How to Hit Your Protein Target Without Shakes or Bars
- Angela Evans
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
If you’ve been trying to eat more protein but don’t love the idea of using protein powders or and protein bars, it is possible.
I hear this all the time from women I work with:
“I want to hit my protein goal… but I don’t want to rely on powders or packaged snacks.”
The good news? You absolutely don’t have to. You can reach 100-20g of protein a day (or whatever your personal target is) using simple, everyday foods you probably already have at home.
Here’s how to make it feel easy.
Start with: 25-35g protein per meal
Most women get stuck because they’re unintentionally eating very little protein earlier in the day, which creates hunger, cravings, and that constant grazing feeling.
A simple way to fix this is aiming for 25-35g protein at each main meal, and even more at breakfast. That one shift alone can stop the afternoon snack hunt and the evening pantry raid.
Here’s what that might look like with real food.
Breakfast Ideas (No shakes needed)
• Greek yoghurt bowl
¾-1cup Greek yoghurt = 17-20g. Add berries + nuts, chia, hemp seeds for balance. Top up with a spoonful of cottage cheese or some peanut butter.
• High-protein porridge
½ cup oats cooked in high-protein milk = ~20g. Stir through ¼ cup Greek yoghurt = +5-6g. Top with seeds, nuts.
• High-protein tofu bowl
150g firm tofu = ~20g protein. Pan-fry cubes with soy sauce, sesame oil, and veggies, then serve with rice or greens.(If someone doesn’t usually love tofu, this flavour combo helps)
Lunch Ideas
• Chicken salad
100-120g cooked chicken = 25-30g. Add plenty of veg + dressing.
Tip: pre-cook a few portions so it’s ready to grab.
• Cottage cheese bowl
1 cup cottage cheese = 25-28g.
Add vegetables, crackers, or fruit depending on what you feel like.
• Tuna + rice + veg
1 tin tuna = ~25g.
Mixed with microwave rice and veggies, quick, filling, convenient.
Dinner Ideas
• Meat + 2-3 veg
A palm-sized portion (120-50g cooked protein) usually gives you 30g+.
Think steak, lamb, chicken thighs, pork fillets, fish.
• Stir-fry
Swap some of the noodles, for extra meat. 120-50g meat + loads of veg + a small portion of noodles or rice.
• High-protein mince meals
Mince is an easy win: Bolognese, tacos, meatballs, stuffed capsicum. And add lots of vegies to the mince.
One serve is usually around 30g protein without even trying.
Protein top-ups that aren’t bars
Sometimes you need a little boost between meals. These are real-food options that add an extra 10-20g without relying on supplements:
½ cup cottage cheese (16g)
1 cup Greek yoghurt (17-20g)
Tinned fish (18–25g)
Cooked chicken pieces (15-20g per serve)
2 boiled eggs (12 grams)
Edamame beans (11g per cup)
Even one of these can help you hit your daily target.
Why real food works so well
Protein from whole foods keeps you fuller for longer, supports blood sugar balance, helps with muscle maintenance in your 40s and beyond, and naturally brings in extra nutrients like calcium, iron, zinc, B12, and healthy fats.
Shakes and bars are fine as part of a healthy diet, especially when life gets busy, but they shouldn't be your main strategy.
The takeaway
You don’t need to overhaul your whole diet. You just need a few simple tweaks:
Add a protein source at every meal
Prioritise foods you already enjoy
Keep it realistic and doable
If you’d like more real-food ideas, you can download my free High-Protein Recipe eBook for Women Over 40 (breakfast and lunch available) full of quick breakfasts, weekday lunches, and simple dinners that won’t have you cooking separately for the rest of the family.
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