My Go-To Breakfast in 2026
- June O’Brien
- Mar 22
- 4 min read
March 22, 2026
My favorite breakfast has been my favorite for a few months now, and anyone who knows me knows that means it's pretty damn good. It's not like I've completely reinvented the wheel - yogurt and granola is a classic for many, but here are some tips whether you're trying it for the first time or experimenting with your existing recipe.
1. The Ingredients
There are really only two essentials to yogurt and granola, and they are yogurt and granola. My mom has a very good granola recipe that she sometimes makes, but more often we buy this Purely Elizabeth granola from the grocery store. Store-bought granola is often debated by nutritionists, but this granola is not outrageously unhealthy. However, if you're most concerned about nutritional content of your base, nutritionists recommend a granola with a small amount of protein (usually 5-6 g) and seeds (such as chia and pumpkin seeds), which add fiber. You can expect this from many granola brands, but it is important to watch for added sugars especially as glucose hits your body the hardest in first meal of the day. Here are some of the best common granola brands (and their strengths):
Kodiak granola - Best High-Protein Granola (about 17 g per serving)
Purely Elizabeth - Best Organic & (Depending on the Flavor) Nut-Free
Early Bird (Farmhand's Choice Flavor) - Best Sweet and Salty & Low Sugar
The second essential is the yogurt. I use Fage's unflavored Greek Yogurt (with 5% fat because healthy fats are important and increase satiety!). This usually adds about 5g of sugar, 140 calories and 15 g of protein to my morning (per 170 g). Most yogurts have solid nutritional content, usually delivering on about 10-20 g of protein per 170g. Making a breakfast based on yogurt is one of the best ways to start off your day if you're hoping to hit protein goals. Greek yogurt typically has significantly more protein (and is overall healthier) than normal yogurt even though they have similar main ingredients. This is because Greek yogurt is strained to remove liquid whey, significantly cutting the amount of carbs and sugars and increasing the protein per serving (in both low and full fat varieties). If you're going for the most bang for your yogurt buck, Skyr is similar to yogurt but usually has more protein and lower fats and sugars.
2. The Toppings
Arguably the most important part of granola is the toppings! My favorites are bananas, strawberries, chia seeds, hemp seeds and protein powder, but you can also experiment with your own. Here's a list of some of the best fruits to experiment with, along with their respective benefits. Nutritional facts are listed per 30 grams (about a handful) and listed in order of most to least balanced macros.
Strawberries: about 10 calories, 2.3 g total carbs, less than 0.1 g fat and 0.2 g protein, 1 g of sugar and 0.6 g of fiber. They are a very good source of Vitamin C, supplying about 15 g and 20% of your daily value.
Blackberries: about 13 calories, 3 g total carbs, 0.1 g fat and 0.4 g protein, 1.5 g of sugar and 1.6 g of fiber. They're also high in Vitamin C, but also are a great source of fiber and antioxidants that support brain health.
Bananas: about 27 calories, 7 g total carbs, 0.1 g fat, 0.3 g protein, 4 g of sugar and 0.8 g of fiber. Bananas are high in potassium and low in sodium, helping with digestion. They are also high in histidine, one of many amino acids humans cannot synthesize.
Mango (I usually use frozen mango and wait until it thaws): 20 calories, 4.5 g total carbs, less than 0.1 g of fat and 0.2 g of protein, 4 g of sugar and 0.5 fiber. It's high in Vitamins C and A.
Blueberries: 15 calories, 3.4 g carbs, 0.6 g fats, sugars, and fibers (no protein). While they don't provide more than basic carbs and sugars, they're also a good source of Vitamin K.
Aside from fruit, there are many different toppings you can add to round out the profile of your breakfast. I recommend protein powder for a boost of satiety and overall health benefits (my favorite is the Sprout Living Original Protein Powder pictured above), but chia seeds are also a great source of fiber, Omega-3s, and antioxidants. Hemp seeds also work well as a source of plant-based protein and they work to balance your hormones. Buy my favorite protein powder here, the best chia seeds here and hemp seeds here. Boost your chia game by preparing chia pudding to put in your granola - combine 3 tbsp chia seeds, 1 cup of your milk of choice, 1-2 tsp of sweetener (maple syrup or honey) and refrigerate overnight (preferably 4+ hours).
Some combos to try:
The Smoothie Lover's Go-To
Greek yogurt (perhaps flavored for extra fun) and Purely Elizabeth granola. Heavy on mango, strawberries, and blueberries. Add chia pudding for some fiber and you're set.
The Gym Girl's Protein Boost
Icelandic skyr for boosted protein, Kodiak granola, protein powder and some strawberries for flavor. This combo hits your protein goals, especially if you go heavy on the skyr.
June's Classic Combo
Greek yogurt, Purely Elizabeth granola in the orginal flavor. Any combination of strawberries, mango and bananas, plus chia seeds and a little bit of protein powder to start your day off right.
Put a spin on your morning breakfast by making it into a dessert or snack for later! Try whisking together Greek yogurt, honey and vanilla for some sweetness (or just Greek yogurt if you want to raw-dog it) and spreading a thin, 1/4 inch layer on a sheet pan to make frozen yogurt bark. Add your favorite fruits, seeds (and maybe some granola!) to taste and then freeze it for 3-4 hours. Simply Recipes notes that low-fat yogurt is less rich and will result in a less good spread for your bark. Check out their recipe here.
All in all, there are many varieties of yogurt and granola. For more inspiration, try this article from The Balanced Nutritionist and this recipe from Live Simply. Please reach out with the results from your experiments or if you have any requests for new articles here!
Hope you enjoyed it! See you next time,
June
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