Eggs are one of the most versatile and cost-effective protein sources on the Whole30, which can be a really good thing for your budget, but a not-so-good thing for your taste buds. It’s easy to get burned out on eggs for breakfast, so maybe it’s time we redefine “breakfast.”
What do you think of when the word “breakfast” comes to mind? Typically, foods like cereal, muffins, bagels, and eggs. This can be a real problem on the Whole30, since three of those four traditional breakfast foods are off-limits on the program. (Make that four out of four for people with a specific sensitivity or allergy to eggs.) So let’s start thinking of breakfast in different terms, and change the name to plain old “Meal 1.” That brings about an entirely new perspective, doesn’t it? It’s no longer a traditional meal consumed in the morning—now it’s just another meal in your three-meals-a-day template. Isn’t that freeing?
We’ve given you some really versatile egg dishes in this book, both in Whole30 Cooking Fundamentals (starting here) and in the recipes to come. These pages showcase a variety of cooking techniques to produce eggs five different ways (hard-boiled, scrambled, fried, poached, and frittata-fied), a proven way to stave off egg boredom.
But now, let’s address the question we know you’ll have at some point during your Whole30: “Do you have any egg-free breakfast ideas?” The answer is yes, we do. Thousands. Anything you could possibly eat on the Whole30 is just as good for Meal 1 as it is for Meal 3. Any recipe in this book, for instance. But some people can’t imagine eating a dry-rubbed steak or short ribs first thing in the morning.
Those people are lacking imagination, and that makes us sad.
So let’s talk about what you could eat for breakfast if you’re not eating eggs. First, think of poultry. Chicken and turkey are easy to prepare, cook, or reheat, which makes it practical to prepare at 6 a.m. before you’re fully caffeinated. Any one of our poultry recipes (starting here) would be fantastic as an alternative to eggs in the morning—in fact, Melissa’s Chicken Hash was invented for that specific purpose.
Salmon is another obvious choice—most of you have eaten smoked salmon for breakfast in the past, even if it was draped across a bagel and smeared with cream cheese. You can roast it, poach it, or buy it smoked add it into our hearty Greek Salad.
Wait, salad?
Yes! Don’t overlook an early-morning salad. They’re light, delicious, and make you feel like you started your day off with extra nutrition from those leafy greens. Channel your inner Scandinavia and enjoy some cold cuts (like salami, roast beef, or prosciutto), pickled vegetables, and a fresh garden salad first thing in the morning, or top your favorite salad fixings with grilled chicken, salmon, or even ground beef. Prep your ingredients and cook your protein the night before, and you’ve got a hearty, satisfying Meal 1 in under five minutes. (Don’t tell us you don’t have five minutes to prep in the morning—it takes longer than that to toast a frozen waffle.)
Here are some additional egg-free breakfast ideas from this book:
Of course, if you really want to, you can still put an egg on any of these dishes. In fact, we’ve determined you can actually put a fried egg on anything. Trust us. It’s science.
One last thing, because we know you’re going to ask—yes, we want you to eat the whole egg. That’s because half the protein and many of the vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients are found in the yolk. And no, we’re not worried about your cholesterol levels. The Whole30 is designed to minimize systemic inflammation, which is a way bigger driver of high cholesterol than your diet—even if you’re regularly eating eggs and red meat. In fact, many doctors love our program because it offers a natural way to lower your “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides while boosting your “good” cholesterol.
Plus, in addition to the protein and micronutrients, all the fat in an egg is found in the yolk. Ready for some more science? Fat is what makes food taste good.
Really, this is all excellent news. Egg whites are so 1992.