What Should You Eat for Breakfast After Bariatric Surgery?

Breakfast can be tricky after bariatric surgery. Reduced appetite and busy mornings can make it easy to skip it all together or grab something quick and easy. So what should you actually be eating for breakfast - and how much does it really matter? 

Short answer: yes. What you choose to eat in the morning can make a big difference to your energy, hunger and cravings throughout the day. It also plays a key role in regulating your blood sugars - and over time, this can impact things like weight management, muscle preservation, and mood.

Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of The Day? 

From a blood sugar perspective? Absolutely. How you “break your fast” can really set the tone for your entire day.

• Stable blood sugars = consistent energy, well-regulated hunger, fewer cravings

• Unstable blood sugars = energy rollercoaster, more hunger, stronger cravings 

Starting your day with a well balanced breakfast, sets you up well for the day ahead, often making it easier to make healthier choices throughout the day. 

So what does that look like? 

How to Build A Balanced Bariatric Breakfast

1. Focus on Protein First 

As always, it’s important to prioritise protein. Not only does this help to meet your protein needs when portion size may be reduced, but it also helps support more sustained energy and stable blood sugars. 

Protein-based Breakfast Options:

• Eggs

• Cottage cheese

• Salmon

• Greek yogurt 

• Protein powder 

2. Tailor your Fibre (and/Or Complex Carbs)

Dietary fibre is a component of carbohydrates which helps to keep you to feel fuller for longer, helps to keep you regular, and supports the gut microbiome (among other things). If you’re earlier on in your bariatric journey - you may find you have to be strategic with your fibre intake, being careful not to fill up on this when your appetite is very low. As your portion sizes progress, fibre is a really important nutrient to include. 

For the first few months post-op starchy carbohydrate intake is limited due to restrictions in portion size, and the prioritisation of other nutrients such as protein. Little bits may still be included through foods such as oats or Weet-bix, and gradually this may increase over time. Complex carbohydrates are an important source of energy and nutrition, and are helpful to include alongside other food groups, when you can fit them. 

Where problems arise, is when breakfasts consist solely of carbs and not much else. This can cause a more rapid spike in blood sugar and often a crash soon after. Often leaving you feeling tired, hungry and finding it difficult to focus. If you find yourself in this boat - first understand that many of our common breakfast foods are in this category (traditional porridge, cereal and milk, toast, pancakes…). Read on for how to make these options more well balanced. 

Fibre-rich breakfast foods include:

• Fresh or frozen fruit 

• Chia seeds, flaxseed, pumpkin or sunflower seeds

• Veggies, for example avocado, tomato, mushrooms  

• Wholegrain bread 

• Oats 

• Weet-bix 

3. Add some Healthy Fats 

Different types of dietary fats are tolerated differently after bariatric surgery. Unsaturated fats (mostly found in plants and fish) are typically still well tolerated for most people after bariatric surgery and helpful to include in appropriate quantities. Saturated fats (mostly found in meat, dairy and coconut) are not always tolerated quite so well, but are fine to include in small quantities. Oily, deep-fried or highly processed foods should be minimised as these types of fats or preparation methods can cause dumping. 

Healthy fats help to provide more “slow-burn” energy and stabilise blood sugars.

Breakfast foods rich in unsaturated fats:

• Avocado

• Nuts and seeds 

• Nut butters 

• Salmon 

• Egg yolks (also contain a little saturated) 

Breakfast foods rich in saturated fats: 

• Bacon or sausage 

• Milk (opt for light or calci-trim) 

• Cheese (opt for lower fat options such as edam or feta) 

• Coconut 

Putting it all together

As you may have noticed, some foods contain an overlap of different nutrients. For example, eggs contain both protein and healthy fats; avocado contains both healthy fats and fibre. Including these types of foods that tick off “two birds with one stone” can be especially helpful in the earlier stages post-op when you’re more restricted by portion size. 

Here are some examples of bariatric-friendly balanced breakfasts: 

• Porridge with protein powder, Greek yogurt, flaxseed and blueberries 

• Overnight weet-bix (weet-bix soaked in milk) and covered with Greek yogurt mixed with protein powder. Top with fresh fruit 

• Omelette with tomato, chives and feta cheese

• Slice of wholegrain toast with cottage cheese, tomato, basil and salmon 

Want some recipes? 

Check out our new Bariatric Breakfasts Recipe Ebook
Includes 27 bariatric-approved breakfast recipes. Each recipe includes a nutrition panel with a breakdown of protein, carbs and fats. Most recipes are suitable from about 8 months post-op, with some being suitable earlier with modifications to serving sizes and some ingredients. 

What about Lunch & Dinner?
We also have new dedicated recipe e-books for lunch and dinner. You can save 20% with our bundle deal. 

Final Note

For more specific guidance on how to nourish yourself well after bariatric surgery, book a consultation with our bariatric nutritionists. You are welcome to book in with our clinicians, even if you’ve had surgery elsewhere. 

Reach out to our team via phone: 07 859 0185 or email: reception@tailorclinics.co.nz

Disclaimer: this blog post is intended for educational purposes only and does not replace individual medical advice. For more support please always seek the guidance of your relevant health practitioners.