Make sure you're meeting your growing protein requirements with these nutrition hacks and recipes
Protein is all the hype these days. But did you know that your protein needs actually do dramatically increase during pregnancy? Obviously pregnancy is time of rapid growth and development for both you and your baby-to-be. Forming new muscles, bones and organs actually alters the way that our bodies metabolize & utilize protein, causing requirements to sky rocket.
It's estimated that protein needs increase around the second trimester and then peak in the third (this is good news if you were surviving on crackers and bagels in the first trimester!). So once you're at the half way mark in your pregnancy it's a good idea to make sure you're getting in an abundance protein each day. Lets talk through some strategies to boost you're intake and meet you're growing needs without a ton of extra work!
Know your protein sources
Before we go any further, we first need to establish what foods are good sources of protein. Here is a list of common high-protein foods:
Animal Based Protein Plant Based Protein Dairy Based Protein
Beef, Venison, Lamb Nuts, Nut Butter & Seeds Milk
Chicken, Turkey, Duck Tofu, Tempeh, Edamame Cheese
Pork Soy Milk Greek Yogurt
Fish & Shellfish Beans Cottage Cheese
Organ Meats Whole Grains Kefir
Eggs Green Peas
Spinach
5 Tips & Tricks to Help You Focus on Protein
Protein can be a tricky food to focus on, as it often requires more cooking, meal preparation, and planning then quick carbs do. Here are some simple ideas to help you meet your protein needs in the second and third trimesters:
1. Include a protein with each meal or snack you eat: Getting in a source of protein every time you eat can is a straight forward rule of thumb to ensure that you're meeting your nutritional needs. So make sure that protein is present in some shape or form with every eating sesh, including desert!
2. Have a protein-based breakfast: Breakfast is of the easiest times to skip out of protein. However, not only will adding in a solid protein source help you to feel fuller and help to stabilize your blood sugar levels, but it will also make sure that you're nourishing your growing body and baby adequately. Try making protein the star of the show at breakfast with eggs, sausage, cheese, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, nut butters, chia seeds, or beans.
3. Have quick protein boosts on hand: Stocking easy to use protein-rich items in your kitchen, or even leaving a few items in your car or desk at work can help keep up your nutrition with minimal effort. Here are a few quick boost options:
Seeds: hemp, sesame, sunflower & pumpkin seeds are great for sprinkling on your salads, casseroles, rice and pasta dishes or adding to your smoothie.
Nutritional Yeast adds great taste and protein to your foods while being naturally vegan. It's particularly excellent on popcorn.
Canned Beans are easy to add to salads, soups, wraps, dinners or breakfasts.
Frozen green peas contain about 8 grams protein per cup and make a great side-dish or dinner- add on.
Frozen spinach has about 6 grams or protein per cup and mixes in great with eggs or pasta dishes
Edamame beans (found in the frozen food section) have a whopping 17 grams of protein per cup, cook up in 3-4 minutes, and make a great snack or addition to stir-fry dishes
Cheese is a perfect addition to so many foods and provides a great protein boots
Hard Boiled Eggs go great on salads and as a side dish for many foods. Try making some on the weekend and having them on hand to enjoy the rest of the week
Nuts are a great protein and flavor source and can be added to many dishes. Try walnuts in your oatmeal, almonds in your salads, pine nuts on pastas, and cashews in rice-dishes
Nut butters are a nice addition to smoothies, sauces, soups and salad dressings
Canned tuna, sardines, chicken require minimal effort to prepare and make the basis of a nice snack, casserole or salad
Humus or black bean dip are high-protein options for snacks
Artichokes have 5 grams of protein per cup and can be added to pastas and salads. Pick up a jar next time you're at the store!
4. Trade out low protein foods for higher protein options: Rather than introducing new foods to your routine, consider swapping out some of the foods you are already eating for their high-protein counterparts. For example:
Trade regular yogurt for Greek yogurt: Greek generally contains two-three times as much protein as it's "regular" yogurt counterpart, which is huge difference.
Swap almond, coconut, oat or rice milk for soy or dairy milk: While soy and cow milk contain about 8 grams of protein per serving, other milk alternatives usually offer 0-4 grams. Remember to go for one of the two higher protein options in your cereal or latte.
Exchange regular pastas for a protein-rich pastas: most grocery stores carry high protein pastas, which are made with beans or other whole grains. Here's a great list of brands from Eat This: https://www.eatthis.com/high-protein-pasta/
Eat French Toast instead of pancakes or waffles. Made with eggs, French toast is a higher protein options. Or, if you're not up for quite that much cooking, you could buy High protein pancake and waffle mixes or frozen waffles. Kodiak Cakes and Birch Blenders are both good brands that you can find at many grocery stores.
Instead of having a bagel for breakfast, opt for a breakfast sandwich or breakfast burrito.
Replace white rice with brown rice or another whole grain: Quinoa, Farro, Kamut, and also couscous (not technically a whole grain), all of which provide a significant protein source.
Use bone broth instead of regular soup stock or bouillon in your cooking. Shelf-stable Bone broth powder is a great pantry staple to keep on hand, as most brands contain 10-20 grams or protein per cup (be sure to check the label first). It also adds great flavor to your soups and stews.
5. Eat the protein on your plate first: If you struggle with nausea or lack of hunger, then eating the most nutrient-dense parts of your meal first is a great strategy. It's also a good way to go if the opposite is true, and you find yourself feeling overly hungry in you're pregnancy, as protein-rich foods can help you to feel fuller and more satisfied. And, it's possible that eating your protein and veggies before that starchy part of your meal can have a positive impact on your blood sugar levels- bonus!
5 High Protein Breakfasts
Eggs, beans & greens- One of my personal favorite flavor combination with so many variations! Two eggs, a forth a cup of beans and a handful of greens provides you with over 25 grams of protein. From breakfast tacos, to breakfast burritos to breakfast quesadillas or huevos rancheros with spinach, you really can't go wrong.
Breakfast Sandwich- Need to eat your breakfast on the go? Skip the drive though or the bagel and opt for a homemade breakfast sandwich instead. Use a whole wheat English muffin, eggs, cheese, maybe a sausage patty of piece of ham, a handful of greens or a tomato and you've got a balanced, proteins rich breakfast! Same some time with this freezer-friendly recipe from The Real Food Dieticians: https://therealfooddietitians.com/make-ahead-freezer-breakfast-sandwiches/
Almond butter smoothie- Almond butter goes especially well with fruit-based smoothies. Try this easy recipe with Greek Yogurt, almond butter, frozen berries and a banana from Simply Made Recipes: https://www.simplymaderecipes.com/almond-butter-smoothies-with-greek-yogurt/
Over-night oats with extra protein- For a vegan options, I love this recipe from dietician Desiree Nelson with 27 grams of protein: https://desireerd.com/high-protein-overnight-oats-vegan/
Cottage cheese pancakes- Adding cottage cheese to your pancakes mix not only increases their protein content, but it helps create a light and fluffy flapjack! Try out this naturally gluten-free recipe from Ambitious Kitchen with 20 grams or protein: https://www.ambitiouskitchen.com/cottage-cheese-banana-oatmeal-protein-pancakes/
5 Protein-Packed Lunches
Cobb Salad- If you have leftover chicken from last night's dinner, try repurposing it into a cobb salad for lunch the next day. With chicken, eggs, cheese and bacon, cobb salads are delicious, filling, easy and protein packed! Here's a recipe from the Food Network: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/classic-cobb-salad-recipe-2112313
Black Bean Quinoa Bowl- Quinoa and black beans come together to create a tasty and high- protein lunch bowl with minimal time and effort. Make your own or try this recipe from Eating Well with 20 grams or protein: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/260726/black-bean-quinoa-buddha-bowl/
Chicken Salad Warp- Chicken salad is an easy go-to lunch with a ton of protein. For even more protein, try adding in chopped walnuts and using Greek yogurt instead of mayo. Here's a recipe to check out from The Clean Eating Couple; https://thecleaneatingcouple.com/greek-yogurt-chicken-salad/
Thai Tofu Peanut Noodle Salad- with a little meal prep, this makes and amazing and protein-rich lunch! Plus, it tastes great hot or cold. Here's just one of many recipes from Cupful Of Kale: https://cupfulofkale.com/thai-tofu-noodle-salad/
Salmon Burger- you can get salmon burgers in the frozen section at most grocery stores; they're super convenient and cook up in less then 10 minutes. Have one on a bun, or over rice with a side of veggies.
5 Protein-Rich dinners
Shrimp- with about 20 grams of lean protein per serving, shrimp is a great choice for dinner. Try this easy shrimp and asparagus sheet pan recipe from Eating Well: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/7941425/sheet-pan-shrimp-asparagus/
Steak- if you're really looking to boost you're protein intake, it might be worth splurging on that steak for dinner! Most cuts have between 40-50 grams per serving, which is a ton! Pair it with a baked potato and a side of peas and your good to go!
Chicken Lentil Soup- Chicken and lentils are two high protein food that taste great together. Check out this lovely recipe from Stephanie Kay Nutrition: https://kaynutrition.com/golden-chicken-lentil-soup/#tasty-recipes-14070-jump-target
Burrito Bowl- Healthy and filling, burrito bowls are a great way to get in your protein. They're also super versatile as you can use whatever ingredients you have on hand or that your in the mood for, including chicken, beef, beans, and a variety of veggies and condiments. Love this Chipotle inspired recipe from Feel Good Foodie with chicken: https://feelgoodfoodie.net/recipe/chicken-burrito-bowl-cilantro-lime-rice/ or this vegetarian version from The Foodie Physician: https://thefoodiephysician.com/dining-with-doc-protein-packed/
Protein Packed Pasta- While pasta is convent, affordable and delicious, it can sometime fall short of a well-rounded meal. Luckily there are tons of ways to add protein to your pasta dish; here's a great post from Eat the Gains with protein-packed ideas: https://eatthegains.com/protein-pasta-recipes/ . Or, use a high protein noodle to cook up your favorite pasta recipe!
5 High Protein Snack Ideas
Greek Yogurt - Most brands of Greek yogurt have around 17 grams of protein per serving, making it a great snack choice. You can add 2 tablespoons of slivered almonds on top for some extra crunch, and protein too!
Cheese, nuts and fruit - 1/4 cup of nuts with a slice of cheese provides approximately 13 grams of protein. Have it with an apple or a handful of berries for extra fiber, flavor and vitamins.
Hard boiled eggs with veggies and humus- create your own snack plate with 1-2 hard boiled eggs, a cup of humus and raw veggies.
Nut butter with fruit - if you've having a piece of fruit for a snack, have some nut butter with it to boot your protein intake! Peanut butter goes great with apples and bananas, while almond butter pairs well with stone fruits. You can try cashew butter with tropical fruits mangos and papayas.
Edamame with rice cakes and seaweed- 1 cup of edamame beans has 17 grams of protein! They go great with rice cakes and seaweed for a balanced snack plate.
5 Protein-Rich Desserts
Yasso Greek yogurt popsicles- With only about 80 calories, no artificial ingredients and 5 grams of protein these are a great choice if you're craving something sweet. You can find them at most groceries stores in the ice cream section: https://yasso.com/collections/greek-yogurt-bars
DIY chocolate peanut butter cups- Did you know that chocolate PB cup are surprisingly cheap and easy to make? Plus, thanks to the peanut butter they'll provide you with around 7 grams of protein. There are lots of recipes online, but here's one with 3 ingredients from Tasty: https://tasty.co/recipe/3-ingredient-peanut-butter-cups
Chia seed pudding cups- If you're looking for a healthy whole food dessert option, check out chia seed pudding. Chia seeds are a great source of protein, omega 3 and fiber, and can be combined with fruit or chocolatey flavors to make an awesome desert. Here's a post from Chocolate Covered Katie with several flavor options: https://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/chia-pudding/
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies- If cookies are your craving, try out this recipe from Well Plated By Erin with 7 grams of protein per cookie and nearly 400 great reviews: https://www.wellplated.com/peanut-butter-protein-cookies/
Blueberry ricotta pound cake- Thanks to Eating Well for this delicious an nutritious recipe that uses ricotta to create a fluffy and protein rich cake: https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/251419/blueberry-lemon-ricotta-pound-cake/
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