 29g of sugars a portion, from ingredients like apple juice and dried fruit. See overnight oats for other ways to make them.
Buying breakfast out? Check the calories (shown as kcal) per portion. The NHS warns the maker’s portion might be different from yours.
Six ways to keep breakfast low calorie
- Weigh your cereal instead of pouring it by eye.
- Stay away from jam and chocolate spreads.
- Swap sugary cereal for a wholegrain one.
- Add protein like eggs or beans, to help you feel full for longer.
- Add veg like mushrooms or tomatoes, which are low in calories.
- Count the juice, spread and toppings like yoghurt, not just the main food.
Sources: NHS: calorie counting; NHS: healthy eating to lose weight; NHS: weight loss tips
Short on time most days? See quick healthy breakfasts.
When to speak to a GP
Before you make changes to your lifestyle to lose weight, the NHS says talk to a GP or a healthcare professional if you have:
- a medical condition
- a special diet for your health
- an eating disorder, or have had one in the past
The charity Beat Eating Disorders has help for adults and children.
Also see a GP if you:
- keep losing weight without changing your diet or exercise routine
- have weight loss and other symptoms (go as soon as possible)