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Protein Power: Your Guide To The Ultimate Healthy Breakfast
Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN is Vice President of Scientific Affairs at mindbodygreen. She received her bachelor's degree in Biological Basis of Behavior from the University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. in Foods and Nutrition from the University of Georgia.
Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But if you ask us, it’s also the most enjoyable. Nothing pleases the taste buds (and eyes) like an extravagant breakfast spread, from a piping hot beverage to a smorgasbord of fresh fruit, to a stack of pancakes smothered in maple syrup. And when it’s also healthy to boot — what more could you ask for?
How we start our day matters. We all have important projects and responsibilities to cross off the list, and we need fuel to make that happen. Seems like common sense, except breakfast is often skipped, rushed, or half-efforted. Don’t sleep (in) on it! This meal is full of delicious potential, especially when it involves Van’s Protein Original Pancakes and Waffles. Epic days start with ultimate breakfasts — and this is your guide to making your own.
Prioritize your plant protein
What takes breakfast from ordinary to ultimate? Getting more of the nutrients that prep our mind and body for a successful day. Wake-up call: it’s time to swap the sugary bars and breakfast cereals for protein — and ideally, plant-based protein. Research has shown that protein-rich breakfasts can help reduce our cravings1 throughout the day by decreasing levels of ghrelin (a hormone that stimulates hunger), and increasing hormones that keep us feeling satiated2. But we’re leaning into plant protein3, as it’s been proven to benefit long-term health and reduce chronic disease risk, while also being more environmentally sustainable.
Plant protein is the nutritive kickstart our mind and body need to function more effectively throughout the day. A good breakfast is protein-forward… An ultimate breakfast makes it taste amazing.
Is it even breakfast without pancakes or waffles?
Here’s the thing about an “ultimate” breakfast: it has to be just as delicious as it is nutritious. That’s why nothing satisfies our breakfast cravings like a stack of Van’s Protein Original Pancakes. We love a good pancake breakfast with the fam, but finally: an option that doesn’t end in a batter-covered kitchen. Meeting our ultimate breakfast standards with 10 grams of plant-based protein per serving (2 pancakes), these flapjacks aren’t empty carbs that leave us hungry again a few hours later. They’re made with enriched (with key B vitamins) wheat flour, wheat protein isolate, pea protein, and sprouted wheat, but without high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, or preservatives. AKA — the kind of breakfast you’ll wake up early for.
Go all out: layer on the protein
Turns out, there are a lot of creative ways to layer extra protein onto the Van’s Protein Original Waffle. You’re already getting 10 grams of protein, but it’s only up from there. Think of your waffle as a blank canvas, and craft a high-protein breakfast that meets your mood. If you’re craving a savory meal, make your waffle the base of an open-faced sandwich. Top it with mashed avocado, a fried egg, arugula, and everything bagel seasoning. Or for a sweeter start: make your waffles a sandwich filled with almond butter, banana slices, a drizzle of honey, and sprinkled-on chia seeds and bee pollen. And for even more fruit, opt for the Van’s Protein Blueberry Waffles, made with real (organic!) blueberries. Just don’t forget: it’s the protein element of our breakfast that leaves us feeling full, satiated4, and energized to win our day — so layer it on!
