The short answer
Begin with the meals you already enjoy. Add a protein food that fits the meal, such as eggs, yogurt, beans, lentils, tofu, fish, chicken or another meat. Having a source at more than one meal can make it easier to include protein regularly without needing a complicated menu or tracking system.
Start with foods you already like
Protein foods include beans, lentils, peas, tofu, tempeh, nuts and seeds, eggs, dairy foods, fish, poultry and meat. You do not need a special product to include them. Begin with the meals you already eat and ask what familiar protein option could sit alongside them.
A regular source at meals can make it easier to build variety across the day, without weighing portions or turning every meal into a calculation. How much someone needs depends on factors such as age, health, activity and life stage; people with medical nutrition needs should follow individualized advice from a registered dietitian or clinician.
Think in additions and combinations
If lunch is bread and salad, try adding eggs, tuna, chicken, hummus with beans, tofu or a pot of yogurt. For a plant-based meal, beans and grains can sit together in a bowl, while tofu or lentils can be added to a stir-fry or soup. Frozen, canned and ready-to-eat options can make this easier on busy days.
Protein is one part of a nourishing meal, alongside foods such as grains, vegetables, fruit and fats. There is no need to remove a food you enjoy to make room for it. Start with one small addition and see whether it works for your appetite, budget and routine.
A practical example
If lunch is usually bread and salad, add tuna, chicken, hummus with beans, tofu or a side of yogurt—whatever suits your preferences and routine.
Try this next
Choose one meal you eat often and decide which protein option you could add to it this week.
Want more structure?
This article is a useful starting point. The Protein Edit offers a more complete framework to keep building on it.
Explore The Protein Edit →