Breakfast in the Car: Easy Ideas for Athletes
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With busy morning schedules athletes are often rushed to get out of the door. Providing athletes with easy breakfast in the car ideas can help ensure they start the day with a nutritious meal.
Let’s take a look at keys to building a healthy breakfast for athletes. Then we will explore a variety of breakfast in the car ideas.
Healthy Breakfast in the Car for Athletes
When athletes are putting together a quick, healthy breakfast to enjoy in the car, they should make sure to include items that provide a good sources of carbohydrates as well as items providing lean protein.
Carbohydrates provide the body with the energy needed to perform at its best. Protein is important for supporting athletes with building and maintaining lean muscle mass.
Athletes can add carbohydrates to their breakfasts with foods from a variety of food groups, including:
- Grains: Bread, bagels, tortillas, wraps, oatmeal, cereal
- Fruit: Fresh, frozen, dried, canned in natural juices, applesauce
- Starchy vegetables: Potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, legumes
- Dairy: Milk, yogurt
There are numerous ways athletes can boost the protein content of their breakfast. Ideas include:
- Low-fat milk, high-protein milk
- Greek yogurt
- Cheese, cottage cheese
- Eggs
- Turkey or chicken sausage
- High-protein pancakes, waffles, muffins
- Soy milk, soy yogurt, tofu
In addition to carbohydrates and protein, athletes should balance out their breakfast with healthy fats. This includes items such as:
- Avocado
- Nuts, nut butter
- Seeds, seed butter
- Olive oil
Easy Breakfast in the Car Ideas
Now that you know how to build a healthy breakfast for athletes, let’s explore a variety of breakfast in the car ideas.
Safety First
A note of caution: The breakfast ideas shared below are for when the athlete is riding as the passenger in the car.
If the athlete is driving, they should make sure to put safety first and focus on driving. Athletes can pack the breakfast to take with them to eat once they arrive at their destination.
Fruit Smoothie: Convenient Breakfast in the Car Idea for Athletes
A fruit smoothie is a nutritious breakfast in the car option for athletes. Athletes can change the type of fruit used in the smoothie to create a different smoothie combination each day.
I recommend keeping a variety of frozen fruits on hand so you are prepared on busy weekday mornings to throw a quick smoothie together.
Some of my favorite frozen fruit options for smoothies include:
- Banana slices
- Cherries
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Blackberries
- Raspberries
- Peaches
- Mango
- Pineapple
To boost the protein content of the smoothie, make sure to add in ingredients such as:
- Low-fat milk
- High-protein milk
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Nut butter
- Chia seeds
- Soy milk
- Silken tofu
Make sure to check out my blog on building a healthy smoothie for athletes for additional smoothie making ideas and tips.
Smoothie Blender Recommendation
My family’s favorite blender for making individual smoothies is the NutriBullet® PRO (available on Amazon). This blender is easy to use and smoothly blends all ingredients. In addition, it is dishwasher safe, which is of great help for busy athletes.
The blender comes with 2, 24-oz mugs with lids, which are perfect for preparing a smoothie to enjoy on-the-go. My teen athlete frequently makes a smoothie for breakfast in the morning, which she drinks in the car on the way to school.
Greek Yogurt and Fruit Parfait
A Greek yogurt and fruit parfait is another simple breakfast in the car option for athletes.
Greek yogurt is an easy way to add protein to an athlete’s breakfast. A 5.3 oz individual container of Greek yogurt contains ~13 grams of protein (1).
I recommend athletes use mixed berries in their parfait, which provide vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals. Berries also provide a rich source of bioactive compounds that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects in the body (2).
For an added crunch, athletes can top off their parfait with whole grain granola or breakfast cereal.
Pro Tip: Keep frozen mixed berries on-hand in the freezer so you are prepared to make a quick parfait or smoothie in the morning.
Breakfast Sandwiches and Burritos: Hand-Held Breakfast in the Car Option
A breakfast sandwich or burrito can be a convenient hand-held breakfast in the car option for athletes. Athletes should make sure to choose whole grain bread as well as lean sources of protein for building the sandwich.
Easy options include:
- English muffin with egg, ham, and cheese
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich on honey wheat bread
- Burrito with scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, shredded cheese, sliced avocado
- Grilled ham and cheese on wheat bread
- Pita pocket with egg whites, spinach, and tomatoes
- Wrap sandwich with turkey, cheese, guacamole, tomato
I often remind athletes that their favorite lunchtime sandwiches, such as a turkey and cheese or pb&j, can be a great option at breakfast as well.
Athletes should pair the breakfast sandwich or burrito with a piece of fresh fruit and nutritious beverage, such as low-fat milk or 100% fruit juice..
Protein Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are one of favorite breakfast in the car options for athletes. It is a simple recipe that athletes can easily meal prep in advance to enjoy on busy weekday mornings.
There are numerous ways athletes can add protein to their overnight oats, such as:
- Greek yogurt
- High-protein milk, low-fat milk, soy milk
- Chia seeds, ground flax seeds
- Nuts, nut butter
Athletes can add in their favorite fruit (fresh, frozen, or dried) as well as spices to create a variety of recipe combinations. Personally, I enjoy preparing my overnight oats with frozen blueberries and cinnamon.
Hard-Boiled Eggs, String Cheese, and Granola Bars
Hard-boiled eggs are a nutritious way to add protein to an athlete’s breakfast in the car.
A large egg provides ~6 grams of high-quality protein (3). A high-quality protein provides all of the essential amino acids that our bodies cannot produce (4).
In addition to protein, eggs contain choline, which is important for cognitive function. Eggs also provide selenium, riboflavin, Vitamin K, and antioxidants (4).
Athletes can purchase premade, hard-boiled eggs at the store, which come peeled and ready-to-eat, making them an easy breakfast in the car addition.
String cheese can also be a convenient addition to an athlete’s breakfast in the car. One individual string cheese provides ~6 grams of protein (5). I suggest athletes select a reduced-fat string cheese, which will be lower in saturated fat, but provide a similar amount of protein.
Along with the hard-boiled eggs and string cheese, athletes can enjoy their favorite granola or breakfast bars. When selecting a bar, I encourage athletes to choose a bar made with whole grains.
Some of my top choices include:
Cottage Cheese with Fruit: High-Protein Breakfast in the Car
Another high-protein breakfast that athletes can enjoy in the car is cottage cheese with fruit.
A 1-cup serving of cottage cheese provides ~28 grams of protein (6). Topping the cottage cheese with fruit, such as pineapple or peaches, is a nutritious way for athletes to add carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals to their breakfast.
Along with the cottage cheese and fruit, I would suggest that athletes enjoy a whole grain, such as an English muffin or whole grain toaster waffle, to further boost the carbohydrate content of their breakfast.
High-Protein Muffins, Apple Slices, Low-Fat Milk
High-protein muffins are another great meal that athletes can meal prep in advance to enjoy during the week. Kodiak Cakes® makes a variety of protein baking mixes that are tasty and easy to prepare.
Athletes can enjoy the muffins along with low-fat milk, which will further boost the protein content of their breakfast.
A 1-cup serving of low-fat milk provides 8 grams of high-quality protein (7). In addition to protein, milk provides 13 essential vitamins and minerals that are important for an athlete’s health.
Athletes can round out this breakfast with apple slices or another fresh fruit that they enjoy.
Pro Tip: Kodiak Cakes® also makes protein toaster waffles that can be a great breakfast in the car addition. Try the waffles topped with peanut butter – my personal favorite!
Bagel with Nut Butter & High-Protein Milk
A bagel topped with nut butter is a quick and easy breakfast in the car option for athletes.
Bagels provide a condensed source of carbohydrates, making them a convenient way for athletes to fuel their bodies with energy for the upcoming day.
I recommend that athletes choose a whole grain bagel, which will provide fiber. Personally, I like the whole grain bagel options that Dave’s Killer Bread® has available.
Topping the bagel with nut butter will add protein and healthy fats to an athlete’s breakfast in the car.
Along with the bagel and nut butter, athletes can enjoy high-protein, ultra-filtered milk, such as those made by Fairlife® or H‑E‑B MooTopia®.
A 1-cup serving of high-protein, ultra-filtered milk provides ~13 grams of protein (8). Thus, it is an easy way to increase the protein content of an athlete’s breakfast. In addition, high-protein milk is lactose free and provides both calcium and Vitamin D making it a nutritious choice for athletes.
Bento Box Breakfast in the Car for Athletes
Bento box meals have become a popular option for packing meals on-the-go. If you are not familiar with a bento box, it is a small food storage container that has individual compartments within it to keep the food items separate.
Athletes can easily enjoy a healthy bento box breakfast by packing a combination of items that support their sports nutrition needs.
Consider the following ideas:
- Whole grains: Dry breakfast cereal, animal crackers, graham crackers, granola bars, breakfast bars, fig bars
- Fruit: Grapes, apple slices, orange wedges, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, dried fruit
- Protein: Hard-boiled eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese cubes, Babybel® cheese, nuts, nut butter, mini protein muffins
If looking to purchase a bento box, I recommend selecting one that is dishwasher and microwave safe. In addition, ensure the bento box you purchase is made with BPA-free material.
The Bento Box Adult Lunch Box (available on Amazon) is an affordable option that athletes can easily use for breakfast in the car.
Breakfast in the Car Before Morning Practice
With early morning practices, I find it is common for athletes to eat breakfast in the car on their way to workout.
When athletes have limited time to eat before practice starts (< 1 hour), I encourage them to fuel their bodies with an easy-to-digest, carbohydrate-rich snack. Eating foods high in fat, fiber, and/or protein close to the start of activity may result in an upset stomach during the practice (9).
Easy ideas for high-carb snacks that athletes can eat before morning practice include:
- Applesauce squeeze pouch
- Banana, orange wedges, grapes, or small piece of fruit
- Dried fruit, fruit leather
- Breakfast bar, low-fat granola bar, fig bar
- English muffin, bagel, or toast with jelly
- Instant oatmeal, cream of wheat
- Dry breakfast cereal, graham crackers, animal crackers
- Toaster waffle, low-fat muffin
- Sports drink, chews, gels
Following practice, athletes should then plan to enjoy a healthy breakfast that supports their recovery nutrition needs.
Breakfast in the Car Ideas: Fast-Food Restaurants
When time is limited, athletes may stop by a restaurant to grab a quick breakfast on-the-go. Thus, I find it is helpful to provide athletes with options for healthy breakfasts at fast-food restaurants.
Some quick breakfast ideas for athletes from popular restaurants include:
- Chick-fil-A: Egg white grill, berry parfait, 100% orange juice
- Whataburger: Whataburger Egg Sandwich, apple slices, low-fat milk
- Taco Cabana: Potato and egg breakfast tacos, 100% orange juice
- Panera Bread: Garden Avo & Egg White Sandwich, fresh fruit cup, mango smoothie
- First Watch: Power wrap, fresh seasonal fruit, 100% cold squeezed orange juice
Breakfast in the Car: Easy Ideas for Athletes
You are now set with a variety of easy breakfast in the car ideas for athletes. Starting the day with a nutritious breakfast can help ensure that athletes have the energy needed for the day ahead.
For additional sports nutrition tips, make sure to check out my blog providing dinner in the car ideas for busy athletes.
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About the Author
Mandy Tyler is a Sports Dietitian Nutritionist in the San Antonio, TX area. She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Licensed Athletic Trainer, and is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine. Mandy has experience working with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. She believes the key to reaching one’s full potential, both in everyday life and in sports performance, relies on a healthy nutritional foundation.
If you are looking to take your performance to the next level, make sure to check out my new Sports Nutrition Game Day Guide. This downloadable guide is written to help athletes develop an individualized plan to achieve peak performance on game day.
