Favorite Proteins

cgibson522

I struggle with eating enough protein every day and have it be within my 1400 calorie limit. I get tired of chicken breasts quickly but discovered Trader Joe's chicken breakfast sausages as a good source of protein.

What are your favorite protein filled foods? How do you incorporate them into meals?

AnvilHead

My favorites (other than chicken breasts, since you said you're tired of them):
Eggs/egg whites
Nonfat Greek yogurt
Skim milk
Deli meats
Cottage cheese
Tuna in water
Turkey breast/tenderloins
Turkey sausage
Flank steak
Enlightened/Chilly Cow ice cream
Protein bars/shakes

Here's a helpful link to plenty more options: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also/p1

Cassandraw3

burrito bowls (chicken, black beans, lettuce, salsa, cheese, guac if enough calories, NO rice)
beef jerky
skim milk in coffee
lettuce wrap with deli meat and cheese
string cheese
pork tenderloin

aokoye

When people say "I'm getting tired of chicken breasts" I ask myself, "how are they cooking their chicken breasts?" My second question is then typically "what about chicken thighs?"

Favorite in terms of what I frequently eat:
Chicken thighs cooked in a variety of ways
Green beans (sometimes with said chicken thighs)
Nicoise salad (more green beans, but with tuna this time!)
Chana masala
Chicken curry - typically thai curry but I also like Indian curries (see above), Burmese curries (really any curry from SE Asia), and Japanese curry
Austrian goulash
RX Bars
Clif Bars

Favorite in general:
Duck
Ribeye
Brisket (preferably smoked)
Bolognese sauce (homemade - typically with gnocchi)

NorthCascades

High fat Greek and Icelandic yogurt.

lynn_glenmont

cgibson522 wrote: »

I struggle with eating enough protein every day and have it be within my 1400 calorie limit. I get tired of chicken breasts quickly but discovered Trader Joe's chicken breakfast sausages as a good source of protein.

What are your favorite protein filled foods? How do you incorporate them into meals?

Legumes -- in chili, curries, burrito bowls, on salads, in soups or stews

Edamame -- as a snack, with a little coarse salt and a splash of soy sauce and/or rice vinegar

Tofu -- pressed to get rid of excess water, sliced and fried to get a crisp surface, with spicy peanut sauce and veggies over noodles

Any meat or poultry -- with beans in chili or a burrito bowl (no rice or tortilla to boost the protein-to-cals ratio)

Any meat or poultry -- as an ingredient in a salad or a grain bowl or a grain-and-greens bowl.

Deli meats, cooked bacon, or jerky -- eat 'em straight up as a quick and easy protein snack; add deli meats and cooked bacon to salads.

Shrimp -- sauteed with veggies

Fin fish - grilled, broiled, or baked, with lemon

Eggs -- poached or fried over easy to top cooked veggies or a grain or grain-and-greens bowl (the yolk makes a sauce)

Eggs -- beaten and stirred into soup

Egg whites -- scrambled or in an omelet (I usually have at least one whole egg mixed with the egg whites) -- add cheese and veggies, or beans, veggies, cheese, and salsa

Skim or low-fat milk -- on cold cereal, in smoothies, in lattes, and in a low-cal version of an ice cream soda or float (mix with your preferred diet soda -- I like diet colas, diet Dr. Pepper, or diet root beer)

Cottage cheese -- I mostly eat it plain or with some dried herbs, onion or garlic powder, but lots of people prefer it sweet with fruit or fruit spread (jams, preserves, jelly in the U.S. sense).

Nonfat greek yogurt as a topping on pretty much any savory or sweet dish (think about places you might use sour cream or whipped cream (optional, mix in a sweetener or artificial sweetener of choice, and/or vanilla extract)

Nonfat greek yogurt -- stir in cheese powder (I use cheddar) (this may sound weird, but if you want a protein packed salty/savory snack, this may hit the spot)

Nonfat greek yogurt -- stir in unsweetened cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and sweetener or artificial sweetener to taste -- I like a little cinnamon, almond extract, and cayenne for a Mexican chocolate flavor



Little things that you can add to provide a little protein boost (because every little bit helps): chia seeds added to hot or cold cereal or smoothies; hemp hearts added to hot or cold cereal, smoothies; nutritional yeast added to popcorn or scrambled eggs or savory preparations of hot cereal/grains.

livingleanlivingclean

Eggs/whites

Yogurt (natural, low fat, high protein with protein powder mixed in for sweetness and flavour)

Protein pancakes.

Salmon

Good steak (thick eye fillet please)

aokoye

If it wasn't clear, I typically shape my meals around protein, not the other way around. For example, tomorrow I'm planning on making thai curry (dinner) and some chicken dish with preserved lemons (lunch). I'll eat the curry, which will also have various vegetables in it, with rice and I'll probably make brussels sprouts which I'll have with the other dish. The only protein that I ever really incorporate into anything is green beans.

Francl27

After 5 years on MFP, I'm really having a problem with this also. I'm SO SICK OF CHICKEN BREAST, doesn't matter how cooked (ok I do like it breaded and/or stuffed)... and now omelets make me gag (forget egg whites. yuck). Never liked canned tuna (really, I'll only eat tuna raw lol).

I do eat a lot of poultry sausage, ground turkey (tacos, meatballs, meatloaf), some fish (so expensive though), trying to eat more beef because I need the iron too (but I still don't know how to log it after 5 years - what does the USDA consider 'lean' or 'trimmed to 1/4 fat'?). I have chicken thighs occasionally, but I don't like them as leftovers (same for pork chops).

Still love cheese and Greek yogurt (but not the fat free stuff).

Needless to say, my ratio of protein isn't as high as 5 years ago.

(I'm really glad nobody mentioned nuts )

fitoverfortymom

I eat greek yogurt and cottage cheese by the ton.

I love a good steak.

cwolfman13

Bone in pork chops, chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, flank steak, cod, shrimp, salmon, tuna, trout, mahi mahi, ground beef, various sausages, eggs, cheese and other dairy.

I don't know why people get so hung up on chicken breast, chicken breast, and more chicken breast. I'd be bored out of my mind.

Francl27

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Bone in pork chops, chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, flank steak, cod, shrimp, salmon, tuna, trout, mahi mahi, ground beef, various sausages, eggs, cheese and other dairy.

I don't know why people get so hung up on chicken breast, chicken breast, and more chicken breast. I'd be bored out of my mind.

To be fair, chicken breast is much cheaper than other lean protein, so it's often an easy choice (of course, I only buy it when it's under $2 a lb). Dairy (except fat free or low fat) isn't such a great source of protein either, but steak, sausage, fish, can easily run $5-$10 a lb. Even chicken thighs or drumsticks at $1 a lb is expensive in comparison as you pay for the bones.

campurban

chickpeas/ garbonzo beans. 1 cup gives 14.5 grams of protein

phoebe1975

My favorite protein has to be canned salmon from Costco- it has to be from Costco because the other brands are mushy and gross lol! It is inexpensive, doesn't have to be refrigerated, you can just open it and put it on a salad or pasta or use it to make salmon cakes- I eat it almost every day. The runner-up is eggs!

sgt1372

Favorites?.

A medium rare (more rare tham med) 2" thick NY Strip Steak and Cantonese style beef jerky (juicy and sticky sweet).

YUM!

workinonit1956

I love chicken breast the way I roast it. lol
Also, cottage cheese, Fage, steak, thick burgers and chick peas.

livingleanlivingclean

aokoye wrote: »

If it wasn't clear, I typically shape my meals around protein, not the other way around. For example, tomorrow I'm planning on making thai curry (dinner) and some chicken dish with preserved lemons (lunch). I'll eat the curry, which will also have various vegetables in it, with rice and I'll probably make brussels sprouts which I'll have with the other dish. The only protein that I ever really incorporate into anything is green beans.

Green beans? Hardly a "go to" for increasing protein.

If the op was eating similar meals, they could increase protein by changing rice for quinoa. Adding beans (not the green vegetable variety) and legumes would also bump up protein.

RonyMack

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Bone in pork chops, chicken thighs, pork tenderloin, flank steak, cod, shrimp, salmon, tuna, trout, mahi mahi, ground beef, various sausages, eggs, cheese and other dairy.

I don't know why people get so hung up on chicken breast, chicken breast, and more chicken breast. I'd be bored out of my mind.

Probably because it's cheap. I sure cant afford to eat cod. salmon, mahi or steak on a daily basis.

Millicent3015

Rib eye steak, ice cream, Greek style and skyr yogurt, protein shakes, grilled mackerel, any seafood except scallops (they taste like a fish and a chicken mated and had a lovechild), black eye beans, chick peas, lentils, cheese, nuts, pork, eggs, sausages, edamame beans. I'm yet to try tofu.

Seffell

I don't like meat much so I eat protein mousses for breakfast. These are just protein shakes which I make very airy and thick so that when I turn the shaker bowl down it doesn't pour but just stands in the bowl. I use flavoured protein powder, cold bananas, cold soy milk and frozen mango. Yum!

AnnPT77

I haven't eaten a single chicken breast (or other body part).

Beans - chili, black bean/sweet potato tacos, refried beans with chopped onions/peppers/cheese/salsa, lupini beans as a snack, 100-calorie broad bean snack packs for salty/crunchy goodness.

Greek yogurt - I prefer nonfat, and use it in my oatmeal, as a sour cream alternative (on chili, omelets or scrambled eggs, tacos/enchiladas), as a salad dressing base (I prefer to make my own), as the glue for things like deviled eggs or egg salad, or on frozen berries as a dessert (chocolate peanut butter powder is a good addition to this).

Skim milk - major hot skimmed milk in my coffee = 12g of my daily protein, most days.

Soy pasta or black bean pasta - this doesn't have a texture like wheat pasta; it's more chewy. I don't like it in place of regular pasta in Italian-esque formulations (though chickpea pasta is pretty good for that IMO). Rather, I prefer the soy or black bean types in Asian-style preparations with veggies. A particular favorite is with peanut sauce made from peanut butter powder, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and any seasonings of choice (chili sauce, chopped green onions, ginger, Szechuan pepper - not all at once - or that sort of thing . . . sesame oil if I have the calories). These pastas have 20-something grams of protein in around 200 calories.

Smoked tofu - Loving it in wraps or pita with mild cheese, raw sauerkraut, mustard, sweet onions.

Tempeh - lightly browned in the frying pan and tossed into stir fries or scrambled eggs.

Eggs - Scrambled, fried, omelets of many sorts, deviled eggs made with Greek yogurt, egg salad ditto.

Nutritional yeast - to give certain foods a tiny protein bump with some flavor and useful micros. Good in bean soups/stews, and I like mixing it in cottage cheese.

Cottage cheese - I like it as a salad topping, or eaten with nutritional yeast/cumin/turmeric/pepper mixed in it.

Nuts, seeds, nut butters - Yes, a better fat source than protein source, but - because I tend to run low on my fat macro - they're a good choice for me when I want to add crunch or richness to food, with a little protein. I put them on salads, in oatmeal, and have even blended them into soups.

Other cheese - This has a rep as super high fat, but some are not as high as others. It adds a lot of nice mouth-feel and richness for manageable calories, for me. Some of the goat cheeses or farmer/paneer-type cheeses are more calorie efficient, for example. A small amount of a hard parmesan-type cheese adds a lot of yum and a few grams of protein, for manageable calories, too.

In terms of all-day protein, you might consider taking a page from the smart-vegetarian playbook: Small amounts of protein through the day add up. One big protein, central to each meal, is a great thing, too . . . but you'd be surprised what you can do if you take a critical look at your food diary, find things that are high in calories but low in protein, and cut back a little on those in favor of other foods you like that have even a bit of protein for that calorie expenditure. Even some fruits, veggies, and mushrooms have some protein - usually incomplete WRT to essential amino acids, but useful if you get a wide variety to balance out the aminos.

aokoye

livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

aokoye wrote: »

If it wasn't clear, I typically shape my meals around protein, not the other way around. For example, tomorrow I'm planning on making thai curry (dinner) and some chicken dish with preserved lemons (lunch). I'll eat the curry, which will also have various vegetables in it, with rice and I'll probably make brussels sprouts which I'll have with the other dish. The only protein that I ever really incorporate into anything is green beans.

Green beans? Hardly a "go to" for increasing protein.

If the op was eating similar meals, they could increase protein by changing rice for quinoa. Adding beans (not the green vegetable variety) and legumes would also bump up protein.

Did you read the rest of my post?
Edit: or the post above that was essentially "meat, meat, meat, more meat, meat" Again - I build my meals around protein which I suggest the OP try out.

hesn92

Literally any other meat lol. I mostly eat chicken breast, ground beef and pork loin... because they're cheap. I'd love to eat more ribs, steak, and salmon but, just no. Too expensive.

I like cottage cheese a lot too.

belladamjc

Going outside the standard box a little, for protein with a minimum of fat, game is ideal particularly in the fall/autumn.
Venison or roast pheasant/other game bird with a variety of fruity sauces or stewed rabbit. There are loads of recipes that can be tinkered slightly for a low calorie feast!

Lillymoo01

My favourite sources of protein are

Chicken, turkey, beef (mainly minced as this is most affordable), kangaroo (we must be the only country that eats our national emblem), and fish (too expensive to have too much though)

Eggs, Greek yoghurt, and cheese

Nuts, black beans, lentils, pumpkin seeds, and chickpeas

Protein bars and powder (I add the powder to my breakfast cereal in the morning).