Protein Pancakes and Baked Treats

Breakfast and dessert are often the first things to go when you cut sugar and carbs. Mixes and baked treats can bring them back without wrecking your plan. This page sorts the options by type, so you can pick what suits your mornings and your sweet tooth.

Protein pancake mixes

A pancake mix is the most useful item here if breakfast is where you struggle. These are dry mixes. You add water and cook on the stovetop, so there is little to measure and little to wash up. The plain versions give you a blank base. You can top them with whatever fits your plan, such as berries or nut butter.

Proti-Thin mixes also work in a waffle iron, which is handy if you prefer a crisper edge. If you like your pancakes closer to dessert, look at the flavoured mixes. Blueberry and chocolate chip bring sweetness built into the batter, so you need fewer toppings.

Ready-made pancakes

Not everyone wants to stand at a hob in the morning. The Weight Loss Systems Chocolate Chip Protein Pancakes come in a box of seven, one for each day of the week. The retailer describes them as high in fiber and protein, with real chocolate chips. They suit someone who wants a warm, homemade-style breakfast with the least fuss.

Microwave mug cakes

A mug cake is a dessert you make in under a minute. You mix, microwave and eat. The big plus is portion control: one mug, one serving, and no leftover cake sitting in the kitchen. These suit an evening sweet craving, especially if you do not want to bake.

The HealthSmart one is vanilla with chocolate chips. The ProtiDiet one is a warm, fudgy chocolate cake. Pick by mood: light and sweet, or dark and rich.

Protein cookies and pastries

Sometimes you want something you can pick up and eat with no prep at all. ProtiDiet Protein Cookies are crunchy chocolate chip cookies made for your plan. The Magic Spoon Frosted Strawberry Pastries are soft-baked and ready to eat. Each box has four, and the retailer lists 11 grams of protein per pastry. Both work for a desk drawer, a bag or a car.

Allergen-free cookie bites

Every Body Eat Cookie Bites are small, bite-sized cookies that are free from top allergens. That makes them worth a look if a household has food restrictions to work around. The chocolate chip bites come in a single-serve bag or a larger 5 oz bag. The cranberry vanilla comes in a single bag. The small bags suit a first try. The big bag suits sharing or snacking over several days.

How to choose

• Match the format to your morning. Mixes need a pan. Mug cakes need a microwave. Cookies and pastries need nothing.
• Check the label for protein, sugar and carbs. Compare the numbers per serving, not the flavour on the front of the box.
• Look at the pack size. Boxes of seven cover a week. Single bags let you try a flavour first.
• Think about allergens. Only the Every Body Eat bites are described as free from top allergens. Check the label on anything else.
• Be honest about how you eat. If you will not cook at 7am, buy something ready to eat.

Questions people ask

Can I use a pancake mix for waffles?

The Proti-Thin mixes can. The retailer says to use a waffle iron. Check the box for the ProtiDiet mixes, which are described for stovetop pancakes.

Do I need anything besides water?

The Proti-Thin mixes say just add water. Follow the instructions on each box for the others.

Are mug cakes a good way to control portions?

They are made as a single serving, so you only make what you plan to eat.

Which one suits a weekly routine?

The 7-per-box products give you one a day for a week. That makes planning simple.