A 5-day high protein meal plan (at least 100 grams of protein per day) but with minimal cooking. This is for the people who aren’t great in the kitchen, despise cooking, or just don’t have time to but still want to consume a higher overall protein intake.
I tried to include a variety of different ideas with the protein breakdown included so you can easily customize these ideas to your own preferences. If you’re someone who relies on takeout often, this meal plan can offer you some other ideas which are likely healthier (and more cost-effective) than ordering out!
The Benefits of a Higher Protein Diet
First, let’s talk what is considered “high protein”. This is completely subjective but I consider the “ideal” amount of protein to be 1.2-1.7 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. This is quite a bit higher than that RDA, or recommended dietary allowance.
Aim for 25-30 grams of protein per meal and at least 10 grams of protein per snack!
I’ve listed some of the many benefits of consuming this much protein per day.
- Protein aids in building and repairing tissue as well as hormone production.
- Consuming meals with a higher protein content slows down the digestion of food, increasing satiety and aiding in blood sugar stabilization. Because of this, higher protein consumption has been associated with decreased mindless snacking and lower overall caloric intake.
- Protein takes the longest to digest and burns the most calories while doing so.
- A higher protein diet can ensure preservation of lean muscle mass which can positively affect metabolism.
Sample Meal Plans
The protein breakdown for each day is just an estimation and individual preparation and ingredient may lead to slight discrepancies. Use this meal plan as inspiration to build your own easy, minimal prep, high protein meals!
For more high protein meal ideas:
— 30 Breakfasts with 30 Grams of Protein
— High Protein Meal Prep on a Budget
— 120 Grams of Protein Meal Plan
— 120 Grams of Protein Vegetarian Meal Plan
This post does contain Amazon affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I receive a small compensation if a purchase is made.
Day 1 = 103.5 Grams of Protein
Breakfast:
Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats (37g protein), a delicious easy meal prep recipe with a combination of protein powder and Greek yogurt. Can omit the protein powder and it will still be high in protein!
Lunch:
Tuna Salad Sandwich with Fruit.
1/3 cup of tuna salad (18g protein), 2 slices of bread (10g protein) = 28g protein.
Dinner:
Rice-A-Roni with Canned Chicken and Frozen Broccoli.
Follow the directions on a package of Rice-A-Roni and add two cans (drained) of chicken. Makes 3.5 servings with 16.5 grams of protein. I actually made this one night and added a little Greek yogurt for extra protein. Add a glass of milk and the total for this meal is 24.5 grams of protein!
Snack:
Aloha Protein Bar with 14 grams of protein.
When it comes to already packaged or processed foods, like Kraft Mac and Cheese and Rice-A-Roni: think about what you can ADD to these meals to make them more nutritious and well-balanced.
Day 2 = ~100 Grams of Protein Total
Breakfast:
Banana Berry Smoothie (20-40 grams of protein depending on if protein powder is used).
Lunch:
Healthy Choice Power Bowl Spicy Black Bean and Chicken (20g protein). Read my top 10 High Protein Frozen Meals for other options. Pair this with a medium apple and two tablespoons of peanut butter. Meal total: 28g protein.
Dinner:
Rotisserie chicken (4 ounce serving) with frozen cauliflower rice and frozen mixed vegetables. Drizzle your favorite store-bought sauce on top. This would provide about 30 grams of protein. 4 ounces is equal to the size of a deck of cards.
Snack:
1/2 cup of garbanzo beans, 1/2 cup of diced cucumber, and 1/4 cup feta cheese. Drizzle with Italian dressing to make a feta bean salad (12g protein).
Many of these recipes rely on dairy products. Scroll down for my dairy-free, high protein meal plan (day 4).
Day 3: 111 Grams of Protein Total
Breakfast:
Post Premier Protein Cereal + 8 ounces of milk = about 28 grams of protein. Try Fairlife milk to increase the protein content by about 5 grams! It’s also 99% lactose-free.
Lunch:
Healthy Egg Salad (Eat the Gains): A simple egg salad made with Greek yogurt for extra protein. This recipe has 23 grams of protein per serving. Spread it on a higher protein wrap for a total of about 29 grams of protein.
Dinner:
Mediterranean Chicken, Cucumber and Feta Salad
Use up more of that rotisserie chicken you bought, chop some fresh veggies, drain and rinse chickpeas and you have this super easy salad that even uses store-bought Olive Garden dressing. Each serving provides 30.5 grams of protein!
Snack: Cinnamon Roll Protein Pudding (23g protein); shown below. A tasty twist to Greek yogurt that’s more like dessert disguised as a healthy snack.
If you’re looking to reach an even higher protein intake on day 3, add one more snack– like hard-boiled eggs, a handful of nuts, or apples and peanut butter.
Day 4 (Dairy-Free) = 124 Grams of Protein
Breakfast:
Creamy Banana Chia Pudding with Protein Powder (Fannetastic Food). Simply add 1 scoop of vanilla protein powder to this deliciously easy pudding made with coconut milk to provide a total of about 28 grams of protein, depending on the protein powder used.
Lunch:
Turkey and Hummus in a Pita with Spinach and Carrots. 4 ounces of low sodium deli turkey is about 18 grams of protein. Combined with the hummus and pita, this easy lunch provides about 25 grams of protein.
Dinner:
No Cook Burrito Bowl (Taming Twins). One of my favorite easy meals is a Mexican-inspired protein bowl. This recipe utilizes canned beans and corns, microwaveable rice, salsa, avocado and chicken (just use rotisserie). Each serving is 36 grams of protein!
Snacks:
Protein Coffee. One of the easiest ways to increase protein intake is to make a cold foam with preferred milk and protein powder to add an extra 25 grams of protein each day. If you don’t want to use protein powder, sub with 99% lactose-free Fairlife milk.
Edamame is also a great snack option with 10 grams of protein per 1/2 cup. Add in some fresh vegetables and an Asian dressing to make a small little salad.
For more easy snack recipes, check out my post on High Protein Snacks with Protein Powder or Easy Snacks with 10 Grams of Protein.
Day 5 = 116 Grams of Protein
Breakfast:
Macro-Friendly Protein Oatmeal (Haute and Healthy Living)
Throw this high protein oatmeal together in just 5 minutes, with a total of 29 grams of protein per serving.
Lunch:
Greek Yogurt Parfait. Pour 1 cup of Greek yogurt (28g protein) in a bowl and top with fresh berries, 1 Tbsp. peanut butter, and chopped nuts for crunch. There are endless customizations for a Greek yogurt parfait but this specific combo comes to about 35 grams of protein!
Dinner:
Air fryer Salmon Bites with Greek Yogurt Bang Bang Sauce. Serve over frozen or microwaveable rice and with your choice of frozen veggies. This recipe will take just 12 minutes to throw together and provides 26 grams of protein per serving.
Snacks:
The Only Bean Crunchy Roasted Edamame (11g protein)
2 hard-boiled eggs with whole wheat crackers, like Triscuits (15g protein)
Hope this Helps!
I always stress the importance of cooking meals at home, at least 80% of the week, and I hope this post helps those who don’t love the stress of cooking realize it doesn’t always have to be difficult. Take shortcuts when needed, be mindful of different foods that can increase the protein content of meals, and practice batch cooking to streamline the cooking process.
