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15 High Protein Meal Prep Ideas to Achieve Your Nutritional Goals
10/19/2023
Did you know that eating high protein food can be instrumental for losing weight, gaining muscle, and feeling more energized after meals? We’ve gathered some amazing high protein meal prep ideas to help you prepare nourishing meals and snacks to eat throughout the week.
You’ll find out how to plan your high protein meals for weight loss or muscle gain, as well as what vegan and vegetarian foods will help you get sufficient protein.
Key Takeaways
- High protein meals can be made from ingredients rich in either plant-based or animal-based protein.
- Some of the foods with the most protein include fish, seafood, lean meat, yogurt, eggs, lentils, beans, and nuts.
- A protein-rich diet can help you achieve various nutritional goals, like losing weight, building muscles, or maintaining a vegan diet.
What Are Good High Protein Meals?
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There’s a huge variety of great high protein meals, and they’re no harder to cook than any other kind. All you need is a bit of planning. While meat contains a lot of protein, your options aren’t limited to meals that include a lot of meat. You can get protein from vegetables, grains, and even some kinds of fruit. Examples of good high protein meals include yoghurt cereal bowls, Cobb salads, quinoa and vegetable bowls, curries, and stir-fries.
To make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet, alternate animal-based protein (like meat and dairy) with plant-based protein (vegetables, grains, and fruit). Research shows that it’s better for your muscles and more likely to contribute to healthy body weight.
What Are the Top 10 Best Protein Foods?
Fish
One of the best sources of animal-based protein and healthy fats, fish like salmon and tuna can make for a healthy and satisfying meal.
Seafood and Shellfish
It’s easy to add seafood to your diet as it’s a great addition to all kinds of salads, paellas, casseroles, and pasta.
Lean Meat
Low-fat meat like chicken breast (without skin) or lean beef are the best for protein-rich meals. They don’t contain as much fat as other types of meat and can be fried or stewed.
Eggs
There are so many ways to prepare eggs. You can make scrambled eggs, omelets, frittatas, or poached eggs, and they’re an important ingredient in many salads.
Yogurt
Yogurt is in itself nourishing and protein-rich, but it can also be combined with high-protein grains like quinoa and oatmeal, nuts, and fruits that contain a lot of protein.
Lentils
Like other legumes, lentils contain a variety of nutrients, including protein. They are often used as a meat alternative in vegan recipes.
Nuts
Not only are nuts a good source of plant-based protein, but they also contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Peanuts contain the highest amount of protein, but almonds, cashews, and pistachios are also high-protein options.
Beans
Whether it’s black beans or butter beans, all varieties are great choices for adding some plant-based protein to your diet.
Soy products
Tofu and edamame are two examples of soy products, which are known for their high protein content. You can also add soybean sprouts to fresh salads or use them in stir-fry recipes.
Chickpeas
One of the vegetables that contain the most protein, chickpeas can be used in salads or vegetable stews to provide the necessary plant-based protein to your meals.
Related: How to Meal Prep a Salad: Dos & Don'ts (+ Recipes)
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15 High Protein Meal Prep Ideas to Accomplish Your Specific Goals
Planning meals for the entire week can be tough. It’s even more of a challenge when you have a particular nutritional goal in mind, such as weight loss, muscle gain, or eating vegan. Meal prep can be the best solution in this case. Plan ahead and prepare the basic ingredients you’ll need to accomplish your goals throughout the week.
High Protein Low Carb Meal Prep Ideas for Weight Loss
Studies show that a high-protein diet can help you lose weight. So, explore below some tasty and nutritional high protein low carb meal prep recipes for weight loss.
1. Easy Shrimp and Vegetable Skillet
Image by Cooktoria
One easy way to cook a low-carb and high-protein seafood meal is by combining shrimp with your favorite vegetables. If you buy frozen deveined and peeled shrimp and cut the vegetables in advance, you can usually make this meal in less than 20 minutes.
2. Stir-Fry Sesame Chicken
Image by Skinny Ms
This chicken stir-fry uses chicken breast, which is low in fat, bell peppers, and green beans. It’s a wonderful way to eat spicy Chinese-style cuisine without putting your weight loss plan at risk. If you want to meal prep it, slice the vegetables in advance and store them in a separate container in the fridge until you need to use them.
You can also save yourself the time and effort, and order Cookunity’s tasty Chicken and Veggie Stir Fry anytime!
3. Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps
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If you can’t resist Mexican food but want to lose weight at the same time, making these lettuce tacos is a great way to compromise. The ground turkey and vegetables are a healthy combination that won’t endanger your weight loss program, and they taste great, too! You can prepare the ground meat and toppings in advance.
4. Tuna Salad with Egg
Image by EatingWell
You can combine tuna with a whole variety of salad greens and add capers, scallions, green onions, and more. If you want to meal prep this salad, just use hardier salad greens, like romaine or iceberg lettuce. Mix the ingredients together right before eating and always add the seasoning last of all.
5. Spicy Chickpea Bowl
Image by All Nutritious
This is another quick meal you can prepare in advance. You can combine chickpeas with peppers or other vegetables of your choice and store them in the fridge. If you want, you can always add some fresh herbs, lemon juice, or spicy seasoning before eating.
What High Protein Foods to Meal Prep for Muscle Gain?
To build muscle, high proten meal prepping is essential because it can help you maximize your dietary intake to achieve your objectives. Check out below some great high protein meal prep recipes for muscle gain.
6. Pesto Chicken
Image by Eat This
Pesto contains nuts and cheese, and it’s a great product if you want an energizing meal. Use lean chicken meat to lower the amount of fat. You can buy organic pesto from the store or make your own with additional nuts.
7. Sweet Potato Hash
Image by My Protein
If you need something you can prepare a big portion of and take for lunch during the week, try combining sweet potatoes, sausage, eggs, and chickpeas. A delicious combination, it works well with spicy sausage or even ground beef. There are three high-protein ingredients in this meal, which will make sure your muscles get all the protein they need.
8. Salmon with Vegetables
Image by All Nutritious
Salmon is a wonderful choice for muscle gain, as it is not only rich in protein, but also contains vitamin B and omega-3 fatty acids. It’s very quick and easy to cook, too. You can meal prep the vegetables, just make sure you choose durable options that go well with salmon, like broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, and parsnip.
And if you feel like trying something different, order Cookunity’s Crispy Roasted Salmon and Haricot Verts, prepared with love by an award-winning chef!
9. Low-Carb Zucchini Lasagna
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You don’t have to forget about Italian food while adhering to a muscle-building protein diet. Try making a dish of mouth-watering lasagna with zucchini and ground beef to take with you for lunch. Slices of zucchini take the place of pasta, and lean ground beef together with ricotta cheese provide the protein.
10. Black Rice Grain Bowl
Image by Men’s Health
Rice grain bowls can also be full of proteins if you use the right vegetables to go into them. One great combination is black rice, portobello mushrooms, spinach, carrots, and edamame beans. All of the vegetables and the rice can be meal prepped, and you can simply add the spinach leaves and seasoning.
High Protein Meal Prep Ideas for Vegans and Vegetarians
So, what do vegans eat on a high-protein diet? Well, it's simple to get plenty of protein if you're on a plant-based diet, as there's a wide choice of meat-, egg-, and dairy-free options out there. From lentils, beans and tofu to high-protein whole grains, like quinoa, as well as nuts and seeds, discover how to best use these ingredients below if you want to learn to high protein meal prep for vegans effectively.
11. Vegan Lasagna
Image by Nora Cooks
Lasagna is a versatile dish that has some amazing vegan variations and is a great batch-cooked lunch. If you use lentils as a ground beef substitute and include cashew nuts and tofu, it’s not only going to taste great but also provide incredible nutritional value.
12. Chickpea Cutlets
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You can use chickpeas to make delicious cutlets for dinner, which you can also slice to put in a salad or burger. A larger portion will be enough to last you for the working week, and you can add a spicy sauce or mustard for flavor.
13. Tofu Scramble with Broccoli, Mushrooms, and Kale
Image by Simple Veganista
Tofu is often used as a vegan scrambled eggs substitute. If you want a protein-rich variant, use vegetables like broccoli, mushrooms, and kale that will provide additional protein. It’s a wonderful breakfast, but you can also take some with you for lunch!
14. Vegetable Quinoa Bowl
Image by Simply Quinoa
If you want something easy to meal prep and fresh at the same time, try making a vegetable quinoa bowl. You can roast the vegetables of your choice in advance, including some high-protein veggies (like cauliflower), and have them ready to combine with the cooked quinoa. The best part is that you can use all kinds of sauces and seasonings, so it’s never boring.
Or why don’t you try Cookunity’s Sustainable Chickpea & Quinoa Bowl - a delicious plant-based quinoa recipe for all vegans and vegetarions on a high-protein diet?
15. Vegan Pumpkin Peanut Butter Soup
Image by The Conscientious Eater
As the days get colder, it’s nice to have comfort food like pumpkin soup on the menu. If you combine pumpkin with peanut butter, the soup will be creamier and you’ll get much more protein from your meal. It also tastes better the next day, making an ideal next-day lunch.
Related: How to Get Protein as a Vegan? Meet Your Protein Needs
High Protein Meal Prep Ideas: FAQs
Q: How to do meal prepping?
A: You can meal prep by cooking some of the ingredients that you will use throughout your week in advance. If you store the meals correctly and use the right ingredients, meal prepping can save you a lot of time and money.
Q: What vegetables are high in protein for meal prep?
A: There’s a variety of protein-rich vegetables to choose from, including soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, beans, spinach, green peas, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts.
Q: What fruits are high in protein?
A: While fruit normally contains less protein than meat or vegetables, there are types of fruit that are rich in protein, too. These are guava, granadilla, avocado, jackfruit, pomegranate, and apricots, as well as many types of berries.
Q: What plant-based foods are high in protein?
A: Grains, nuts, and seeds contain a lot of protein. Some of the most protein-rich ones include peanuts, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pistachios, cashews, chia, and sesame seeds.
Related: What Can You Eat on the Atkins Diet? The Ultimate Guide
Conclusion
Some of the most delicious high protein meal prep ideas are very easy to cook. It not only saves you time and money, but also helps you achieve your health goals. Whether you want to lose weight or you're on an intermittent fasting meal plan, high protein, low carb foods will keep you feeling energized and strong. We hope you now feel inspired to experiment and to eat meals that will leave you feeling satisfied and healthy.
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