A Guide to Increasing your Protein Intake
Date issued: May 2025
For review: May 2027
Ref: C-615/CG/Dietetics/A Guide to Increasing your Protein Intake
PDF: A guide to increasing protein intake.pdf [pdf] 277KB
What is protein and why is it important?
Protein is an essential nutrient which plays a vital role in the body. It is needed for growth and repair of organs and muscles, and the immune system. It is important to eat enough protein each day, especially when you are unwell or embarking on/recovering from surgery.
Eating enough protein can help prevent weight loss, help you feel stronger and help your body fight infections more effectively. It can also assist recovery and help your body cope with any further treatments.
Good sources of protein include:
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Beans and pulses
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Nuts and seeds
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Fish
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Eggs
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Meat and poultry
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Vegetarian/vegan alternatives to meat i.e. Quorn®, soya, tofu
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Milk and milk products e.g. cheese and yoghurt
How can I improve my protein intake?
A good way to do this is to include a good source of protein at each mealtime
Breakfast ideas
Try a high protein cereal
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Kelloggs Plant Protein Crunch®
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Lizi’s High Protein Granola®
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Eat Natural Protein Granola®
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Weetabix Protein®
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Quaker Oatso Simple Protein® porridge
Have a cooked breakfast. Aim to avoid processed meats as they are high in salt e.g. bacon, sausages
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Reduced salt baked beans on toast
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Sardines on toast
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2-3 eggs and toast
Toast with nut butters
- Spread peanut/almond/cashew nut butter thickly
Yoghurt, fruit, nuts and seeds
- 150g high protein yoghurt/dairy-free alternative
Light meal ideas
Sandwiches/wraps. Use seeded breads instead of white/wholemeal, or try using high protein wraps or breads e.g. Warburtons Protein Thin Bagels®
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Falafel (x 3 balls) & hummus (1/4 tub) with salad
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Coronation chickpea
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Prawn or tuna and mayonnaise/salad cream – use at least ½ tin of tuna
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Egg mayonnaise – use 2 eggs
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1 medium chicken breast and salad
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Quorn® Chicken Free Slices and salad
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Cheese and tomato
Soup
- Choose/make a soup that contains beans, lentils, chicken (have alongside a sandwich and/or stir in extra cheese or Greek yoghurt/dairy-free alternative)
Eggs/tofu. Use 2-3 eggs as a portion
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Poached, boiled, fried, scrambled, omelette (add extra cheese if liked)
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Scrambled tofu (homemade or 100g The Tofoo Co. Organic Scrambled Tofu®)
Jacket potato
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Reduced salt baked beans and cheese
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Lentil/chickpea dhal or curry
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150g prawns
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Tinned tuna mayonnaise or salmon (at least ½ tin)
Crackers or crackerbread with cheese
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50g hard cheese
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70g soft cheese
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100g cottage cheese
Main/cooked meal ideas
Base your cooked meals around a protein source
Fish
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Whole tin of fish e.g. salmon, tuna, mackerel
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1 x fresh fish fillet
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2 x frozen fish fillets (1 x frozen tuna steak)
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150g cooked prawns
Meat
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Roast meat – 3 slices
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1 large chicken breast/turkey steak
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1-2 x pork/lamb chops
Vegetarian alternatives
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2-3 eggs
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140g Quorn® mince/pieces
Vegan alternatives
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¾ tin (300g) of chickpeas/lentils/beans
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140g tofu
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85g Linda McCartney® Vegemince
What if I have lost my appetite?
If your appetite is poor, often it is easier to eat little and often. Below are some suggestions of high protein snacks, puddings and drinks that you could include throughout the day to boost your protein intake. You can find these high protein options in most supermarkets*.
Note: some of the suggestions are processed and high in salt. However, if your appetite is poor and you are losing weight unintentionally, it is more important to ensure you are eating enough protein.
| High protein milk/dairy-free alternative drinks | Energy Kcal (approximate**) | Protein g (approximate**) |
|---|---|---|
| 200ml Horlicks® made with whole milk | 199 | 8 |
| 200ml Milkshake made with whole milk and syrup | 154 | 6 |
| 330ml UFit ® High Protein milkshake | 155 | 25 |
| ½ Pint Fortified milk – (add 4 tbsp. skimmed milk powder to 1-pint of whole milk) | 295 | 20 |
| 200ml Alpro® Plant Protein Soya | 133 | 10 |
| ½ Pint Fortified dairy-free alternative – (add 4 tsps. of pea protein powder to 1-pint of a soya dairy-free alternative. Changing the dairy-free alternative may change the energy and protein content) | 166 | 17 |
| High protein yoghurts/dairy-free alternatives | Energy Kcal (approximate**) | Protein g (approximate**) |
|---|---|---|
| 150g Arla® Skyr | 110 | 14 |
| 150g Lindahls Kvarg® | 84 | 15 |
| 200g Arla® Protein | 136 | 20 |
| 200g Alpro® 15g Plant Protein | 156 | 15 |
| Milk/dairy-free alternative puddings | Energy Kcal | Protein g |
|---|---|---|
| 150g Ambrosia Custard Pot | 145 | 4 |
| 200g Ambrosia Rice Pudding (1/2 tin) | 186 | 6 |
| 125g Alpro Dairy-Free Vegan Soya Dessert | 106 | 4 |
| Cereal bars | Energy Kcal | Protein g |
|---|---|---|
| 40g Nature Valley® Protein bars | 187 | 10 |
| 45g Eat Natural® Protein bars | 223 | 10 |
| 60g Tribe® Protein + Focus bars | 240 | 10 |
| 50g KIND® Protein bars | 267 | 12 |
| 60g Grenade® Carb Killa | 175 | 20 |
| Meat and fish snacks | Energy Kcal | Protein g |
|---|---|---|
| 22.5g Pepperami® | 112 | 5 |
| 1 Medium Sausage roll | 262 | 6 |
| 5 Cocktail sausages | 149 | 6 |
| 2 Mini pork pies | 376 | 9 |
| 60g Fridge Raiders® chicken bites | 123 | 13 |
| 1 Medium Scotch egg | 273 | 14 |
| 110g Prawns with cocktail sauce | 253 | 14 |
| Vegetarian savoury options | Energy Kcal | Protein g |
|---|---|---|
| 20g Mini Babybel® | 61 | 4 |
| 4 Quorn® cocktail sausages | 70 | 5 |
| 1 Medium boiled egg | 71 | 7 |
| ¼ Quiche | 252 | 7 |
| 1 Medium Quorn® sausage roll | 187 | 8 |
| 3 Quorn® picnic eggs | 147 | 8 |
| 30g Cheddar cheese | 125 | 8 |
| Vegan savoury options | Energy Kcal | Protein g |
|---|---|---|
| 2 tbsp Hummus | 178 | 5 |
| 30g Unsalted nuts | 189 | 5 |
| 3 Falafel | 136 | 6 |
| 1 Quorn® vegan sausage roll | 290 | 15 |
*Products accurate as of April 2025, **values may vary depending on brand & flavour
Nutritional supplement
If you are really struggling to eat and drink, ask your dietitian about nutritional supplement drinks which can be prescribed.
Useful contacts & websites:
Specialist HPB Dietitian Team
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Claire Gimingham HPB Specialist Dietitian - 01752 430697
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Sophia Wilson HPB Specialist Dietitian - 01752 432838
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Louise Cleary Dietetic Assistant - 01752 433746
British Nutrition Foundation
Visit the British Nutrition Foundation
The Vegetarian Society
The Vegan Society
