Most people consume the least amount of protein during breakfast, meaning more people are eating protein at the end of the day than at the beginning—isn’t this counterintuitive? We’re expending energy throughout our active hours, so starting the day off with protein makes sense if you exercise at the gym, walk your dog, carry your children, or move around a lot at your workplace.
Protein is an important part of a balanced diet because of the role it plays in supporting bone health, building muscle, and increasing metabolism (the function that converts food into energy). People with active lifestyles are going to need more than the average person, as they’re converting food into energy at a quicker rate. High-protein breakfast foods can help you start the morning right, but cooking them can be a hassle.
Fast food is a quick and convenient way to get a whole meal, but it’s often high in saturated and trans fats, which the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests most people are consuming at higher levels than necessary throughout the day. If you’re looking for a way to pack protein in your morning meal with the convenience of fast food, we’ve narrowed down some options with a higher ratio of protein to unnecessary fats, including breakfast sandwiches from popular drive-thrus as well as a wrap and a quesadilla from Starbucks and Taco Bell.
Taco Bell
Taco Bell might be an unexpected pick for breakfast, but its steak breakfast quesadilla has 28 grams of protein. It’s our highest calorie pick at 510, making it a filling meal full of steak, eggs, and a three-cheese blend. This quesadilla combines classic Taco Bell flavors with the comfort of some breakfast favorites. To up the protein (and yum), order it with some black beans inside the tortilla or on the side. If you think coffee’s a good way to wake up, then you haven’t tried diablo sauce with your eggs — it’s a surefire way to get your taste buds activated.
Starbucks
Starbucks has a reputation for being the breakfast queen, but it’s got more to offer than coffee and croissants. The spinach, feta, and egg white wrap is a low-calorie bite (290) with 20 grams of protein and only 8 grams of fat. This wrap deviates from breakfast expectations while still honoring the inclusion of eggs. The tomatoes and spinach are a refreshing change of pace, helping to balance the meal between a few nutritional groups. A taste of Mediterranean flavors with your Italian-style coffee will ease you into the workday or weekend.
Chick-fil-A
Chick-fil-A knows how to throw down a chicken sandwich from the rooster’s crow to the cricket’s chirp. Our high-protein breakfast sandwich pick is the egg white grill. The grilled chicken patty sits between an English muffin with egg whites and American cheese. Grilled chicken can run dry or bland at some restaurants, but this grilled patty has the same pleasant tenderness as the original Chick-fil-A sandwich. For 300 calories, 27 grams of protein is a solid deal.
McDonald’s
The Egg McMuffin is the only McDonald’s breakfast sandwich that includes a fresh-cracked egg. It has 17 grams of protein at 310 calories, and its biggest drawback is that it isn’t on the value menu like the Sausage McMuffin. The Egg McMuffin stands out from competitors by having Canadian bacon as the meat, and it comes with the standard fare of eggs, American cheese, and an English muffin. If you have trouble knowing what you want to eat by the time you get to the drive-thru window, the Egg McMuffin can’t steer you wrong.
Panera
Panera is bringing fruit into the mix with its garden avocado and egg white sandwich. Finally, someone’s getting creative — the egg whites come with avocado, tomatoes, and white cheddar cheese on a multigrain bagel flat. The oats on the bun are a nice touch. This sandwich comes in at 19 grams of protein for 340 calories. What’s nice about this sandwich is that a lot of the calories and fat content (14 grams) seem to come from the avocados, which are high in fiber and healthy fats.
Subway
Last but not least, Subway is the only deli that made it onto this list (probably because a lot of them don’t serve breakfast) for an underrated item. The main appeal of Subway is to customize your sandwich, but hey, there’s a menu for a reason. The black forest ham, egg, and cheese flatbread sandwich isn’t anything special, but it’s got what you’re looking for in a breakfast item with 19 grams of protein at 309 calories.
