4 Sneaky Tips to Help You Get More Protein

Trying to get enough protein each day can seem challenging, but a few small swaps can really add up. It may not seem like a lot when you add 2g here, or 5g there. When you get to the end of the day and add it all up, you can increase your protein intake bib 20-30g! That’s almost a whole meals worth. Here are a few food swaps you can make to get more protein and fiber with each meal and help you reach your goals.

Whole Grains

One of the easiest swaps to get more protein is switching from refined to whole grains. I’m not saying you need to always eat only brown rice, but when you have a goal of at least 30-40g of protein each meal, it can really add up. For instance, 1 cup of jasmine rice contains only 4g of protein and is 205 calories, but a cup of brown rice has 6g of protein with 150 calories.

Two dishes of jasmine and brown rice displayed on a wood countertop.

This also applies to whole grain compared to white pasta. One ounce of whole grain pasta has nearly 4g of protein for 100 calories, while one ounce of refined white pasta has 1g with 43 calories.

Simply switching to whole grains can add so much value to your meal with macro and micronutrients. Just 2 tablespoons adds 5g of protein.

Yogurt

This is one of my personal favorites. Plain greek yogurt is an amazing swap for so many condiments. The first one, I learned from several Thai dishes. Often times it is served along side spicy dishes, and can add 16g of protein per 170g serving. It is also an excellent substitute for sour cream with the same tanginess and a depth of flavor that really brings out savory seasonings. I love using it on top of tacos, chili, or baked potatoes.

Here is an affiliate link for my favorite brand: Chobani.

Aged Cheeses

Now, no one has to tell me twice to reach for the gourmet version of a food and with cheese it is no difference. I love cheese, and when I learned that cheeses like parmesan had a higher protein and micronutrient content than cheddar cheese, I had no problem switching over. Parmesan cheese has over 11g of protein for only 1 ounce, while sharp cheddar cheese has only 7g of protein per ounce.

If you choose a parmesan like this amazing Parmesan Reggiano, it is also low-lactose with a very rich flavor.

Beans and Legumes

Adding beans, legumes, and nuts to your plate does more than add grams of protein, it also adds complex amino acids. Each bean; red, black, kidney, navy, and more contains it’s own set of amino acids that when combined with other foods helps supplement your essential amino acids. Using a variety of protein sources really helps to fuel your body well and using vegetarian sources along with carnivore choices can really pack a powerful impact on your overall health.

Whenever I make ground beef for tacos, I add in a can of drained black beans. When I make chili, I try to use a tri-bean blend of black, kidney, and navy beans to create that assortment of protein sources.

An assortment of jars filled with red beans, black beans, mung beans, and lentils.

Using these various ideas, this is how I approach meal planning with protein as my focus. I first decide what type of meat we want, and plan for 4-6 ounces of it, or 30+ grams of protein from that meat. Then I plan to add anywhere from 5-15g of protein from these little swaps. For example, if we are having spaghetti, I portion out 4 ounces of ground beef, which is 20g of protein. Then I add 2 ounces of whole grain pasta for 5g of protein. Then when I am plating my meal, I add a cup of spinach beneath the ground beef for another gram of protein, and 1 ounce of parmesan cheese for 11g. This totals up to 37g of protein and creates a very filling diverse meal.

These are just a few examples of how to get more protein in each plate, but the possibilities are endless!

Let me know in the comments below, what is one of your favorite ways to get more protein in each meal?

~Kristen

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