High protein breakfast / meals ideas

[Marasme]

I am a long time under-eater - I have very little appetite, and assuming I am busy at work, I can go through the day with no food at all between waking and dinner time (fuelled by black coffee). Once I get home, I'll eat with the kids (pasta and tomato-based sauce, home-made, either with tuna or mince and a bit of cheese, or a variation on this theme). I occasionally eat out / cook more ellaborate meals, but this happens approximately once to three times per week. I also take in left-overs for lunch when I have some, as long as I am not out of the office on that day. I occasionally also get some empty calories at home: crisps and wine :/

Recently, my crap diet has been taking its toll on my health - hair loss, crappy skin, tiredness, very low mood etc. My plan is to overhaul it for the better.

Alas, I have a lot of quirks which makes it rather difficult:

• I have ZERO appetite in the morning, and the thought of food makes me gag. All I manage at the moment is a glass of water or an herbal tea.
• I am not a big meat fan - I can tolerate lean cuts, but anything with bones, skins, bits throws me - same for eggs (except in a very dry omelette.
• I don't have a sweet tooth at all
• I like fruit and veg but struggle to incorporate them in quantities in my meals (unless it's tomatoes )

I have tried packing some nuts, seeds, and dried apricots for snack - I just forget them in my bag.

I am therefore looking for some suggestions of high protein / high energy breakfast that I can take on the go which would be well tolerated / ould not make me gag, and dinners which also pack proteins and energy.

If you can eat a dried omelette how about fritata? Good hot or cold.
Bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon or avocado
Oat cakes with peanut butter
Savoury flapjack

For dinner, stirfry with veg, noodles and cashews
Falafel in pittas
Quaesidilla with chilli beans, veg and cheese
Salmon with ginger, garlic and soy, with veg and quinoa
Fishcakes
Lentil Dahl with whole grain rice
Jacket potatoes with beans and cheese, tuna and coleslaw

Thanks Atleast!

We have fritata some evenings - once a week approximately (eggs, potatoes, cheese).

Savoury flapjacks sound good - how do you make them?
I like the falafels too - good idea
oatcake and peanut butter - I could try this for mid-morning snack maybe

My main struggle is fitting 1800 kcal over basically two meals and one snack - short of eating ice cream or drinking wine, I never "make it"

Do you like smoothies? If you make a smoothie with protein powder, peanut butter, avocado and whatever choice of fruit and milk, you can pack an enormous amount of calories in and also eat it on the move.

Healthy fats are tasty, good for you and calorific so if you add these in (but not too much so it's not too rich to start out) that will help.

i have never made a smoothie
only the innocent botyled ones.

it s a good idea - assuming i do some prep and freeze the fruit bags, this should be manageable in the morning. How much powder goes in?

Greek yoghurt (the proper stuff made by Fage called total or similar) is lovely and full of protein and good fat. Mix with some museli, fruit and/or nuts and it’s really nice.

Cheeeeeese!

Can you take a lump of cheddar and nibble on it with some grapes or celery? Even better with some nuts?

Every morning I eat tofu and vegan bacon - low fat, low carbs, very high in protein. I have eaten it cold before and it’s not that bad but I you have access to a microwave I’d recommend that instead! Otherwise a good protein-powder shake ot even a kale and spinach smoothie will pack lots of protein in. I think they also do special protein yoghurts and cheese now with more protein than the regular kind - I’ve not tried them as I’m a vegan but all ethics aside they seem very nutritionally good for you. Normal yoghurt is great but it really doesn’t have that much protein in.

Cheese, tofu, bacon (even vegan) - not sure I could stomach :(

The problem is that I have just zero appetite - I don't feel like eating, even if I have some signs of hunger, which is weird and disconcerting :(

I will try the smoothies for the morning as a way to add a few hundred calories on top of my usual intake...

I think you should find a way of incorporating fruit and vegetables as well. Smoothies/protein drinks are very easy to make: just buy some bananas, frozen berries and some straight whey/hemp protein powder. I always add some nuts as my blender can handle that too. And spinach leaves... they have no taste at all.

Marasme tbh I wouldn't force yourself to eat in the mornings. I tried it once for a few weeks but just ended up being sick a lot because I was basically forcing it in. Now I don't have a breakfast but try and have a snack around 11am and then eat at tea time and that seems much better so possibly worth a try.

Just a thought, but are you well?
It is unusual for a young person to have such little appetite that they cant eat sufficient calories.

depends on what you define by "well"
I am tired, most of the time, but all blood tests came back satisfactory...

Here is the savoury flapjack recipe. Add nuts to up the protein and cals.

Thanks at least - do they keep well?

I am on a high protein diet . One if my choices for breakfast is a smoothie.

It has 30g porridge oats, scoop of peanut butter(the type without sugar or palm oil), milk (I use almond or oat milk), scoop of protein powder, a banana. Add a handful of spinach, some berries, and blitz. I had it this morning and really enjoyed it as if didn't make me full over stuffed.

Fine, just keep in an air tight tin