If you’ve started a Paleo diet and have no idea what to eat for breakfast, you’re not alone! With no quicker granola or cereal fixes, getting that first meal into you might not be as easy. A bagel won’t do and a scone is definitely out, so how are you supposed to start your day?

Alternatives can be found for the breakfast foods you may have had before your Paleo diet. Here’s what your typical pre-Paleo morning may have looked like: you woke up and made coffee; you drove to work drinking coffee; you had a carb- and sugar-loaded bagel, donut or other pastry on the way to work; you got to work and drank more coffee.

Sound familiar? There’s a reason so many fall into this unhealthy morning routine: it works and gives you a glorious feeling of energy, but the caffeine is going to wear off, and the blood sugar high you get from the bagel or donut is going to be temporary. You’ll crash in the afternoon and end up getting another coffee.

It’s a vicious cycle many people are trapped in, and you can be thankful you’re escaping it! When you know what to eat for breakfast instead, you’re going to feel amazing, and full of an energy you might not have even known existed. If you’ve ever thought about how hard it is to get going in the morning without a cup of joe, you’re going to love the energy the Paleo diet gives you.

Breakfast: Paleo Style

The Paleo breakfast is a meal that will give you the energy to make it through the whole day. This means no more mid-morning crashes or a pot of coffee to see you through. If you’re looking for real energy that will last, the Paleo diet has just what you need!

One big thing to remember about Paleo breakfasts is that they don’t have to be “breakfast” foods at all. It may seem weird to start your day with a chicken breast and roasted veggies, but there’s no reason to say that you can’t, or shouldn’t.

In the infancy stage of your Paleo switch, however, don’t think that you need to go all crazy and start every day with a piece of fish or chicken. Eggs work just for the lean protein you need and those roasted veggies could always be folded up into an omelet to make it feel more like a traditional breakfast meal.

So what exactly should you eat to start off your day Paleo-style?

1. Protein

Think meat or eggs! Eggs, chicken, fish high in healthy omega-3s, and yes, even bacon, in moderation, can all be an excellent source of morning protein.

2. Healthy Fat

There are so many healthy fats available and adding them to your morning routine is a great way to produce the energy your body needs. Olive and avocado oil can be used to scramble up some eggs or sauté a chicken breast, and both are very healthy for you.

Olive Oil – SoundBodyLife Approved

3. Veggies

Veggies for breakfast? Yep! Veggies play a huge role in your new Paleo lifestyle and you can eat whatever ones you like, so long as you’re eating some kind of vegetable. Add your favorites to a frittata or get daring and make some zucchini pancakes. The possibilities really are endless and once you get more comfortable with your Paleo diet, you’re sure to embrace all the available options.

Ways to Start Your Morning Off Right

You might be saying that a Paleo diet sounds great, but that morning muffin was so convenient! We completely understand the convenience of the old morning routine. Who has time to cook an omelet or grill a piece of fish every morning?

There is no reason you should have to cook every morning. We understand how busy life gets, but it shouldn’t be so busy that you continue to neglect your health. Making Paleo breakfasts ahead of time will save you the time you need and keep your body running strong all the way through your day.

3 Make-Ahead Breakfast Recipes for Your New Paleo Lifestyle

These recipes tend to steer away a bit from the norm, but are a delicious and convenient way to enjoy a quick breakfast on the go.

1. Sausage and Apple Stuffed Green Peppers

Source: www.whatigather.com

This tasty breakfast might just become one of your new favorites. With spinach, apples, and sausage all delightfully stuffed into a pepper, the taste of this Paleo-minded breakfast will make you grateful you’ve made the switch to a Paleo diet, and it’s so easy to take with you.

Ingredients:

4 green bell peppers (halved lengthwise and de-seeded)

1 lb. ground breakfast sausage (organic and free range is best)

2 apples (diced)

2 handfuls spinach (chopped)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. thyme

Salt and pepper (to taste)

1 Egg (optional)

1/4 Cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Deseed and hollow out peppers. Roast peppers in the oven while preparing filling. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until brown, and drain grease. Return skillet to stove and add apples, spinach, and spices, cooking until the apples are soft and the spinach wilted. Remove peppers from the oven, and stuff with filling. Return to the oven for another 30 minutes. Remove from oven; store or serve. Optional: serve with a fried egg or some grated cheese for extra flavor.

These will last in the fridge for 3-4 days, and they make a great snack on the go.

2. Summer Breakfast Meatloaf

Source: www.paleomg.com

Meatloaf for breakfast? Paleo never sounded so good.

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef

10 oz. pork breakfast sausage

1 tbsp. bacon fat or olive oil

2 cloves garlic (minced)

1 yellow onion (diced)

1 medium zucchini (diced)

4 oz. sliced button mushrooms

2 tbsp. dried parsley

2 tbsp. dried basil

1 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400. In a large skillet, sauté garlic and onion in bacon fat/olive oil until onions become translucent. Add zucchini and mushrooms, sautéing for approximately five minutes. Add parsley, basil, garlic, powder, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Once this has cooled down, place into a bowl. Add ground beef and sausage. Combine well with hands and add to loaf pan lined with tin foil. Bake for approximately 45 minutes.

This easy, healthy version of traditional meatloaf is a great way to start your day, and when in a hurry just cut a slice and take it to go. It will stay good in the fridge for up to 4 days.

3. Zucchini and Sweet Potato Frittata

Source: www.paleoleap.com

If you’ve never had a frittata before, you can think of it like an open-faced omelet that’s started on the stovetop and finished in the oven. Frittatas are lighter than omelets and can be refrigerated to eat at a later date, like tomorrow morning when you’re rushing out of the house and need something to eat. Make this recipe in advanced, and you’ll have breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack already made for a few days to come.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. butter or coconut oil

8 eggs

1 sweet potato, cut into slices

2 zucchinis (sliced)

1 red bell pepper (sliced)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté sweet potato in butter or coconut oil for about 8 minutes. Add zucchini and bell pepper, and cook for another 5 minutes. Whisk eggs in bowl, allowing for a lot of air to incorporate into them. This will make for a fluffier frittata. Add salt and pepper to the eggs. Add eggs to veggies. Cook this over low heat for about 10 minutes, or until just set. Place the frittata into an oven heated to 450 and heat until golden brown.

Quick and Easy Paleo Breakfast Ideas

What about those mornings when you have more time and want to explore the many different ways you can enjoy a Paleo breakfast? Hello, weekends! Even committing to waking up 20 minutes earlier on the days you do work will give you the time you need to prepare one of these healthy Paleo breakfasts.

1. Portabella, Bacon, and Avocado Sandwich

Source: www.urbanpaleochef.com

What doesn’t sound good about this amazing way to start the day? Bacon and avocado nestle between a grilled portabella mushroom “bun” to bring you one of the best Paleo breakfasts ever.

2. Egg-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Source: www.livingpaleocuisine.com

A hallowed out sweet potato makes an excellent place to stuff scrambled eggs, sausage, and cheese. Baked in the oven for about 20 minutes, this is one of the easiest and most delicious ways to start your Paleo day. Try using chorizo sausage and pepper jack cheese for a spicy Southwestern flair.

3. Breakfast Burgers

(source: www.familypaleomealplans.com)

Burgers for breakfast! This one’s served without the bun and topped with an egg, sautéed spinach, onion, and mushrooms instead. Served with a side of sweet potato fries, and breakfast never seemed better.

The Bottom Line

Figuring out what to have for breakfast can be one of the biggest challenges people new to Paleo face. Knowing what to eat as you make the Paleo switch will take away the anxiety of figuring out your morning meal and give you the energy you need to face the day.

While it is a dramatic shift from the pastry and coffee routine you may be used to, going into eating these Paleo-inspired breakfasts with confidence will soon make these new breakfast ideas a regular part of your healthy morning routine.

You might also be interested in our one week paleo meal plan with shopping list.

Looking for more mouthwatering Paleo recipes? Then check out one of our all-time favorite Paleo cookbooks:

References:

http://paleogrubs.com/breakfast-recipes

http://paleoleap.com/beginners-guide-paleo-breakfasts/

http://paleomg.com/summer-breakfast-meatloaf/

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182

http://www.whatigather.com/2013/12/paleo-sausage-and-apple-stuffed.html