Whether you’re trying build lean muscle or lose weight, adhering to a high protein nutrition plan is important.
This post is all about hight protein foods.
Keeping healthy, quick and easy to grab high protein foods, and snacks in the house is essential when striving to stay on track with your wellness goals.
Protein is not only important for building, and repairing muscle. Protein is also necessary for hormone production, optimizing immune system, and helps red/white blood cell production.
In other words whether you’re just wanting to maintain your weight, lose weight, or build lean muscle tissue it is important to have a well balanced diet containing good protein sources for your body.
I personally love to keep these foods stocked up in my house, as it makes it super easy and convenient for me to grab and go. This has helped keep me on track within my nutrition plan allowing me to achieve my fitness goals.
In short, if you’re looking for easy to grab, healthy high protein options than this post is for you.
This post is all about high protein foods.
What Is Protein & How Much Do I need?
Protein is one of the most important macronutrients, as it is the building block of your body. Everything from muscle tissue, bones, hormones, cell production, to neurotransmitters are derived from proteins.
All proteins are composed of amino acids, and the body requires 20 amino acids to function. There are 11 non-essential amino acids that your body produces, and 9 essential amino acids that your cannot produce on its own. All of which makes protein an important key ingredient to your nutrition.
How much protein do I need per day? Protein intake can vary per individual based on certain factors.
However, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is a modest 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. Which again can vary per individual based on activity level, body composition, goals, etc.
To help get an idea of how much protein to consume each day, check out this protein calculator.
High Protein Foods & Snacks
1. Grass-Fed Jerky
Grass-fed jerky is a simple grab, and go protein snack you don’t have to prepare. Easily toss a couple in your purse, lunch box, or gym bag and off you go. A great addition to any meal, or a quick snack on it’s own.
I love these ready to eat snacks as they offer 6-10 grams protein per serving, depending on brand. They’re also gluten free, keto friendly, healthy, and made with premium grass fed beef without all the additives. In other words, if you have a specific nutrition plan you’re sticking to this could be perfect for you.
2. Hard Boiled Eggs
Eggs are a complete source of protein, meaning they contain all of the essential amino acids. They are simple to make, and easy to take when you’re on the go.
One hard boiled egg offers about 7 grams of protein, so you can easily see how adding 2-4 eggs into your day can help you achieve your daily protein intake.
I personally love to top it off with a little himalayan salt, slice it up and add it to a salad, or on top of toast with avocado, delicious!
3. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is known to be an excellent source of protein, as it’s packed full of other nutrients such as B-vitamins, calcium, phosphorus, and selenium.
This nutrient packed snack offers 11-13 grams of protein per serving depending on your brand of choice. It’s packed in a convenient little container, and easy to toss into your lunch bag.
Cottage cheese is great paired with fruit, or can be enjoyed plain or in multiple flavors.
Here are some other top rated popular brands to check out:
4. Tuna Packs
Tuna packs literally pack a protein punch offering 17 grams in each pouch. They are an excellent source of omega 3’s, and come in a variety of different flavors.
What i love about tuna packs is that you can get creative with them, adding them on salads, crackers, making a tuna sandwich, tuna melt, tuna salad dip, adding into pasta, and so on. The recipes are endless when it comes to using tuna.
Heck, i enjoy some of the flavored ones right out of the pouch itself when i’m on the go. They taste great, and you cant beat the grams of protein it offers.
5. String Cheese
String Cheese is always a fun favorite, and it makes you feel like a kid again.
Simple, easy, and you can literally enjoy them anywhere. You can find them online, at any grocery store, and now most convenient/gas station stores offer them.
6. Turkey Roll-Ups
Turkey roll ups are easy, fun, and versatile. In short, it basically means, you simply wrap turkey around food such carrots, cheese, celery stick, pretzels, in lettuce, or wraps, whichever you choose.
The possibilities on what you roll up your turkey slices with are endless, and ultimately you can make them fit within your nutrition needs.
My personal favorite is to wrap the honey turkey slices around carrots, and enjoy! It’s simple, yet so delicious. However, when I want to spice it up, i’ll sometimes dunk them in hummus or ranch too!
7. Yogurt
Yogurt has an assortment of flavors, brands, and are so convenient to toss in your bag, and go.
They are great to enjoy in the morning, for a snack, or evening treat. I personally love to add sliced fruit, and chia seeds on top of my yogurt.
Moreover, throughout the years the yogurt industry has stepped up there game offering lactose free options that actually taste delicious too.
Regardless, each protein cup can serve anywhere from 11-25 grams of protein, depending on the brand you choose.
Here are some popular high protein yogurt choices:
- Siggis simple ingredient non-fat
- Siggis plant based
- Chobani complete lactose free
- Oikos triple zero greek yogurt
- Oikos pro 20g
- :ratio protein 25g
8. Protein Bars
There are so many protein bars on the market. However, most of them are filled with so much fillers, oils, and sugars.
Here are a couple of protein bar options that offer a good amount of protein, taste delicious, and have better ingredients than most other bars.
9. Protein Shakes
Protein shakes are one of the most popular, and convenient ways to get in your daily dose of protein.
What I love most about using a protein powder is it’s diversity in which to use it. For instance you can drink it alone, or you can simply add a scoop into oatmeal, a smoothie, pancake batter, yogurt, etc.
Furthermore, protein powders come in an assortment of flavors, and blends. So, you’re sure to find a protein powder that fits your needs all around.
Here are some fan favorites:
10. Lentil Salad
If you’re not a fan of getting your protein from meat or want to try a new fun way to add in protein to your nutrition plan, than a lentil salad is perfect for you!
There are so many amazing recipes to choose from online, and i’ve linked one >> here for you to check out.
In short, a lentil salad consists of simple ingredients such as your choice of cooked lentils, add some chopped veggies, spices, a little dressing, and viola!
A delicious high protein lentil salad in minutes.
11. Shrimp Cocktail
Did yo know that just 3oz of shrimp offers about 20g of protein?
If you’re a seafood lover like me, then run to the grocery store, and grab shrimp cocktail, or frozen shrimp to have in stock ready to enjoy at home.
It’s amazing how much protein is in just 3oz of shrimp. You can add shrimp to nearly any dish too, or keep it simple with shrimp cocktail.
Regardless, it’s easy, and a convenient way to get in your protein.
12. Rotisserie Chicken
A rotisserie chicken is a something you can get at nearly any grocery store, and they are so yummy!
Best of all there is no need to season, prep, cook or do anything. You’re able to enjoy a perfectly finished mouth watering chicken. You can enjoy it alone, add it to a salad, make a sandwich, toss it in a stir-fry, pair with veggies, and a carb source, etc.
13. Protein Pasta
Banza protein pasta is a great option, as this meal is full of all the essential macronutrients your body loves.
Furthermore, you’re getting to enjoy a filling pasta dish that is not only delicious, but packed with protein too!
You can choose to keep it simple and eat it as is with just some seasoning, or you can top it off with veggies, and
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