1000 Calorie Breakfast
“1000 Calorie Breakfast” was written by Amanda Crowe, MS, RDN, CD & edited/reviewed by Aly Bouzek, MS, RDN.
Do you eat first thing in the morning? Drink coffee or tea first thing? Wait until mid-morning before you eat your first meal of the day? Skip breakfast all together?
Is an increase in calories on your to-do list? Then a 1000 calorie breakfast could be for you!
Breakfast is known as the first meal of the day. Breakfast foods can be just about anything! This leaves room for your favorite traditional or non-traditional breakfast.
In the US, breakfast can look like oatmeal, a bagel, cereal, pancakes, eggs and bacon, a smoothie or shake, or French toast.
In other countries, breakfast can look like granola and yogurt, soft-boiled eggs, eggs with beans and salsa on a tortilla, or rice with miso soup and Ohitashi.
Benefits to Eating a Big Breakfast
The time of everyone’s first meal of the day may differ, but everyone breaks their nighttime fast at their first meal. With some saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it is the perfect opportunity to start your day with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and fuel.
1000 Calorie Breakfast vs Lunch or Dinner
What we eat for breakfast allows us to set our intentions for the day with what we eat and what we are able to accomplish throughout the day.
A skipped breakfast is a missed opportunity to nourish our body during the day. It may also lead to unhealthy choices at the next meal because it has been so long since the last meal.
For those on the go, a large meal at lunch might be a challenge if they are away from home. In this case, eating a large breakfast before leaving the house in the morning might be more helpful.
Eating a large dinner right before bed can affect blood sugars during the night. Large meals later in the evening can also affect sleep. Eating a large meal before laying down can also cause heartburn to those susceptible.
Who Needs to Eat a 1000 Calorie Breakfast?
Appetite, for some, can change throughout the day. Stress, heat, or being alone can lead to a decrease in appetite. If appetite decreases as the day goes on, then eating 1000 calories for breakfast can be helpful when trying to increase calories for the day.
Some medications can cause a loss of appetite, while others cause nausea – both can lead to weight loss.
If you happen to be on one of these medications, eating a 1000 calorie breakfast before taking the medication can go a long way to keep up your calories and prevent weight loss.
Many caregivers need to go to work in addition to their caregiving duties. This can leave an elderly parent at home during the day.
For the elderly, preparing a meal or eating by themselves can be a challenge. Eating a big breakfast with their family can help prevent weight loss.
Athletes and body builders working to bulk up may also be interested in eating a 1000 calorie breakfast as a way to increase total calories eaten for the day.
Eating a 1000 Calorie Breakfast: Overcoming Obstacles
A 1000 calorie breakfast can be overwhelming when you have been eating a small breakfast or no breakfast at all. If you need to work up to a 1000 calorie breakfast, it is ok. It is also ok to wait a little bit after you wake up before eating.
Drinking Your Calories
If you are having a hard time with eating a 1000 calorie breakfast, consider drinking your calories instead.
The brain does not register liquid calories the same way it registers food calories, so it can be easier to sneak in those extra calories with a high calorie smoothie or high calorie shake.
Our sister site, High Calorie Recipes, has recipes for smoothies and shakes to help you get your 1000 calories. A couple of our favorites are the Almond Weight Gain Shake and the 1000 Calorie Smoothie.
Helpful tip: to increase a 700 or 800 calorie smoothie to 1000 calories, try adding some eggs or toast alongside your smoothie.
Eating First Thing in the Morning
“I don’t have an appetite in the morning.”
It is ok to wait a couple of hours before eating. If you don’t have an appetite in the morning, consider how much and what time are you eating at night. Having a meal too close to bedtime or a big snack before bed can affect your appetite in the morning.
“I can’t eat first thing in the morning because I need to take medications on an empty stomach.”
If you are on medications required to be taken on an empty stomach, then take the medication before eating breakfast. Consistency in medications is important. Wait the needed time, then eat breakfast. It is ok to wait a couple of hours before eating.
“I prefer coffee or tea first thing in the morning instead of a meal.”
Everyone has a morning routine specific to them. If the world is not right before a cup of coffee, then enjoy your coffee. Wait a little bit, then enjoy your breakfast. A refreshing morning routine is important.
On a side note, if you are going to enjoy a coffee or tea in the morning before eating consider a glass of water, separate from the coffee or tea, to help rehydrate your body after sleeping.
1000 Calorie Breakfast Ideas
Is figuring out what to eat the hardest part of preparing food to actually eat? We have got you covered.
Note: all calorie counts below are taken from USDA’s FoodData Central and our sister site, High Calorie Recipes.
Sample 1000 Calorie Breakfast Ideas
Yogurt Parfait
¾ cup Granola
6 oz Whole Milk Greek Yogurt
½ cup Blueberries
½ cup Strawberries
½ cup Raspberries
½ cup Blackberries
3 TBSP Shredded Coconut
1 TBSP Chia Seeds
¼ cup Pepitas
1 TBSP honey
Total Calories: 1,044 calories
Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast
2 Slices Brioche Bread
1 TBSP Creamy Peanut Butter
1 Large Egg
2 TBSP Heavy Cream
¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
½ tsp Vanilla Extract
1 TBSP Butter
2 TBSP Maple Syrup
Plus a banana and glass of milk
Total Calories: 1,060 calories
Oatmeal
1 cup Oatmeal
1 cup Blueberries
1 oz Walnuts
1 TBSP Chia Seeds
¼ cup Pepitas
¼ tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Packet Stevia
1 cup Whole Milk
2 Hard Boiled Eggs
Total Calories: 1,093 calories
½ cup Frozen* Strawberries
2 TBSP Peanut Butter
1 Banana
1 TBSP Honey
1 cup Oats
2 scoops Protein Powder
1 ½ cups Almond Milk
*If using fresh berries, then add 4-5 ice cubes to recipe
Total Calories: 980 calories
Breakfast Burrito
1 Tortilla
2 Scrambled Eggs
3 oz Pork Sausage
½ cup Hash Browns
¼ cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
½ Avocado
¼ cup Salsa
1 cup Strawberries
Total Calories: 1,019 calories
Dinner for Breakfast
If you can eat breakfast for dinner, then the opposite should be true as well. Dinner meals can be eaten for breakfast. Leftovers from dinner the night before are easy to heat up for breakfast. Sometimes meals taste better the second day anyway.
1000 Calorie Breakfast Conclusion
Breakfast does not have to be defined by the time of day or by the type of food. Feel free to individualize it. An increase in calories at breakfast can set you up for a good day. It is also a perfect time to increase your calories.
Leave a comment below with your favorite breakfast food.