High-Protein Girl Dinner Ideas
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Focusing on getting more protein? You aren’t alone! There seems to be a real push for getting plenty of protein lately, and you can definitely apply that to a really delicious girl dinner. These high-protein girl dinner ideas are easy meals to make and are completely satisfying to boot.
I love girl dinners for their ease. It’s kind of like eating at a buffet because you get to put anything you want on your plate based on what you have on hand. They are easy meals to make healthy, but if you decide to add a treat, it’ll just be another small part of your meal. So girl dinners are also a great way to practice portion control! After all, when you’re trying to pack a variety of foods on your plate, you can’t overdo it on one because you’ll run out of room for the rest!
What To Include In A Protein-Packed Girl Dinner
When you start to think about what to put on your plate, you’ll obviously want to start with the highest protein foods. Consider these:
- Lean Meats – Grilled chicken, turkey, salmon, tuna.
- Dairy – Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt. Even a few small chunks of cheese are acceptable here.
- Plant-Based Proteins – Chickpeas, lentils, edamame.
- Nuts & Seeds -Almonds, pumpkin seeds, or pumpkin seeds.
High-Protein Girl Dinners
Turkey + Avocado Wrap – Turkey slices rolled with avocado and bell pepper strips. If you eat Keto, you can add some good-quality mayo to this.
Greek Yogurt + Nut Mix – Greek yogurt with sliced almonds and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds are a great mix. You can add a bit of stevia or any other sweetener you prefer to sweeten the deal.
Tuna Salad Lettuce Cups – Tuna salad served in lettuce leaves with cucumber slices.
Cottage Cheese + Veggies – Cottage cheese with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and a sprinkle of black pepper. It’s a delicious combo that is surprisingly filling.
Chicken + Guacamole Combo – Grilled chicken slices with a side of guacamole and some fresh, chopped tomatoes. You can even add a bit of shredded cheese if you want.
Chickpea + Veggies – Chickpeas with mixed veggies and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Edamame + Carrot Sticks + Chicken – A bowl of shelled edamame with carrot sticks and chunks of baked or rotisserie chicken.
Hard-Boiled Eggs + Avocado + Cherry Tomatoes – Sliced boiled eggs served with avocado and cherry tomatoes. If you are Keto, you can melt a pat of butter over the hot eggs right after peeling and chopping them.
Protein Smoothie – A smoothie with Greek yogurt, berries, pumpkin seeds, and a handful of spinach. Those who use protein powder can add that here as well.
Hummus + Veggies – Hummus with celery, carrots, and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds.
Boiled Eggs + Baby Carrots + Almonds – This is a simple dinner, especially if you hard-boiled the eggs ahead of time.
Cottage Cheese + Pineapple Chunks + Chia Seeds – This is a sweeter dinner that still gets plenty of protein from the cottage cheese and chia seeds. For even more protein, add some pumpkin seeds as well.
Turkey + Spinach Leaves + Mustard – You can layer these, or use larger lettuce leaves to create wraps.
Canned Salmon + Sliced Avocado + Cucumber Rounds – A simple meal that only requires you to open a can and slice a cucumber.
Hard-Boiled Eggs + Pickles + Sliced Bell Peppers – You can enjoy this as is, or you can chop the eggs, pickles, and bell peppers and toss them with a little bit of mayo to make more of a salad.
Greek Yogurt + Fresh Blueberries + Pumpkin seeds – Another sweet option that doesn’t really require any sweetener. Sprinkle on a little ground cinnamon to level up on flavor.
Rotisserie Chicken + Grape Tomatoes + Snap Peas – This is quite possibly a perfect girl dinner. Great for picking at while you watch a movie. Add a little ranch dip to dip things in.
Chickpeas (roasted or plain) + Cucumbers + Carrot Stick – This is the ultimate, crunchy girl dinner. You get protein from the chickpeas and tons of crunch that will help you feel satisfied.
Protein Bar + Apple Slices + Peanut Butter – If you have protein bars at home, you can add other thing to make a full girl dinner. Apples and peanut butter are a great option here.
Sliced Turkey Breast + Mini Bell Peppers + Guacamole – Use the bell peppers like mini taco shells. It’s a fun way to enjoy this simple girl dinner.
Scrambled Eggs + Cherry Tomatoes + Spinach – Scrambled eggs are a quintessential girl dinner item. They are cooked in about 5 minutes from start to finish, and you can really top them with just about anything.
Black Beans + Salsa + Sliced Avocado – You can enjoy this on it’s own, or serve it over some rice with some chicken for a delicious rice bowl. Yes, it requires a bit of cooking. So if you don’t want to do that, keep it simple with this easy combo and just eat it with a spoon!
Edamame + Baby Corn + Seaweed Snacks – This is a great girl dinner for those who like to eat little things, one at a time. The seaweed snacks add tons of flavor and you get protein from the edamame beans.
Grilled Shrimp + Lemon Wedge + Side of Fresh Mango – Add a side of veggies this and you have a delicious girl dinner that cooks in minutes. (Shrimp are easy and fast to cook!)
Tempeh Slices + Cucumber + Spicy Mustard – You can even wrap all this up in some lettuce leaves or a whole-grain tortilla to make a wrap.
Seared Tofu + Roasted Red Peppers + Pita Chips – You’ll get lots of protein from the tofu plus a serving of veggies and whole grains. This one is pretty nutritionally balanced as far as girl dinners go!
Almond Butter + Brown Rice Cakes + Chia Seeds – You’ll get protein from the nut butter and chia seeds as well as whole grains from the rice cakes. Add some raw veggies to round out the meal.
Canned White Beans + Sautéed Zucchini + Garlic Lemon Drizzle + Cherry Tomatoes – While this one requires a bit more prep, it’s still a fast and simple girl dinner. You can even add scrambled eggs or chunks of chicken to get more protein. Another idea is to mix this into cottage cheese.
Grilled Haloumi Cheese + Cucumber Rounds + Fresh Basil – This is a fun combo that requires turning on the stove, but it’s still super simple. Add some whole-grain crackers and dig in.
Cottage Cheese + Sliced Strawberries + Flaxseeds – Another sweet option that can double as breakfast the next morning if you make a bigger batch.
High-Protein Girl Dinner Tips
If you need more ways to focus on upping your protein for you girl dinner, here are thirteen suggestions you can apply to your dinner or almost any meal.
- Double Up On Dairy Or Nuts – Greek yogurt, Skyr (Icelandic yogurt), cottage cheese, or a handful of almonds can boost protein in any girl dinner. Parmesan, cheddar, or mozzarella are higher protein cheeses as is ricotta.
- Pre-Cook Proteins – Boiled eggs, grilled chicken, or canned tuna are easy ways to add protein without much prep. Cook several ahead of time over the weekend so you can enjoy them for most of the week.
- Use Legumes – Chickpeas, black beans, lentils, or edamame are high in protein and can be added to salads, grain bowls, or eaten by themselves.
- Include Seeds and Superfoods – Chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, and pumpkin seeds all pack a protein wallop and can be sprinkled on top of fruits, veggies, or dips like hummus.
- Choose Protein-Packed Grains – Quinoa, farro, and amaranth have more protein than traditional rice or pasta and can be the base for your girl dinner.
- Add Protein-Rich Veggies – Certain veggies like peas, spinach, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts contain higher levels of protein than others.
- Use High-Protein Dips – Instead of regular sauce dips, go for hummus, edamame dip, black bean dip, or Greek yogurt-based dips.
- Nosh On Meat & Seafood – Pre-cooked or ready-to-eat proteins like grilled shrimp, smoked salmon, rotisserie chicken, or even pre-cooked turkey can be quick sources of protein.
- Sprinkle on Nutritional Yeast – Nutritional yeast not only adds a cheesy, savory flavor but also contains about 8g of protein per 2 tablespoons. Sprinkle it on veggies, dips, or even popcorn.
- Upgrade Your Bread & Crackers: Choose high-protein bread (like sprouted grain bread) or seed-based crackers (like flaxseed crackers).
- Add Eggs – Hard-boiled, scrambled, or sliced eggs can be the star of a girl dinner, but you can also mash them into salads or mix them with veggies, crackers, or toast.
- Make It a “Mini Charcuterie”: Include high-protein options like lean turkey, chicken breast, salmon, hard-boiled eggs, and protein-packed dips like hummus or Greek yogurt. Just don’t forget some veggies!
- Tempeh Or Tofu Cubes For Vegans – These plant-based proteins can be sliced and eaten cold, pan-seared, or marinated.
