A protein-rich breakfast is the simplest way to stay full through the morning and eat less later in the day. Nigerian breakfasts can be excellent for this — beans and eggs do a lot of heavy lifting. Here are the highest-protein options from Ilera's library, ranked by the actual protein in a serving.
Breakfasts ranked by protein
| Dish | Calories | Protein | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moi moi & egg with pap | 379 kcal | 19g | ₦336 |
| Moi moi & pap | 400 kcal | 17g | ₦268 |
| Boiled yam & egg sauce | 455 kcal | 16g | ₦986 |
| Sweet potato & egg sauce | 378 kcal | 16g | ₦686 |
| Egg sauce & plantain | 381 kcal | 15g | ₦616 |
| Boiled plantain & garden egg sauce | 421 kcal | 10g | ₦650 |
How to build a high-protein breakfast
- Add a protein to your staple. Pap, yam, plantain and sweet potato are carbohydrates — pair them with egg, moi moi or beans.
- Beans do the most. Moi moi and ewa are cheap, filling and protein-dense.
- Eggs are the fastest win. An egg sauce turns almost any staple into a balanced meal in minutes.
Read next: high-protein Nigerian foods across the whole day, or build a free plan that hits your daily protein target.