The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is .8 grams per kilogram of body weight and that represents the bare minimum required to avoid deficiency. Consuming more protein beyond the RDA is optimal for most people. If you struggle to eat enough an optimal amount of protein, stay tuned for this list of simple ideas to help you hit your protein goals.
1. Find Your Limiting Meal
First identify which meal is lowest in protein and begin intentionally increasing protein at that meal. One way to do this is divide your protein goal by 3, assuming you eat three meals per day. So if you have a goal to eat 96 grams of protein per day, dividing that by 3 gives you 32 grams of protein per meal. Estimate how much protein you are eating at each meal and if you have a meal that is significantly below 32 grams, that’s the first place you can look to increase your protein intake. For many, this meal is breakfast. Consider adding quick high protein foods like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs or protein powder. When you correct the meal that’s the main culprit for your protein deficit, hitting your daily protein goal becomes much easier.
2.Increase The Protein You Already Eat
Instead of trying to think of new protein foods to add to your meal and taking on the extra time required to prep said protein, increase the portion size of the protein you are already eating. So if you normally eat 1 hard boiled egg at breakfast, consider eating two, or add additional egg whites. If you normally eat a piece of chicken with dinner, eat an additional half piece, etc. You won’t have to spend time thinking about other protein foods to include in your meal, and you don’t have to prepare anything extra.
3.Add Animal-based Protein To Your Snack
Often our snacks contain very little or no protein (a bag of chips, a snack bag of chocolate chip cookies, an apple). Food derived from animals provides a complete source of high quality protein, so consider changing up your snack routine and opt for a snack like tuna salad with crackers, a salmon patty with black beans or a chicken quesadilla.
4.Include Plant-based Proteins In Your Snacks Too
Many plants, like legumes and whole grains, provide protein too. Try snacking on steamed and salted edamame. With about 12 grams of protein per serving, as well as calcium, potassium and other nutrients, edamame is a delicious and healthy vegetarian protein option.
5.Snack On Low Fat Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a slow-digesting protein source, so it is sure to provide the satiety factor as well as give you a boost toward your protein goal. Enjoy with fruit like peaches stirred in or create a savory toast- high protein bread with cottage cheese and Everything Bagel Seasoning, add a hard boiled egg for even more protein.
6.Power Up On Vegan / Vegetarian Options
Protein from plants can add up. Add chia seeds and/or hemp hearts to smoothies or sprinkle over yogurt. Stir almonds into your oatmeal. Try adding quinoa to your salad. Add black beans to your scrambled eggs. Other vegetarian protein sources to include: peas, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, whole grains and nutritional yeast.
7.Keep High Quality Protein Powder On Hand
Protein powders are a quick and easy way to meet your protein goal in a pinch. Your protein powder can be added to a smoothie, yogurt, a bowl of oatmeal, coffee, etc.
8.Swap Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt can be used in place of sour cream in recipes and has more protein and less fat. Add high protein Greek yogurt like Oikos Triple 0 to smoothies or eat as a snack.
9. Prep Lean Protein Options
If you are trying to increase your protein intake without simultaneously skyrocketing your fat intake, have lean options readily available. This could mean throwing some chicken breast in a crockpot to shred and add to salads throughout the week. It could look like purchasing a carton of egg whites to add to your scrambled eggs. Maybe it looks like cooking lean ground turkey breast to snack on with some salsa and beans. Having lean protein choices ready to go is a must for increasing protein intake.
