A sports dietitian shares 4 high-protein meals you can make without eggs, from breakfast to dinner
A sports dietitian shares what she eats instead of eggs to get enough protein throughout the day.
Foods such as oatmeal, beans, dairy, lean meats, and nuts and seeds are good sources of protein.
A simple guideline is to aim for 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal from a variety of sources.
Eggs, the gold standard of cheap protein for breakfast and beyond, are costing more than ever.
It's enough to make anyone cringe at the grocery store, Nancy Clark, a registered sports dietitian and author, told Business Insider — but you don't need them to get enough protein.
Clark said she does still eat eggs, but buying them is a bigger blow to her budget and she's making more of an effort to get her money's worth.
"It's fewer eggs, maybe two instead of three, and I always eat the yolk," she said.
She's also leaning toward more affordable proteins, such as whole grains, legumes, and dairy, to get enough of the nutrient daily. Research suggests adults need at least 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight every day and up to 0.7 grams to maximize muscle gains.
Here are some of Clark's go-to meals to get enough protein and other nutrients while cutting back on eggs.
For breakfast: oatmeal, nut butter, and dairy
Clark said her approach to getting enough protein is to build meals that incorporate a variety of protein sources that add up to about 20 to 30 grams of protein per meal.
It starts with breakfast. Clark often relies on oats, which provide about 6 grams of protein per half-cup.
She then mixes in almond butter and milk (dairy, not almond or oat milk) to add even more protein and healthy fats for a well-balanced, filling meal.
Oatmeal is also high in fiber and packs a ton of carbs, good for building muscle and boosting energy. Ideally, you want a 2-to-1 ratio of carbs to protein, since "it's actually carbs that fuel muscles," Clark said.
For lunch: lentil soup with homemade bread
Clark's midday meal amps up the nutrients of a classic soup-and-sandwich lunch with bread that she makes using almond flour. It contains twice as much protein as all-purpose flour.
Her go-to choice for soup is lentils, with about 18 grams of protein per cup, plus nutrients such as iron, magnesium, and B vitamins.
If you're not in the mood for a soup, add high-protein legumes (such as chickpeas) to a salad for an extra boost at lunch.
To snack: nuts, seeds, and cheese
Between meals, Clark said she reaches for cottage cheese, offering about 13 grams of protein per half-cup serving, sometimes drizzled with olive oil for a boost of antioxidants.
If that's not your thing, other popular cheeses such as Parmesan pack a surprising amount of protein (about 8 grams per 1-ounce serving — roughly the size of your thumb).
"Dairy is an excellent source of high-quality protein," Clark said.
To round out a snack plate, Clark also regularly stocks nuts such as walnuts and almonds, which contain 4 to 6 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving (a small handful), in addition to healthy fats and fiber.
For dinner: Mexican lasagna
Clark said one of her staple recipes for dinner is Mexican lasagna, a casserole made with lean ground beef or turkey, taco seasonings, beans, and layers of corn tortillas, topped with cheese.
The combination offers plenty of protein for a satisfying way to end the day and can be flexible based on whatever kind of beans or veggies you have on hand.
Read the original article on Business Insider
