Protein Panic? Our 125g Per Day Plan.
The global protein market is expected to swell to $100B(!) in the next few years. Marketers, celebrities, doctors, supplement makers, food manufacturers, Kardashians—everyone is jumping into the protein game. They’re looking for lazy suckers (like us) who don’t feel like shopping, cooking, or preparing our own meals. “Drink this shake! Add this powder to your coffee! Buy protein-enriched…everything!” But it doesn’t take a rocket (or food) scientist to know that getting your protein from whole, natural foods is infinitely healthier than consuming dubious powders, chemicals, and shakes. The federal RDA of dietary protein for adults was 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, so for a 150-pound adult, that’s about 55 grams of protein a day, or the equivalent of an 8-ounce steak. The newly revised dietary guidelines instead recommend 1.2 to 1.6 grams per kilogram, raising that 150-pound person’s recommendation to 80 to 110 grams a day. So, to be safe we’ve put together a 125g plan assuming we won’t always hit our eating goals (missed snacks or meal). We also tried to stay around 2000-ish calories because we believe, like Dr. Stacy Sims, that focusing on caloric intake rather than restriction is important for most people over 40 (assuming you are not obese). If you are vegan, be sure to follow Dr. Sims who is also vegan (and a protein evangelist). Watch her here.
How to read this list: We assembled a list of recipes from our favorite food influencers. Each dish is tagged with its protein and calorie count, straight from the creator's own nutrition panel. The whole-food add-ons that close each day's gap (turkey sandwiches, yogurt parfaits, rotisserie chicken, hummus, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, trail mix) are taken from standard USDA and brand nutrition-label figures.
No shakes, no protein powder, anywhere on this list. Enjoy!
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MONDAY 150g protein 1,776 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Ground Beef and Eggs — 17g protein · 242 calories
One skillet, Mediterranean spices, and the kind of savory breakfast that makes a sweet one feel like a mistake. Yumna Jawad, Feel Good Foodie
THE LUNCH — Southwest Chicken Burrito Bowls — 42g protein · 539 calories
Meal-prep-Sunday famous for a reason: chicken, black beans, corn, rice, all built to survive a Tupperware. Christine McMichael, Jar of Lemons · @jar.of.lemons
THE DINNER — Crockpot Pulled Pork Bowls — 39g protein · 423 calories
Dump it in before your first Zoom, forget about it, eat it with rice and pickled onions by dinner. The Real Food Dietitians · @therealfooddietitians
THE SNACK — Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich — 33g protein · 340 calories
Two slices whole-grain bread, 3 oz sliced turkey breast, one slice cheddar. The single best protein-per-bite item on this whole list, and it's just lunch meat. Standard deli turkey, cheddar & whole-grain bread nutrition labels
THE EXTRA BOOST — Greek Yogurt Berry Parfait — 19.5g protein · 232 calories
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, ½ cup berries, 2 tablespoons granola. Dessert-adjacent, breakfast-adjacent, entirely legal at 3 p.m. Standard Greek yogurt, berries & granola nutrition labels
TUESDAY 146g protein 1,775 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Turkish Eggs (Çılbır) — 22g protein · 295 calories
Poached eggs over garlicky yogurt, finished with spiced chili butter. It reads fancy. It takes fifteen minutes. Yumna Jawad, Feel Good Foodie
THE LUNCH — Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad — 42g protein · 634 calories
Shredded chicken, bacon, hard-boiled egg, and a Greek-yogurt Caesar dressing that skips the guilt without skipping the flavor. Lauren, Athlete Lunchbox · @athletelunchbox
THE DINNER — Sheet Pan Pork Tenderloin — 37g protein · 374 calories
One tray, a mustard pan sauce, roasted potatoes and asparagus. Dietitian-built, weeknight-tested. Jessie Shafer, RDN, The Real Food Dietitians
THE SNACK — Turkey & Cheddar Sandwich — 33g protein · 340 calories
The workhorse makes a second appearance this week. It earns it. Standard deli turkey, cheddar & whole-grain bread nutrition labels
THE EXTRA BOOST — Cottage Cheese & Pineapple — 12.5g protein · 132 calories
½ cup low-fat cottage cheese with ½ cup pineapple chunks — a diner-menu classic for a reason. Standard cottage cheese & pineapple nutrition labels
WEDNESDAY 130g protein 2,032 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Cottage Cheese Protein Pancakes — 34g protein · 424 calories
Three ingredients — cottage cheese, eggs, protein pancake mix — blended smooth, and the best protein-to-calorie breakfast on this whole list. Mika Kinney, Joy to the Food
THE LUNCH — Orange Chicken Meal Prep Bowls — 41g protein · 608 calories
Better than the takeout carton, and it doesn't leave you face-down by 3 p.m. Christine McMichael, Jar of Lemons · @jar.of.lemons
THE DINNER — Sheet Pan Chicken Bacon Ranch — 35g protein · 480 calories Crispy bacon, tender chicken, whatever vegetables need using up, and a ranch drizzle doing quiet, important work. Stacie Hassing, RDN, The Real Food Dietitians
THE SNACK — Peanut Butter Energy Bites (2) — 14g protein · 300 calories
No-bake, five minutes, tastes like cookie dough. Have two today — the day can afford it. Monique Volz, Ambitious Kitchen · @ambitiouskitchen
THE EXTRA BOOST — Trail Mix, ⅓ cup — 6g protein · 220 calories
Nuts, seeds, a little dried fruit — the pantry snack that predates all of this. Standard trail mix nutrition label
THURSDAY 129g protein
1,875 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Breakfast Burritos — 30g protein · 524 calories Scrambled eggs, black beans, cheese, salsa, and a freezer-friendly build so future-you doesn't have to think. Yumna Jawad, Feel Good Foodie
THE LUNCH — Hot Honey Chicken Bowls — 37g protein · 523 calories Sweet, spicy, and the reason meal-prep containers were invented. Christine McMichael, Jar of Lemons · @jar.of.lemons
THE DINNER — Easy Ham and Bean Soup — 34g protein · 368 calories Creamy white beans, leftover ham, one pot, and the kind of steam that fogs up the kitchen window. The Real Food Dietitians · @therealfooddietitians
THE SNACK — Hummus, Pita & Veggies — 8g protein · 280 calories ¼ cup hummus, half a pita, carrots and cucumber for scooping. Standard hummus & pita nutrition labels
THE EXTRA BOOST — Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps — 20g protein · 180 calories One 5 oz can of tuna in water, a spoon of mayo or Greek yogurt, wrapped in butter lettuce instead of bread. Standard canned tuna & mayonnaise nutrition labels
FRIDAY 127.5g protein
1,935 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Protein Overnight Oats — 30g protein · 466 calories
Made the night before, eaten cold, argued about (cinnamon or no cinnamon) every single time.
Brittany Mullins, Eating Bird Food · @eatingbirdfood
THE LUNCH — Crispy Buffalo Chicken Bowls — 35g protein · 544 calories
All the Super Bowl flavor, none of the "why do I feel like this" that follows actual wings. Christine McMichael, Jar of Lemons · @jar.of.lemons
THE DINNER — Sausage and Gnocchi Skillet — 33g protein · 520 calories Creamy, one-pan, and pillowy in a way that makes it feel like a cheat day even though it isn't one. The Real Food Dietitians · @therealfooddietitians
THE SNACK — Protein Cookie — 10g protein · 173 calories Six ingredients, no flour, legitimately a cookie. Brittany Mullins, Eating Bird Food · @eatingbirdfood
THE EXTRA BOOST — Greek Yogurt Berry Parfait — 19.5g protein · 232 calories
Same parfait as Monday. If it works, it works twice.
Standard Greek yogurt, berries & granola nutrition labels
SATURDAY — 139.5g protein · 1,917 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Pesto Eggs — 32g protein · 722 calories
The TikTok trend that actually deserved the hype: eggs fried straight into warm pesto, served over toast with ricotta. The most caloric breakfast on this list — worth it once a week. Yumna Jawad, Feel Good Foodie
THE LUNCH — Miso Glazed Salmon Bowls — 29g protein · 455 calories
Sticky-sweet miso glaze, rice, quick pickles — restaurant-tasting, sink-load-of-dishes-free. Christine McMichael, Jar of Lemons · @jar.of.lemons
THE DINNER — Easy Baked Cod — 34g protein · 355 calories
One dish, minimal cleanup, and the leanest dinner of the day — it has to be, after that breakfast. The Clean Eating Couple · @thecleaneatingcouple
THE SNACK — Turkey Jerky & String Cheese — 16g protein · 150 calories
1 oz turkey jerky, one string cheese. Gas-station-adjacent, in the best way. Standard turkey jerky & string cheese nutrition labels
THE EXTRA BOOST — Rotisserie Chicken & Apple — 28.5g protein · 235 calories
3 oz of the rotisserie chicken you already bought this week, plus a sliced apple. Standard cooked chicken breast & apple nutrition labels
SUNDAY — 128.5g protein · 1,946 calories
THE BREAKFAST — Easy Breakfast Tacos — 33g protein · 750 calories
The highest-protein breakfast in the lineup, and also the most caloric — the rest of the day stays lean specifically so this one gets to happen. Lee Funke, Fit Foodie Finds
THE LUNCH — Sweet Chili Chicken Meatball Bowls — 26g protein · 458 calories
The lightest lunch of the week, on purpose — breakfast already spent the calories breakfast usually doesn't touch. Christine McMichael, Jar of Lemons · @jar.of.lemons
THE DINNER — Easy Beef Stroganoff — 31g protein · 330 calories
The Sunday-dinner classic, dietitian-lightened, still creamy enough to lick the pan, and one of the leanest dishes on the entire list. The Real Food Dietitians · @therealfooddietitians
THE SNACK — Protein Cookie — 10g protein · 173 calories
Closing out the week the way we started it. Brittany Mullins, Eating Bird Food · @eatingbirdfood
THE EXTRA BOOST — Rotisserie Chicken & Apple — 28.5g protein · 235 calories
The last 28.5 grams of the week, from a chicken you probably already have. Standard cooked chicken breast & apple nutrition labels
Who Fed Us This Week
Feel Good Foodie — Yumna Jawad
Jar of Lemons — Christine McMichael
The Real Food Dietitians — Stacie Hassing & Jessie Shafer, RDNs
The Clean Eating Couple
Athlete Lunchbox — Lauren
Eating Bird Food — Brittany Mullins
Ambitious Kitchen — Monique Volz
Fit Foodie Finds — Lee Funke
Joy to the Food — Mika Kinney