8 Ways to Add More Protein to Your Diet

Protein, protein, protein! Everyone is obsessed with protein. While protein is am important nutrient, most Americans do not need to be as crazed as they are about getting more protein in their diets. By eating a standard, nutritious diet, you are likely to get enough protein for your body's needs. Consult a registered dietitian for help in figuring out how much protein you need (based on your age, sex, activity level, etc).

Greek Meatball and Zoodle Bowls

That being said, protein is important. Getting enough protein in your diet helps with muscle recovery after exercise, illness, surgery, etc. Proteins are the building blocks of life. All of the cells in your body need protein. You need protein in your body to repair cells and make new ones. It is especially important in those who are growing including pregnant women, teens and children.

Here are 10 ways to add more protein into your diet:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal

1. Bulk up your oatmeal

I love adding chia seeds, ground flax seeds, hemp seeds and a bit of protein powder to my morning oatmeal to make my oatmeal more nutritious and filling. Then, I top it all off with peanut butter for healthy fats and more protein.

Fruit and Yogurt Cereal Cups made with Greek yogurt.

2. Choose Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt has more protein than traditional yogurt. Depending on the variety, one serving of Greek yogurt typically has 11-14 grams of protein.

Loaded Chilaquiles

3. Add eggs to your diet

Eggs are a great source of protein and can be eaten anytime during the day: breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack. Each egg has about 7 grams of protein. You can eat them fried in the morning, hard boiled for a snack and have breakfast for dinner in the evening with veggie loaded scrambled eggs.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

4. Dip your veggies in hummus

Vegetables are a great snack and instead of veggie dip, have hummus for a protein and fiber rich snack.

Green Mojito Smoothie

5. Blend up a smoothie

Smoothies are a great time to get a boost of protein in your diet. Along with fruits and vegetables, you can add milk, yogurt, protein powder and more.

This Spinach Artichoke Chicken uses Greek yogurt as a healthier swap.

6. Use yogurt as a swap

For almost any recipe that calls for sour cream, you can use Greek yogurt instead. It will taste the same and it will give you a boost of protein.

Greek Chopped Salad with Roasted Chickpeas

7. Add beans

Beans are a great source of fiber and protein and help make any meal more filling. I love them in a salad especially or having roasted chickpeas for a snack.

8. Drink a protein shake

Nowadays, it is easy to find a tasty protein shake that is pre-made and ready to drink on-the-go. My husband especially likes the Premier Protein organic shakes which have 25 grams of protein each. The protein comes from whey and milk proteins- they do not contain soy. Each one is 150 calories and only has 5 grams of sugar. They have no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors.
They contain no antibiotics, synthetic hormones or toxic pesticides. They comes in chocolate and vanilla flavors. You can drink these as is or you can blend them up into a smoothie such as a peanut butter and jelly smoothie with berries, peanut butter and one of these shakes. Go to Costco.com for more information about the Premier Protein Organic Shakes.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.