Look, you don't need to chug protein shakes or eat a chicken breast every few hours. Seriously. A couple of little swaps here and there — that's really all it takes. Devinder Bains (she's a nutrition coach) says stuff like tempeh, hummus, pistachios, regular milk, buckwheat, eggs, chia seeds, and almonds work great. Nothing fancy.
10 Simple Protein Hacks to Boost Your Daily Intake
1. Power up with protein
For years now, experts have told us to increase our protein intake, but that doesn’t really have to mean loading up on protein bars, and shakes, or eating steak or chicken for every single meal. A couple quick and easy food swaps, plus a few additions to your everyday snacks and meals, are usually all it takes. Qualified nutrition coach and personal trainer Devinder Bains explain how you can boost your protein levels with very little effort.
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2. Why protein is important
Nutty in flavour, tempeh is one of those delicious plant-based protein things that people have been enjoying all over Southeast Asia for ages, well, for centuries really. Fermented soya beans make it, and it comes with a set of health benefits, including some properties that help nudge gut health in the right direction. Crumble it up and stir it through herbs and spices, then you can form it into rather mouthwatering meatballs, or slice it and fry it, using your favourite marinade, and serve the whole deal with quinoa and some stir fried vegetables.
3. Experiment with tempeh in veggie meatballs
With a nutty flavour, tempeh is a tasty, plant-based protein that folks have been eating across Southeast Asia for many centuries. It’s made from fermented soya beans, and it brings along a bunch of health benefits too, including compounds that help with gut health, in that calm kind of way. You can crumble it and fold it through herbs and spices until you get those lip-smacking “meatball” vibes, or slice it up and pan-fry it until crisp with your preferred marinade, then serve it next to quinoa and some stir-fried vegetables.
4. Spread hummus instead of butter
Hummus serves as this really nice, protein packed alternative to butter in almost any situation, you know. Use it as a spread on toast and sandwiches, add it into veggie or meat wraps to lift the taste and texture, then spoon it over salads instead of heavier dressings. You can also serve it as a dip with crudités or go with its classic partner, pitta bread.
5. Add pistachios to your breakfast
This moreish little nut is like a protein powerhouse. With 0.2oz (6g) per handful, pistachios make a great cupboard staple snack to keep around the home or just carry with you for those random hunger pangs on the go. And aside from being a delicious snack by themselves, they work brilliantly as a topping for ice cream, breakfast bowls, yogurt, salads, curries, even porridge; they bring more taste, that bit of texture, and protein too.
6. Just add milk
Honestly, one of the easiest ways to get your protein is in a glass of milk, with the average glass of whole milk packing about 0.3g (8g) of the stuff (soya milk has just a bit less). Have a glass in the morning for breakfast, or before bed, then start tacking on extra milk to your tea or coffee, OR use milk instead of plain water in your protein shake for a quick boost.
7. Switch porridge oats for buckwheat
Full of fibre and protein, buckwheat is actually a fruit seed, with a pretty distinctive nutty flavour. You can pick it up as oat-like flakes, to stir into a protein-packed porridge, or as whole seeds that you can cook first, then toss in salads, or bring to the table as a side alongside stews or curries. It’s also well known for having key vitamins and minerals in good amounts, including iron, magnesium and potassium.
8. Use your omelette as a wrap
Eggs provide an easy route to grab the protein you need, however you feel like cooking them. For something a bit diff, try a plain or herby omelette and basically treat it like a tortilla wrap, loading it up with whatever sandwich fillings you fancy. With each egg bringing about 0.2oz (6g) of protein, it really makes sense to toss them into salads, pizzas, quiches, savoury muffins, and pretty much any variety of cakes and nibbles, for that extra protein boost.
9. Make overnight chia seed puddings
They might be among the tiniest things around, but chia seeds are really packed with fibre, calcium, Omega 3 fatty acids (needed for brain function) and yes, even protein. The easiest way to boost their protein levels is to make those overnight chia seed puddings, add milk (dairy or non-dairy) then just let them sit in the fridge. You can also dust chia seeds over porridge, yogurt, or salads.
10. Swap crisps for almonds
Almonds are pretty tasty, and they’re high in fibre, full of vitamins too, as well as being brilliantly portable, so yeah, it’s basically a protein-boosting snack you can grab anytime anywhere and honestly it works as an easy swap for crisps. A serving that’s about 20 almonds has around 0.2oz, (6g) of protein, which means they’re a quick and simple way to slip in more protein in your routine. If you don’t really want to eat almonds whole, then just toss chopped almonds over salads, pastas or yogurts, for extra flavour and that satisfying crunch.
FAQ
So how much extra protein are we talking?
Depends how much you eat, honestly. But most of these swaps give you maybe 6–8 grams. That's like one egg, a glass of milk, or a small pile of nuts. Use a few of them during the day and you've added maybe 15–30 grams. Not bad for zero effort.
Is plant protein as good as meat protein?
Yeah, basically. Plants like tempeh and beans do the job. Just don't eat the same plant all day — mix it up. Grains with beans, stuff like that. Then you're covered.
Vegan or lactose intolerant?
Grab a plant milk with more protein — soy's usually a safe bet. And eat more tempeh, beans, nuts, chia. You'll get there.
Will this help me build muscle?
Depends. These foods give you protein, sure. If you're lifting weights and eating enough calories, yeah, they'll help. But if you're training like a beast, you might need more total protein. Use common sense.
Wait, nuts and seeds for weight loss? Really?
They're dense as hell — calories-wise, I mean. So don't go crazy. But a small handful actually kills cravings and keeps you from snacking on worse stuff. So yeah, they can help. Just don't eat the whole bag.
