How You Can Still Have A Protein-Packed Breakfast Without Eggs

If eggs are your favorite breakfast food, you might feel a little lost as the bird flu epidemic in the United States has created a massive halt to egg production and increased pricing across grocery stores. However, fear not because there are plenty of egg substitutes available that pack a punch of protein for all of your breakfast dishes.

You may want to try tofu if you love a good scramble with loads of veggies and cheese — or tahini if you want to keep it vegan yet creamy. Firm tofu is one of the higher protein sources (17 grams per 3.5-ounce serving) for egg replacement. The key is first to press the tofu to remove excess moisture. After, crumble it up and cook it before adding a combination of some milk, your favorite seasonings, a tablespoon of creamy tahini, and a couple of tablespoons of nutritional yeast, which adds savory flavor and a yellow color. If you don't mind it not being vegetarian, add in your favorite breakfast meat (bacon, some crumbled sausage, whatever floats your boat), and even some shredded cheese.

Other ideas include liquid egg replacements like Simply Eggless and Just Egg. These vegan egg-substitute brands have between 3 and 5 grams of protein per serving, so pairing them with more protein-rich meat is a great way to boost the overall content. Texturally speaking, they appear similar to the real thing, helping you dive into your favorite leftover steak and hearty egg scramble or a simple cheese omelet that's gooey and packed with protein from the combo of cheese and egg replacement.

Your replacement will differ depending on whether you want to enjoy these eggs in an omelet versus using them in your breakfast baking recipes. In baked goods requiring eggs, replace them with a flax egg. All you need is one tablespoon of ground flax seeds and three tablespoons of water, and you've got a flawless substitute with around 1.8 grams of protein, ideal for the perfect pancake recipe that you can top with vanilla Greek yogurt, which has 15 grams of protein per 5-ounce serving and berries for a tangy, sweet protein-rich take. 

While firm tofu is ideal for cooking, silken (or soft) tofu is perfect for baking. The key step is to blend the soft tofu to create a paste. Once completely blended, use ¼ a cup to substitute per one egg, which provides around 4 or 5 grams of protein, boosting your favorite breakfast bakery recipes with protein. Nut butter is another reliable swap for eggs in baked goods. Try using 3 tablespoons of creamy nut butter per egg. Choose almond butter for a sweet, vanilla-like flavor that's perfect in blueberry almond butter muffins, or use peanut butter for a rich, intensely nutty taste – ideal when paired with this epic bananas foster pancakes recipe. 

Other common replacements, like swapping a ¼ cup of applesauce per egg or using a powdered egg replacer from Bob's Red Mill, do not contain nearly as much protein as a standard egg. If you use these, add chopped walnuts to increase protein to 4 grams per every 1-ounce — perfect in some cinnamon banana breakfast muffins.