In the daily hustle of busy schedules, work, and to-do lists, dinner can often be a quick drive-thru meal or something we grab quickly. But on a GLP-1, I want to encourage you to sit down for this important meal.
Dinner is not just a meal, it’s a daily opportunity to reconnect with others, laugh with your loved ones, share stories, and create memories around the table. This is also a great opportunity to meet your goal of eating enough protein.
Protein is important for preserving lean muscle, supporting metabolism, and maintaining energy throughout the day. Meeting protein needs can be harder for people on GLP-1 medications with appetite alteration and eating less. That’s why we’ve created a collection of quick, 30-minute high-protein dinners designed specifically for GLP-1 users.
These meals are portion-friendly and packed with protein to support muscle and satiety. The meals are balanced with fiber, healthy fats, and blood sugar-friendly carbs, and they are fast and easy, perfect for busy evenings. Plus, each recipe has at least 20g of protein per serving.
Jerk-Style Shrimp Rice Bowl
Shrimp is a great seafood choice to add protein to your bowls and dishes. A fellow RD, Macy Diulus, shared her Jerk Style Shrimp Rice Bowl that takes only 16 minutes to make and adds 27g of protein to your day. Wow!
Sweet Potato Taco Skillet w/ Ground Turkey
Ground turkey is a great lean protein that can be added to dishes such as bowls, tacos, skillets, and more. Jessie Winstead, a fellow RD, recommended her Sweet Potato Taco Skillet with Ground Turkey recipe that has 28 g of protein per serving and only takes 30 minutes to prepare. This dish makes 6 servings, which is perfect for a family dinner.
Mediterranean Grain Bowl
When most people think of grains, they associate them with fiber, but did you know some grains are packed with protein? Amazing right!? A fellow RD, Alex Evink, certainly put this to good use with her Mediterranean Grain Bowl that uses quinoa, a high-protein grain, and chickpeas that are also high in protein. This dish takes only 30 minutes and 30 g of protein and 8 g of fiber per serving.
High-Protein Pasta with Broccoli and Red Pepper
Protein pastas are a great new way of adding more protein to your diet. Several of these pastas use plant-based protein, so it becomes a great nonmeat option as well. Melissa Altman-Traub is a registered dietitian who shared her high-protein Pasta with Broccoli and Red Pepper recipe that only takes 15 minutes and has 24g of protein.
Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta Bake
Cottage cheese is a great way to add protein to many of your dishes you love. It is high in calcium, magnesium, folate, selenium, phosphorus, and B vitamins. Fellow RD, Maria Lucey has shared her Creamy Cottage Cheese Pasta Bake that makes 6 servings, takes 35 minutes, and packs 37 g of protein. Amazing!
Strawberry Arugula Salad with Strawberry Vinaigrette
Strawberry is an ingredient that isn’t associated much with dinner or even a protein dish. However, EA Stewart, a fellow RD, has created this delicious high-protein salad featuring strawberries in the salad and dressing. This hearty salad packs 47g of protein and only takes 15 minutes to prepare.
Chicken Parmesan Stromboli
Chicken parmesan dishes are a popular recipe for any pasta lover out there. Jessie Winstead, RD, shared her Chicken Parmesan Stromboli recipe that only takes 30 minutes, serves 6 people, and has 29g of protein. This dish is so easy to make and is filled with flavor
High-Protein Chicken Enchiladas
Enchiladas are a staple in Mexican cuisine, filled with flavor and adding a special touch to your meals. Jessie Winstead shared another of her popular recipes with this High Protein Chicken Enchiladas that serves 4 people and takes 30 minutes to make. It also has 48 g of protein, which is amazing!
Greek Chicken Protein Bowls with Garlic Yogurt
If you are someone who loves making and eating bowls at dinner, you’ll have to try Alex Evink’s recipe for a Greek Chicken Protein Bowl with Garlic Yogurt. This dish has 51g of protein and 9.5 g of fiber, perfect for those on GLP-1.
Shrimp with Pasta, Tomatoes, and Avocado
This recipe is filled with so many nutritious ingredients, such as tomatoes and avocados, that are packed with vitamins and minerals. Shrimp is a delicious and wonderful way to add protein to your dishes. Lenore Wespetal, an RD, has shared her Shrimp with Pasta, Tomatoes, and Avocado recipe that takes only 18 minutes and has 35 g of protein for 1 serving.
Baked Turkey Meatballs
Registered dietitian Erica Julson created these Baked Turkey Meatballs that can be enjoyed on their own or on top of high protein pasta. Each meatball has about 8 grams of protein, so three meatballs would help you meet your protein goal for a dinner meal.
Want more support around your nutrition on a GLP-1? Check out our nutrition guides called Beyond the Shot.
Want to share your favorite high protein dinner? Join the GLP-1 Hub Facebook group for support and community.
