Pescatarian

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runsports50
runsports50 Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How do you pescatarian eaters get your protein when you don't want to overdo it with the seafood?

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  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,070 Member
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    Can't speak to the fishies, but as an ovo-lacto vegetarian . . .

    * Look at this thread to find calorie-efficient protein sources (meaty/fishy near the top of linked spreadsheet, others further down)
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also

    * Review our diary regularly, looking for foods that "cost" a lot of calories, don't deliver enough nutrition, satiation, tastiness, etc.; then reduce or eliminate those that don't earn their keep to make calorie room for things that help more with the goal. There are veggies with more protein than others, fruits, snacks, grains . . . find 'em on the spreadsheet at the link above, eat 'em.

    Things that help me: Legume-based pastas (chickpea, red lentil, edamame), nonfat Greek yogurt (including as a sour cream sub); calorie-efficient cheeses; crispy chickpeas or crispy broad beans as snacks; Beanitos tortilla chips; all the legumes; tofu (including secret tofu, like silken tofu blended into "creamy" soups or sauces; smoked tofu diced in soups & stuff); peanut butter powder or almond butter powder (in sauces or as a flavoring, not as a spread); nutritional yeast where the flavor works as an enhancement; miso as a flavoring. That's just a few.

    One big protein per meal is what omnivores do: It's good. Those of us with fewer animal source can think in terms of adding small bits of protein in many roles, spread through the day . . . they add up.
  • OliveSalt
    OliveSalt Posts: 47 Member
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    Think more of Japanese style portions and meals rather than Western, using fish more as a garnish or flavoring rather than a big steak.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    @AnnPT77 has some good advice.

    Anecdotally, most of pescatarians I know are adding fish to a diet that has plenty of protein from plants, eggs, and dairy rather than trying to meet most of their need for protein from fish. With that in mind, looking at vegetarian meal patterns may help you with your meal planning.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited March 2021
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    What am I missing here? Shrimp has the same protein by weight as steak and 1/3 the calories. Haddock a little more. Salmon has more but a lot of calories. An 8 oz piece of sea bass if one can afford it has 54 grams of protein.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    What am I missing here?

    Most pescatarians likely don't have fish daily. So they will eat more like vegetarians than the average US meat eater (although may vary a lot in how much they eat fish).
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    What am I missing here? Shrimp has the same protein by weight as steak and 1/3 the calories. Haddock a little more. Salmon has more but a lot of calories. An 8 oz piece of sea bass if one can afford it has 54 grams of protein.

    The OP said he didn't want to "overdo it with the seafood."
  • VegjoyP
    VegjoyP Posts: 2,710 Member
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    Lentils, beans and nuts. In the Mediterranean the elders traditionally encorperated legumes and fish in thirr diet.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
    edited March 2021
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    What am I missing here? Shrimp has the same protein by weight as steak and 1/3 the calories. Haddock a little more. Salmon has more but a lot of calories. An 8 oz piece of sea bass if one can afford it has 54 grams of protein.

    The OP said he didn't want to "overdo it with the seafood."

    Is a person overdoing it with meat if they eat meat every day?
    .
    Whaddaya think? Seafood once a week for a pescatarian is about right?

    There are about 30 retail choices for seafood that don't have breading on them. I could have something different every night for a month.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,400 Member
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    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    What am I missing here? Shrimp has the same protein by weight as steak and 1/3 the calories. Haddock a little more. Salmon has more but a lot of calories. An 8 oz piece of sea bass if one can afford it has 54 grams of protein.

    The OP said he didn't want to "overdo it with the seafood."

    Is a person overdoing it with meat if they eat meat every day?
    .
    Whaddaya think? Seafood once a week for a pescatarian is about right?

    There are about 30 retail choices for seafood that don't have breading on them. I could have something different every night for a month.

    My husband (67) has been pescatarian all his life. I've cooked for him for 36 years. He does not eat fish everyday--good quality fish is expensive and perhaps that is the OP's problem. I make fish at least twice a week. I'm cooking for grown sons, who are not pescatarian, so need to balance things out. My husband has always eaten a great deal of cheese, legumes, and eggs. I agree with the vegetarian approach with fish added in. Several years ago we started supplementing with whey protein powder.

    My husband is in fantastic shape. If I didn't have meat leftovers from the meals I cook for my sons, I'd join my husband.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,493 Member
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    Same way vegans get plenty of protein.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
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    Its funny, I had a choice beef filet on Sat from the meat store. At $24 lb I thought it would be a real treat since I am not limited by any food doctrines. Actually, as good as it was, it came as a complete disappointment. The Salmon and lobster I had Sunday was far superior. 583 calories including french fries. And, I lost another pound this week. 3z9lpzf8ejkl.jpg
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    edited March 2021
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    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    Its funny, I had a choice beef filet on Sat from the meat store. At $24 lb I thought it would be a real treat since I am not limited by any food doctrines. Actually, as good as it was, it came as a complete disappointment. The Salmon and lobster I had Sunday was far superior. 583 calories including french fries. And, I lost another pound this week.

    Even if OP wants lobster or other seafood for dinner every night, they may want options for non-seafood breakfasts and lunches. That's what the post is asking -- what are pescatarians having for protein other than seafood. I don't think we need to get into a discussion of what "overdoing" it means in this context, we can take the post at the face value request for sources of protein that aren't seafood but fit into a pescatarian diet.
  • wilson10102018
    wilson10102018 Posts: 1,306 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    Its funny, I had a choice beef filet on Sat from the meat store. At $24 lb I thought it would be a real treat since I am not limited by any food doctrines. Actually, as good as it was, it came as a complete disappointment. The Salmon and lobster I had Sunday was far superior. 583 calories including french fries. And, I lost another pound this week.

    Even if OP wants lobster or other seafood for dinner every night, they may want options for non-seafood breakfasts and lunches. That's what the post is asking -- what are pescatarians having for protein other than seafood. I don't think we need to get into a discussion of what "overdoing" it means in this context, we can take the post at the face value request for sources of protein that aren't seafood but fit into a pescatarian diet.

    Oh, I forgot. You are in control of how we interpret the OP's questions and the subject matter of our replies. Sorry, I'll delete my post as soon as I get done putting away the dishes.
  • 75in2013
    75in2013 Posts: 360 Member
    edited March 2021
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    runsports50 wrote: »
    How do you pescatarian eaters get your protein when you don't want to overdo it with the seafood?

    Are pescatarians allowed dairy? Harzer, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt ...

    @AndrikosDE created an awesome spreadsheet where you can filter for can filter for food category etc.: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12LrMGp8HiWl2FW-odoexKBMxeDTMUhwd4ooT6VoolJk/edit#gid=0

    EDIT: just saw that @AnnPT77 linked to the original thread were this spreadsheet was posted already
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,897 Member
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    snowflake954 wrote: »
    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    wilson10102018 wrote: »
    What am I missing here? Shrimp has the same protein by weight as steak and 1/3 the calories. Haddock a little more. Salmon has more but a lot of calories. An 8 oz piece of sea bass if one can afford it has 54 grams of protein.

    The OP said he didn't want to "overdo it with the seafood."

    Is a person overdoing it with meat if they eat meat every day?
    .
    Whaddaya think? Seafood once a week for a pescatarian is about right?

    There are about 30 retail choices for seafood that don't have breading on them. I could have something different every night for a month.

    My husband (67) has been pescatarian all his life. I've cooked for him for 36 years. He does not eat fish everyday--good quality fish is expensive and perhaps that is the OP's problem. I make fish at least twice a week. I'm cooking for grown sons, who are not pescatarian, so need to balance things out. My husband has always eaten a great deal of cheese, legumes, and eggs. I agree with the vegetarian approach with fish added in. Several years ago we started supplementing with whey protein powder.

    My husband is in fantastic shape. If I didn't have meat leftovers from the meals I cook for my sons, I'd join my husband.

    Yes, the cost of fish compared to chicken is why I don't eat more fish. I do make a point of eating more fish during Lent, when all my supermarkets have sales.

    I bought some frozen salmon for the crazy low price of $4 a pound and it wasn't great baked but was wonderful as fish cakes. These are a lot more work, but time I have to spend.
  • JoDavo66
    JoDavo66 Posts: 526 Member
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    I eat mainly vegetarian and it is hard to get my protein as high I was I want.
    I've been adding protein powder to greek yoghurt & making overnight oats. I also take a powder portion to work for break times on my 3 long days.
    I use quorn products in meat recipes as well as veggie ones & sometimes tofu.

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