This post is a list of foods that provide protein. This list is for you if:
- you’re not sure which foods have protein,
- you are tired of the protein foods you are eating and want to find different ones,
- you’re looking to add more protein to your diet and need ideas
Keep reading to find some new protein foods to try!
Poultry
- Chicken breast
- Chicken thighs
- Chicken drumstick
- Chicken wings
- Chopped or shredded chicken
- Ground chicken
- Canned chicken
- Chicken feet
- Turkey, white and dark meat
- Shredded or chopped turkey
- Sliced deli turkey
- Ground turkey
- Turkey jerky
- Turkey bacon
- Duck
- Pheasant
- Liver and organ meats (pretty much any kind)
Eggs and Dairy
- Eggs
- Milk
- Soy milk
- Goat milk
- Sheep milk
- Cheese (pretty much any kind except cream cheese)
- Cottage cheese
- Goat cheese
- Sheep cheese
- Yogurt
- Kefir
Beans/Lentils/Pulses
- Black beans
- Pinto beans
- Kidney beans
- Lentils
- French lentils
- Split peas
- White beans
- Lima beans
- Garbanzo beans/chickpeas
- Hummus
- Tofu
- Tempeh
Meat
- Pork chops
- Pork loin
- Pork shoulder
- Ground pork
- Ham
- Bacon
- Canadian bacon
- Sausage
- Bologna
- Salami
- Ground beef
- Roast beef
- Corned beef
- Hot dog
- Hamburger
- Steak
- Beef roast
- Beef jerky
- Bison
- Elk
- Venison
- Lamb
- Mutton
Various Plant Proteins
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Peanuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- Cashews
- Pistachios
- Pecans
- Nut butters
- Soy milk
- Quinoa (at least 1 cup)
- Seitan
- Meat substitutes like veggie burgers or vegetarian sausage (always check the label for protein content)
- Edamame
- Sprouted peas
- Green peas (1 cup)
- Grilled Portobello mushroom (1 cup)
A word about protein powders: Many people find protein powders helpful, however I haven’t included them separately because most of them are made from one of the foods listed above like milk, eggs, soy, or peas.
These foods, in a typical serving size, provide at least 10% of the recommended daily amount of protein (%DV). Note that many of them provide much more than 10% and that the the %DV is based on a very general figure. This post does not give serving sizes or recommend amounts of protein to eat. Protein needs vary widely, and there is a wide amount of protein intake that can be healthy! If you have questions about how much protein you need, speak with a registered dietitian or your doctor!