a high-protein, low-effort meal plan

my thoughts on the high-protein craze & a grocery list for the week 💪🏼

The phrase “high-protein” has certainly been thrown around a LOT in the past few years, and while I don’t always love the over-the-top obsession around it, I do think it’s great that we are thinking about protein intake and being mindful of it when planning meals. Protein is the most satiating macronutrient, so when we fill our plates with protein, the odds that we are going to feel satisfied at the end of a meal are definitely higher than a meal without it. I personally have felt the positive impacts of leaning into a higher protein diet, especially when it comes to my energy levels, ability to build muscle, and overall post-meal satisfaction. Focusing TOO much on anything can be detrimental, so I gently try to make each of my meals reach at least 20g of protein, knowing that sometimes that won’t happen and that’s okay!

In the spirit of sharing meals that reach my protein goals, I put together a list for this week’s meal plan that includes five weeknight dinner recipes + a few meal prep ideas for the week that focus on packing in protein (and are gluten-free as usual). Each serving will get you at LEAST 20g of protein (many closer to 30g/serving) making sure we’re all fueling our bodies and feeling satisfied after dining. You’ll find some extra protein hacks below that will allow you to up the protein even MORE if you choose.

All that said, I know some of you (or your families) prefer vegetarian or plant-based, so I’ve added additions or swaps for each recipe if you’d like to add that in which will still give you a source of protein. I’m curious to hear your thoughts on all of the noise around high-protein diets too, so leave a comment and let me know!

Can I take one quick sec to say thank you for subscribing?! I could not do any of this without your support so thank you SO much and don’t forget, if you upgrade your subscription you can access the ENTIRE archive on my Substack home page, including all of my meal plans, guides, bonus recipes, & more! I have so much exciting content to share with you as we get closer to the end of the year.

Here’s everything on our list this week, which you can copy and paste right from here into your notes app or download a PDF to your phone or computer by clicking below.