Should Teens Eat a High-Protein Breakfast? New Research Suggests It May Improve the Rest of Their Day

The morning rush can easily turn breakfast into an afterthought for busy teens. Teens are notoriously hard to pin down for a robust morning meal and some don’t have access to one to begin with. When they do eat, what ends up on their plate may not offer much protein. A newly published study took a closer look at whether that matters, and whether a higher-protein breakfast could influence what teens eat throughout the rest of the day—and the findings are surprising.

Breakfast has long been called the most important meal of the day, but researchers say there isn’t a lot of evidence to support that idea. Instead, this six-month study focused on a more specific question: What happens when teens and young adults who regularly skip breakfast start eating it, and does the amount of protein in that meal make a difference? The preliminary findings, presented at NUTRITION 2026, offer some insight.

The study included 128 adolescents and young adults between the ages of 14 and 21 who reported skipping breakfast at least six times a week. Researchers randomly assigned them to one of three groups: continue skipping breakfast, eat a normal-protein breakfast containing about 15 grams of protein, or eat a high-protein breakfast containing about 30 grams of high-quality protein.

The researchers provided participants with prepared breakfasts, including burritos, quesadillas, egg scrambles, and smoothies, allowing them to closely track what they ate. Participants could eat as much or as little as they wanted, and this setup allowed the researchers to track what participants ate while still letting them eat the meals at home. Compliance was also high: Participants ate the provided meals more than 90% of the time.

After six months, the researchers found that the teens and young adults who ate breakfast consumed more fiber, iron, zinc, and choline overall than those who continued skipping breakfast. Importantly, the groups consumed roughly the same number of calories throughout the day, suggesting the difference was more about what they ate than simply eating more.

The breakfast eaters also consumed fewer desserts, sweets, and candy than the breakfast-skipping group. The high-protein group experienced an additional benefit: They consumed less added sugar than the other groups. Compared with the normal-protein breakfast group, the high-protein group also consumed more protein, iron, and choline.

This study isn’t proof that every teenager needs exactly 30 grams of protein first thing in the morning. In fact, it turns out that almost any breakfast is better than none.

It’s also worth putting those numbers in perspective: Even 15 grams of protein (the amount in a 6-ounce container of Greek yogurt) at breakfast may be a significant amount for many teens, especially if their usual breakfast is something like cereal, toast, or a pastry, or they typically skip breakfast altogether.

That said, if you’re able to access breakfast foods, a good goal is to build a morning meal around a few key pieces: protein, fiber-rich carbohydrates, and foods that aren't loaded with added sugar.

• Start with protein: Protein can be one of the easiest things to overlook at breakfast. Cereal, toast, pastries, and fruit can all have a place in a balanced meal, but they may not provide much protein on their own. Easy protein-rich options include eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk, cheese, tofu, beans, nut or seed butter, and smoothies made with milk or yogurt. Instead of trying to calculate 30 grams of protein, just think about adding a substantial protein source to whatever your teen already likes to eat.
• Look for fiber: A simple rule of thumb when comparing packaged foods is to look for at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Whole-grain breads and cereals, oatmeal, berries, apples, pears, chia seeds, flaxseeds, and nuts can all help boost the fiber content of a morning meal. You can also pair foods, like Greek yogurt with berries and a high-fiber cereal to provide a complementary mix of protein and fiber.
• Keep added sugar in check: Breakfast foods can also be an easy place for added sugar to sneak into a teen's day, particularly with sweetened cereals, flavored yogurts, pastries, and breakfast bars. Compare labels and choose options with less added sugar when possible, ideally keeping it in the single digits per serving. To put the numbers in perspective, 4 grams of sugar is about 1 teaspoon. That doesn't mean fruit or plain milk needs to be avoided because it contains naturally occurring sugar. The goal is to pay attention to added sugars, which are the sugars added during processing or preparation.

The best breakfast is one a teenager will actually eat. For busy mornings, look for options that can be prepared ahead of time, eaten on the go, or assembled in just a few minutes.

• Breakfast burrito: Wrap scrambled eggs, black beans, cheese, and salsa in a whole-grain tortilla. Make several ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze them for busy mornings.
• Greek yogurt bowl: Top plain Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr with berries, banana, a high-fiber cereal or granola, and chia seeds or nuts.
• Egg muffins: Bake eggs with cheese and vegetables in a muffin tin for a make-ahead breakfast. Pair with whole-grain toast and fruit.
• Overnight oats: Combine oats, milk, Greek yogurt, berries, and chia seeds in a container the night before. Grab it from the refrigerator in the morning.
• Smoothie: Blend milk or Greek yogurt with berries, banana, nut or seed butter, and spinach. This can be particularly useful for teens who don't feel like eating a solid meal first thing in the morning.

For teens who regularly skip breakfast, this study suggests that adding a morning meal, particularly one with a good source of protein, may help improve the overall quality of what they eat throughout the day. If a teen doesn’t have access to a morning meal, it’s smart to reach out to their school to see if any local spots offer a free one for minors.

Remember, every teen doesn’t need a 30-gram protein breakfast, but this research does make a case for thinking beyond a bowl of sugary cereal or a banana that’s hastily grabbed on the way out the door. Pairing protein with fiber-rich foods and keeping added sugar in check can make a morning meal more nutritious and satisfying.

Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., C.D.N., is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, where she oversees nutrition content and product testing. A registered dietitian and mom of two, she brings evidence-based expertise and real-world parenting perspective to her reporting on kids’ and family nutrition. She has tested and evaluated a wide range of children’s and family products for Good Housekeeping and serves as a key judge for the Good Housekeeping Parenting Awards.