Protein inspiration, please

[fancytoes]

If you are eating the correct amount of protein, please could you tell me what you are eating?

I am not wild about Huel type/things but wild consider tasteless powders, if they exist? Am trying to get a lot of homemade chicken broth in…

Chicken, fish, beef, pork, cheese, milk, soy, edamame, yoghurt, beans, lentils, eggs, quinoa etc etc

I hate shakes too but will have a clear whey drink sometimes (strawberry lemonade is my current one!). You can also get unflavoured protein powders from most supplement companies that you can add to anything you like.

Bone broth, eggs, beef, salmon, tuna, bacon are my main ones. I'll occasionally have a low carb protein shake if I've struggled to eat well.

Mainly, chicken breast, eggs, tuna, cottage cheese and Greek yoghurt . I do have protein shakes for when I can't eat very much, but I don't love them, they are just ok.

I've got that unflavoured hydrolysed collagen and I put it in coffee and soups and so on when I remember. Then I buy plain cooked chicken and cottage cheese and so on for "snacks" even though I don't really snack any more but for lunch I do try to eat a piece of cheese, a piece of meat, and an egg, howsoever I can. Actually had a gala pie for lunch today, so two in one! 😉

I don't really think those shakes can be any good for us, can they?

Chicken, eggs, beef, pork, ham, greek yoghurt, cod, haddock, salmon, tuna, wholemeal bread, almonds, protein sandwich thins.

I never have a shake thing. Might have a kind protein bar but that's probably only once a month.

Chicken, lots of chicken! eggs, salmon, duck, venison, more chicken, prawns, cod, sea-bass, feta cheese, beans/pulses, more chicken!

As a pescatarian I struggle with this. I dont like protein powder although will have in extremis if I’ve had a few very low days.

i really only eat fish for the protein tbh and would happily not bother but i do regularly have salmon, tuna and prawns. Pulses upset my tummy on the mj so have to be careful. I eat a lot of tofu, greek yoghurt and cottage cheese. Some eggs and cheese.

Ok thank you, this is all good stuff.

I realise that my Greek yoghurt mixed with oat milk and chia seeds topped with almonds is a hidden course of protein.

Thank you!

Salmon fillets, smoked trout or turkey in bagels, lentil based soups, bean based curries, lump of cheese (weighed) for snack, buy a batch of chicken mini fillets each week, marinade and grill them to snack on, top everything with a fried or poached egg and/or nuts and seeds, ai gave me a really good recipe for lentil and coconut patties which make great healthy snacks

I’m trying to eat purely protein and have cut out all carbs apart from fruit, veg, and plain yoghurt. My meals are very boring though! It suits me cos I’m not big on cooking and I’m not very hungry. This is what I eat on an average day:

Breakfast - berries, Greek yoghurt with honey & seeds
Lunch - two boiled eggs & smoked salmon or avocado (not protein but good healthy fat)
Dinner - chicken breast & broccoli
Snacks - pistachios, apples, rice cakes

I try to eat meat and veg for lunch and dinner but in lots of combinations so lunch is generally batch cooked in the slow cooker:

• chicken breast chunks with fajita seasoning, big chunks of pepper, onion and baby corn
• chicken breast fillets with BbQ seasoning, cooked until it can be pulled apart and shredded, serve with salad
• lean diced beef with chilli seasoning, loads of mushrooms, peppers and onion
• lean diced beef, beef stock, whole baby button mushrooms, onion, leek, celery, carrots

i make enough for 4 portions, 1 goes in the freezer, when I eat the 3rd I make a new batch, that way I slowly build a variety of pots in the freezer that can be used as ‘can’t be arsed to cook’ meals when I need them.

Dinner, I’m generally sorting stuff for DH and DD too, so go with easy substitutions. If They are having lasagna then I hold back some of the meat in red sauce and use it to stuff a pepper or big mushroom then cook it alongside their lasagna, Bolognaise I have green beans instead of pasta, Tacos I have salad instead of tortillas/taco shells, chops and chips becomes pork chops with cauliflower or stir fried babycorn and sugarsnap peas….. and so on.

Clear whey powders - lemon/lime flavour, or raspberry lemonade, I like the MyProtein ones. I drink them cold, with ice in, which takes the edge off the synthetic flavour.

I keep tins/jars of chickpeas in the cupboard, and blocks of tofu in the fridge, and add to bulk out meals with more protein as and when,

Loads of chicken - kiev, marinaded & baked/BBQ, in curry/jerk sauce. Salmon, fishcakes, fishfingers, prawns. Some pork mince for jerk meatballs. Eggs.

Big tubs of greek yoghurt in the fridge - with muesli/jam/fruit for breakfast; in soup; with garlic & olive oil & lemon juice to accompany meals; to thin out mayo; with maple syrup/nuts/fruit for dessert.

Lean meat, oily fish, pulses, low-fat dairy. I also have a clear protein drink most days.

I used to eat a lot of protein yoghurts but I’ve gone off them recently. You can get mousses and puddings too.

Anything tuna. Super low cal super high protein per 100 g. I’ve been making tuna wraps or rice bowls for lunch/dinner

ChatGPT is useful. I sometimes buy my lunch at work and it can give you the best low calorie but high protein and fibre options in Pret, Itsu etc. Or it can do a whole food plan for you.

A revelation for me is the two egg plus two egg white omelette with 30g grated cheese, so filling and tasty. About 400- 450 calories depending on how much cheese you have and a good chunk of protein - 45g.

@InfoSecInTheCity - wow - really inspired by you r slow cooker lunches!

I eat 120g plus of protein a day - lots as above

Also cook a load of chicken bits with herbs/ yoghurt/spices to keep in fridge for snacking or quick linch

Baby bel light

Turkey sausages from Sainsbury's are also a favourite and also Slimming world (!) quarter pounders from Iceland - v high protein for the calories and quick to cook from frozen in the airfryer. I try not to have processed meat more than a couple of times a week though. Usually have a slice of reduced fat cheddar on top

Also I cook pork/turkey/ beef mince with onions, sometimes mushrooms, peppers or whatever needs eating from the fridge, a tin of tomatoes and fajita spice. It takes. about 15 mins and 450/500g meat I split between 3 lunches and just microwave or freeze.

This way of eating really suits me

People have already given you great suggestions, but just to add, I ended up buying a couple of bean/pulse based recipes books to help increase my protein.

Bold Bean Company have a recipe book, plus there is one called Pulse that has really delicious recipes.

I personally avoid processed things, so prefer to get my protein in clean, natural products.

I have sitting in my fridge in a ziplock bag marinading 400g pork tenderloin medallions (135cals per 100g), a 500g bag of frozen sliced mixed peppers, a 250g pack of sliced mushrooms, a 180g bag of sliced red onion, a whole heaping load of sweet mustard Carolina-style rub.

i am super lazy and hate cutting up veg so tend to buy everything pre-prepped. In the morning I’ll put it in the slow cooker on high and leave it for about 3 hrs, then if it’s a bit wet I’ll stick it on the hob for 10 mins to dry off and I’ll shred the pork steaks up. That will give 4 big portions that can be eaten by themselves or with some salad or some sweetcorn.

I have a Tupperware full of salad constantly on the go in the fridge so I can just decant it when needed. The one I assembled this morning is frozen sweetcorn, more frozen sliced peppers, shredded pickled beetroot, cherry tomatoes quartered, sliced jalepenos just chopped up a bit more, and whatever was left over from my bag of Tesco sweet n crunchy salad.

Sub rice for quinoa if having curries/chilli etc. it has lots more protein, fiber etc