28 Easy High Protein Lunch Ideas

If you often get hunger pangs during the day, your lunches might not contain enough protein. Protein is a fantastic satiator.

It is actually more filling than fat and even carbohydrates! The truth is that eating meals rich in protein reduces your risk of an afternoon binge. 

It’s usually more difficult than anticipated to pack a lunch that is entertaining, healthful, and filling. You need to have something to enjoy during the day that will also fill you up and give you energy until dinner.

25 Easy High Protein Lunch Ideas

Protein can be helpful in this situation.

The macronutrient aids in cell regeneration and cell production. Your immune system, metabolism, and energy levels depend on it. 

Aim for 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, though most individuals consume far more protein than is necessary. 

We’re going to give you 25 lunch ideas that are rich in protein today. All of these dishes are protein rich and thus will keep you from getting the munchies in the middle of the afternoon. 

We are aware of the value of protein in your diet. Here are our favorite portable meals that each include more than 25 grams of protein.

Why Is Protein So Important To Have In Your Diet?

Here are five strong arguments in favor of making sure you consume enough protein each day:

  • 1. Build: Protein is a crucial component of skin, cartilage, muscles, and bones. In actuality, protein makes up a large portion of your hair and nails.
  • 2. Repair: It helps your body create and repair tissue.
  • 3. Oxidize: A protein substance found in red blood cells transports oxygen around the body. This aids in giving your body the nourishment it requires.
  • 4. Consume: Your body uses around half of the protein that you ingest each day to create enzymes that aid in digestion as well as new cells and other molecules.
  • 5. Regulation: Protein is crucial for the regulation of hormones, particularly during puberty when cells are changing and developing.

How Consuming Protein Can Keep You In Shape?

Numerous health advantages of eating high-protein diets include:

  • Accelerating healing from activity and/or injuries
  • Limiting muscle wasting
  • Gaining muscle mass
  • Assisting with keeping a healthy weight
  • Preventing hunger

We feel satisfied for a longer period of time thanks to fiber and protein, which reduces the need to eat frequently. This reduces weight while providing your cells with the nutrition they require.

What Are Some Wholesome Meals Rich In Protein?

Lean meats, fish, legumes, beans, low-fat dairy, almonds, seeds, eggs, and other such items are typically found in dishes that are rich in protein.

For ideas of high-protein dishes you may prepare and carry for lunch, see the video below.

If you’re seeking specific recipes, let’s move on. Just have a look at the list of some of the protein lunch suggestions below. You can rely on these meals to keep you satisfied and your stomach happy!

25 Best High Protein Lunch Ideas

1. Spicy Slaw With Edamame And Shrimp

Do you eat salads frequently? They are incredibly nutritious, light, and fresh. But occasionally it could seem like you’re just chowing down on some grass.

You won’t feel like you’re eating grass after preparing this dish. In reality, this salad recipe is a powerhouse of nutritious meats and greens.

For more protein, we’re including shrimp and edamame. In addition to having a high protein content, edamame also has a lot of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

One serving of edamame, for instance, supplies a massive 30% of the recommended daily fiber, 80% of your everyday manganese requirements, as well as 120% of your everyday folate needs.

While folate assists with DNA synthesis, manganese aids in the development of strong bones.

2. Chicken With Honey-Sesame In Lunch Bowls

Although salads and sandwiches are the ideal go-to lunch option, they can occasionally go stale. The ideal approach to change up your lunchtime routine is with this dish.

It’s easy to make, has an Asian flair, and serves four, making it the ideal lunchtime meal! Don’t forget to source high-quality, BPA-free, sealable glass containers for meal preparation.

Your lunch will stay fresher for longer. We’re utilizing chicken as the protein source for this recipe.

Despite having relatively little fat, chicken is incredibly rich in protein. They are therefore the ideal option if you’re attempting to limit your intake of fat.

3. Bowls Of Meal-Prep Chicken Fajitas

Do you want Mexican food? Not only is this dish excellent, but it’s also a visual treat! You won’t be reaching for snacks by mid-afternoon thanks to this dish’s abundance of fiber and protein.

It is cooked with a tonne of vegetables. The Fajita seasoning, however, is what really lets the dish sparkle. It is sweet, flavorful, smoky, and mildly salty.

You’ll need salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin powder, and some reasonably priced cumin powder to prepare this seasoning. Serve this dish over wholegrain rice or cauliflower to finish it.

4. Hot And Spicy Chicken

This is definitely the dish for you if you like spicy food and chicken. Truth be told, chicken breasts don’t contain much fat, despite the fact that fat provides food flavor. 

But because of the seasoning, the chicken breasts aren’t just soft, but also delectable. And it’s astonishing how little components there are in the seasoning!

You’ll need salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, onion powder, coriander, and crushed red pepper.

To prepare the chicken breasts, mix them with a little olive oil and spices. After that, put the chicken on a baking sheet coated with parchment paper to prevent sticking.

5. Shrimp Ceviche With Low Carb And High Protein

Do you adore shrimp? Then you’ll enjoy this food. Precooked shrimp is used to prepare this dish. Since shrimp is rich in protein, low in calories, and has a low fat content, we view it as a superfood.

Have we mentioned how tasty it is? 3 oz of shrimp only has 84 calories plus less than 1 gram of fat while providing 36% of your protein requirements.

Additionally, shrimp is a rich source of a potent antioxidant called selenium.

With a burst of freshness, this meal is a symphony of spiciness, tanginess, and savory flavors. And the fact that it only needs to be prepared in 6 minutes is what you’ll enjoy most about it.

6. Simple Egg Salad

Eggs are incredibly nutrient-dense and contain a tonne of protein. One egg, for instance, offers 22% of your daily requirement for selenium and around 15% of the daily requirement for vitamin B2.

We are all aware of how challenging it can be to boil an egg perfectly. We advise utilizing a high-quality but affordable egg maker to eliminate guesswork from boiling eggs.

It’s a fantastic vegetarian dish for protein meal preparation.

7. Blackened Fish Tacos

Do you feel like some fish? Then, you must taste this delicious lunch recipe. These fish tacos are perfectly spicy, and they come with a delicious avocado salsa to soothe your palate.

We’re using tilapia for this recipe, but you could also use cod or any white fish. Because white fish is a wonderful source of protein and is low in fat and calories, it is an amazingly healthy lunch option.

For example, 3 oz of cooked tilapia only has 36 calories plus less than 1 gram of fat while providing 15% of your recommended daily protein needs (see also ‘26 Best Tilapia Recipe Ideas To Try For Yourselves‘).

8. Keto Shrimp

This is the ideal shrimp dish, which is both rich in protein and good fats. This recipe is flavorful, crispy, and tender all at once. 

We’re adding parmesan cheese plus almond flour in the batter in place of cornstarch. This lends shrimp a flavor you won’t have in your typical shrimp dish: cheesy, sweet, and savory.

We strongly advise substituting almond flour instead of conventional wheat flour in your diet if you would like to eat healthy.

9. Lunch Bowls With Chipotle Chicken

You must try this dish if you’re sick of eating the same standard chicken dishes! This chicken (see also our favorite diced chicken recipes) has a wonderful appearance and flavor. 

The delicious marinade makes the chicken thighs moist, flavorful, and spicy. The marinade is just so fantastic that it might end up being your favorite for marinating chicken.

10. Baked Cod 

The lemon and garlic dressing is buttery, acidic, and tangy, and the fish is flaky and tender. The greatest feature is that we only use common ingredients like salt, pepper, and onion powder.

Make sure you have some lemon juice on hand because that is what lends the sauce its distinctive tang. Cod serves as the protein in this recipe, but you may also use any type of white fish, such as haddock (see also ‘16 Haddock Recipes Fish Lovers Must Try‘) or tilapia.

Cod is the ideal lunch food if you want to reduce your calorie intake while still feeling satisfied.

11. Chicken Skillet With French Onions

This dish is perfect if you’re looking for home cooking that is rich in protein. This meal combines chicken and French onions to create the ideal comfort dinner.

This dish is mouth watering thanks to the cheese on top, gravy, and caramelized onions that are smothering the tender chicken.

12. Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken

Do you feel like something hot right now? Then you should try this dish. This meal of Buffalo chicken is flavorful, hot, and mildly cheesy. 

As a result of the dish’s abundance of tasty, crunchy vegetables as well as fiber and protein, it makes for a highly filling dinner.

We’re using a slow cooker to cook the chicken (see also ‘33 Great Recipes For Chicken – Slow Cooker Style!‘) so that it will be soft and slide off the fork while also shortening the cooking time.

13. Chicken Hawaiian Pizza

Let’s be honest, pizza may be delicious, but it is high in carbohydrates.

Additionally, consuming too many carbohydrates causes a blood sugar rise and collapse, which makes you crave cupcakes in the late afternoon.

This lighter variation of tasty pizza lets you enjoy a pizza-inspired lunch without experiencing a sugar rush. This reduced carb pizza contains only 9 grams of carbs and 40 grams of protein.

Additionally, it is soft, cheesy, and gooey.

Simply spread a helping of pizza sauce on your chicken breasts to create this dinner. Next, include cheese and your preferred toppings.

14. Simple Turkey Pinwheels

Are you seeking a sophisticated sandwich substitute? You’ll enjoy this food then!

These pinwheel-shaped turkey sandwiches taste as good as they look. Your coworkers will believe that you purchased them from a deli.

15. Air-Fried Pork Chops

You have to try this dish if you’re seeking a reduced carb alternative to pork chops which tastes that much better.

The exterior of the pork chops is crispy while the interior is tender. In addition, the chops are healthy.

They provide 43 grams of your daily protein intake and absolutely no carbohydrates, making them ideal for people watching their carb intake.

We’re substituting pork rinds for the breadcrumbs to make them carb-free. This gives the pork chops more flavor along with making the outside of them crispy.

16. Avocados Stuffed With Tuna

Are tuna salad subs something you enjoy? Try this recipe! We’re using avocados in place of bread to wrap a tuna salad. In addition to being delicious, avocados are also quite healthy.

These avocados with tuna inside are creamy and flavorful with a touch of sweetness. Additionally, making them is really simple.

17. Easy Salmon Meal Prep

This dish is ideal if you’re seeking a meal that will fill you up and sharpen your mind.

What the doctor and your stomach ordered: flaky, tender fish served with vibrant, savory, and flavorsome cauliflower rice with mouthwatering, hot snap peas.

Salmon is healthy for your body and brain in addition to being delicious.

18. Broccoli And Shrimp With A Garlic And Lemon Butter Sauce

Although shrimp might occasionally become monotonous, these fiery broccoli and shrimp wrap packets with lemon and garlic butter dressing are far from.

The shrimp are juicy, acidic, spicy, smokey, and absolutely delicious when baked in the oven. They are also quite simple to create.

19. Honey And Lemon Chicken 

Have you had enough of washing dishes? You’ll adore this recipe which features tasty chicken in a single pan with honey and lemon. 

Not only will it save cleanup time, but preparation only takes five minutes. The remaining cooking is then completed in the oven. The chicken is expertly spiced and moist, flavorful, sweet, and just a touch spicy.

20. Crispy Fish 

These crunchy oven fish are perfect if you enjoy eating fish sticks. Compared to frozen fish sticks, they are more flavorful, healthier, and higher in protein.

Nevertheless, you can omit the ketchup when eating these fish sticks. Because of their delicious seasonings, they are wonderful on their own.

To make the dish more nutrient-dense, think about using almond flour. Nutritionally, typical white flour doesn’t have much to give.

21. Honey-Lime Coleslaw With Mahi Mahi

Are you sick of eating the same old, boring fish? Afterward, you must sample this delectable meal. Because of aromatic spices, this meal has a sweet, smokey, and savory flavor.  

Mahi-mahi has a fresh flavor and essentially absorbs the tastes of the seasonings if you’ve never tried it.

Mahi-mahi is very nourishing. It is ideal for a filling lunch because it is rich in protein yet low in fat and calories. The coleslaw also gives the mahi-mahi an extra dash of freshness and lightness.

22. Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken Thighs

If it’s too chilly to light the grill but you’re yearning for some barbecue chicken. Alternatively, if lighting it up is abit of a hassle, you must try this slow cooker barbecue chicken thigh recipe.

You read that correctly: crockpot-made barbecue chicken! And this barbecued chicken is just so juicy, smokey, and delectable that they compete favorably with grilled barbecued chicken thighs. 

With some slaw on the side, these thighs taste wonderful in a fresh bread roll.

23. Grilled Salmon

You must try this recipe if you want to increase both your protein consumption and mental capacity. This salmon meal is particularly nourishing and flaky, tangy, flavorful, and spicy.

It’s a lean and very tasty dish that will keep you powered up until your next meal. 

24. Baked Cheese And Ham Mozzarella Sticks

Try these baked cheese and ham mozzarella sticks if you enjoy mozzarella sticks. They are not only flavorful but also healthier than other options.

These tasty sticks, which are typically fried, have a milder flavor thanks to baking. You’ll also be happy to learn that there are only 5 ingredients in this recipe.

Although these sticks are great on their own, if you enjoy dipping cheese sticks in sauce, give Dijon mustard a try!

25. Pork Chops With Creamy Garlic And Parmesan

In addition to warming your stomach, these tasty chops will also fill you up.Owing to the cheesy garlic sauce, these delicious chops are delectable and so creamy.

Furthermore, lunch is ready in half an hour and just requires one pot.

Simply add some grilled asparagus and potatoes to turn it into a meal, and you’re ready to go!

26. Low-Carb Egg Roll

Everything necessary for the flavorful filling, but without the fried shell. Although ground pork (see also ‘29 Simple Ground Pork Recipes Ready For Cheap Dinners‘) is called for in the recipe, turkey or chicken can be used in place of it.

27. Buffalo Tuna Melt

Tuna in a can to the rescue! The likelihood is that you already have all of the ingredients for this delicious, spicy snack in your refrigerator and pantry.

28. Ramen With Rotisserie Chicken

We think that pre-made rotisserie chicken from the store is the best shortcut ever. It is inexpensive, has a long shelf life, is simple to shred, and may be used to make a huge variety of meals.

Final Thoughts

Protein is necessary for your body to function properly and remain healthy. High protein lunches will help fill you up until dinner time and keep you feeling energized throughout the day.

Hopefully this article has inspired you to start creating your own delicious high protein lunches (see also ‘24 Delicious High Protein Desserts‘)!

28 Easy High Protein Lunch Ideas

28 Easy High Protein Lunch Ideas

Recipe by Jenna

Ideas for quick, tasty, lunches that are rich in protein and you can prepare ahead of time. These lunches are excellent for keeping you satisfied all day.

Course: Dinner
5 from 1 vote
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