The Best High Protein Bodybuilding Oatmeal Breakfast

Oatmeal is a classic breakfast choice, but it’s not just for people who are watching their weight. 

Oats are high in protein and fiber, making them the perfect breakfast food for athletes and bodybuilders who need to start their day with a hearty meal.  Oats can also be easily customized based on whether you’re bulking or cutting.

This bodybuilding oatmeal breakfast is simple to make and it’s perfect for those mornings when you need something quick and easy. Plus, the added protein will help keep you feeling full throughout the morning and give you the energy you need to power through your workout. 

This high-protein breakfast is made with nutrient-dense ingredients like protein powder, peanut butter, and Greek yogurt. 

Combined with high fiber oats and bananas, this oatmeal will give you tons of energy to get you through the morning. Want to know more about oatmeal for bodybuilding? Check out our list of pros and cons.  

Macro Breakdown & Calories

• Calories: 499
• Carbohydrates: 63.4 g
• Protein: 32.6 g
• Fat: 16.3 g 

Protein

Protein is what provides the amino acids necessary for building muscle. This recipe is packed with high protein ingredients including peanut butter, Greek yogurt, and, of course, protein powder. Altogether, they pack in over 30 g of protein per serving.

Carbohydrates

Carbs are needed to provide your body with energy. Bananas and oats are both complex carbs, meaning they contain important nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals that provide long-lasting energy and health benefits. 

Fats

Fat is needed to maintain healthy hormone levels and promote cognitive health. This high-protein oatmeal has about 10 grams of fat per serving, most of which comes from peanut butter. 

For more oatmeal recipes, check out these 9 Best High-Protein Bodybuilding Oatmeal Recipes.

Ingredients 

• Quick Rolled Oats:  I used quick oats, but you can also use old-fashioned oats or steel-cut. The serving size will be the same, but you will want to follow the directions on the package for the best outcome. 

• Protein Powder:  I used a vanilla whey protein powder, but you can use whichever brand, flavor, or form that you’d like. I recommend vanilla, chocolate, or unflavored powder for this recipe, though.

• Nonfat plain Greek yogurt: I suggest using plain over flavored yogurt to avoid added sugar and flavoring. I find the flavors of the other ingredients is enough to add sweetness without a flavored yogurt.

• Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder is used for flavoring in this recipe, but if you’re not a fan of cocoa powder you can swap it for ½ teaspoon of cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract. You can also just omit it altogether! 

• Banana

• Peanut butter:  Go for all-natural peanut butter that just has peanuts (and maybe salt) listed in the ingredients to avoid any added sugars or oils.

• Cocoa nibs: cocoa nibs are antioxidant-rich pieces of chocolate that do not contain any sugar. You can find them here. If you aren;t a fan of cocoa nibs, you can omit them or swap them with sugar-free mini chocolate chips or sprinkles.

How To Make High Protein Bodybuilding Oatmeal

Step 1

Cook the oatmeal with ⅔ cup water in the microwave for 2 minutes. You can also make these oats in a pot on the stove. If you are increasing or decreasing the amount of oats, just make sure you follow a 1:2 ratio for water.

Step 2

Remove the oats from the microwave and top with protein powder, Greek yogurt, cocoa powder, banana, and peanut butter.  I like to mix the greek yogurt first, and then the protein powder.  This helps ensure the protein powder dissolves smoothly into the oatmeal, which avoids any lumps.  

Step 3

Mix all of the ingredients until everything is creamy and combined, then top with cocoa nibs. Enjoy!  Note: some people like their banana mashed into the oatmeal by using the backside of a fork.  Others, like me, simply prefer stiring the banana slices into the oatmeal.  It’s up to you!

Check out these 15 Bodybuilding Breakfast Ideas (For Bulking or Cutting) for other breakfast recipes.

Customizations 

This oatmeal recipe makes for an awesome and customizable breakfast to fit your macros and energy needs. 

Higher Calorie For Bulking

You can boost your oatmeal by adding more high-calorie toppings such as nuts or coconut flakes. You could also use milk, almond milk instead of water for a different flavor! Alternatively, you can also just increase the amount of oats, peanut butter, yogurt, or protein powder.

• Add 1 tablespoon of nuts: +45 kcal

• Add 1 tablespoon of coconut flakes: +35 kcal

• Add 1 tablespoon peanut butter: +90 kcal

• Add 1 scoop protein powder: +110 kcal

• Add ¼ cup Greek yogurt: +40 kcal

• Increase oats to ½ cup: +30 kcal

• Swap water for 1% milk: +70 kcal

Low Calorie For Cutting

You can reduce calories by lowering the oatmeal serving to ¼ cup, ½ tbs peanut butter or 2 tablespoons greek yogurt. You could also remove cocoa nibs in order not only cut down on carbs and fat but enjoy this healthy breakfast without sacrificing flavor!

• Reduce oats to ¼ cup: -30 kcal

• Reduce peanut butter to ½ tablespoon: -45 kcal

• Reduce Greek yogurt to 2 tablespoons: -20 kcal

• Remove cocoa nibs: -70 kcal

Other Customizations

Feel free to change the flavor of this oatmeal by using any flavor of protein powder that you like. You can also exclude the cocoa powder, substitute the banana for a different fruit, or use new species (cinnamon would work nicely in this recipe).

• Substitute ½ banana with ½ cup berries: -10 kcal

• Substitute 1 tablespoon cocoa powder with ½ teaspoon cinnamon : -10kcal

How To Store & Meal Prep

Pack oatmeal and toppings in a to-go container. Just add hot water to the oats, let it sit for 2-3 minutes, and assemble! I recommend keeping the toppings separate from the dry oats so that they don’t affect the water absorption.

Other Oatmeal Recipes For Bodybuilding

• Best Peanut Butter Oatmeal Recipe For Bodybuilding
• Egg White & Oatmeal Protein Pancake For Bodybuilding
• Egg White Oatmeal Recipe For Bodybuilding (Easy & Tasty)

Print

---

About The Author

Kelsey Butler is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Master’s in Nutrition Sciences. She is an expert in nutrition research, coaching, content creation, and recipe development. Kelsey takes a mindful approach towards health and values building relationships with all foods. She understands the importance of providing recipes that anyone can enjoy, no matter their dietary needs. When she’s not focusing on nutrition, Kelsey has a passion for cooking, the outdoors, running, and travel.