How to Hit 30g Protein at Lunch: 6 Ideas That Aren’t Chicken and Rice

When it comes to hitting protein targets, lunch is often the meal people struggle with the most. Too busy to cook, too expensive to buy out, too difficult to find something that hits the right macros: it can be a challenge for busy adults to get this midday meal right, especially if you’re trying to up your intake. But your lunch has a big impact on the rest of your day, from energy to satiety to avoiding the 3pm office crash. So, we’re here to give you some genuinely tasty lunch ideas. And since the general recommendation for optimal muscle protein synthesis is 25g per meal, all of our ideas include 30g minimum. Hitting your macros never tasted so good. How to hit 30g protein at lunch, let’s get into it:

Why lunch is the hardest meal to get right

As a working adult, you often don’t have a lot of time in the middle of your day. Eating at your desk, fitting everything into a 20 minute break, or trying to figure out a plan while you work from home can all lead to a less-than-ideal lunch. And as much as it pains us to say it, a £3.85 meal deal doesn’t quite hit your protein goals. 

This matters more than people think: spreading your protein intake across the day is much more effective than front-loading it at breakfast or dinner. Keeping it consistent throughout the day gives your body an even level of fuel to work with, avoiding an energy crash a few hours later, and providing your body with the energy it needs to build and repair your muscles, bones, skin, and hair. 

So let’s get into some high-protein, low-effort lunch ideas to combat this…

Lunch ideas with 30g+ of protein

We’re keeping it simple, because simple is what working adults have time and energy for. An intake of 30g protein per meal doesn’t have to mean endless meal-prepping or skipping meals in favour of protein shakes. You can do it in a way that tastes good, with whole foods, and with minimal effort. Don’t believe us? Here are 6 ideas you can try:

1. Smoked salmon & cream cheese bagel

Coming in at a potentially record-breaking 3 minutes preparation time, depending on how toasted you like your bagel, a classic smoked salmon and cream cheese combo always hits the spot. 

• 120g smoked salmon
• 30g cream cheese
• 1 plain bagel

= ~32g protein

This feels like a real treat, but gives you a solid amount of protein that will keep you full all afternoon. Plus, you can easily push this to 40g by switching out the cream cheese for 100g cottage cheese. Dealer’s choice.

2. Greek yoghurt mezze bowl (v)

The mediterraneans know their food. This Greek-style yoghurt bowl is perfect for a summer lunch, giving you around 30g of protein in one fresh, easy-to-prep swoop. 

• 200g full-fat greek yoghurt
• 4 pieces shop-bought falafel
• 1 wholemeal pita bread
• 2 tbsp tzatziki

= ~33g protein

This can be prepped the night before if you are really pushed for time, but in our opinion, it’s better the day of. Whack the falafel in an airfryer, toast the pita bread, and you’ll be whisked away to the beaches of Santorini by your first bite.

3. Tuna and white bean salad

A bean salad is such an easy way to pack in both protein and fibre. You can add any veggies you want, meal prep multiple lunches at once, and change up the flavours each week for variety. This one has tuna and feta, but steak or chicken would be equally delicious.

• 1 tin tuna
• 100g cannellini beans
• 50g feta cheese
• 100g cherry tomatoes
• ½ red pepper
• ¼ red onion
• Your dressing of choice

=  ~44g protein

Switch out the dressing, herbs, meat (or a different type of bean, if you’re veggie or vegan), vegetables: this is completely customisable. And since there are no leaves to go soggy, it’ll last in the fridge for the workweek. Easy. 

4. Egg and halloumi wrap

On WFH days when you have a pan (or if you work in a very well-equipped office), this tasty wrap only takes 10 minutes of your time, for a return of 30g of protein. 

• 2 medium eggs
• 80g halloumi
• 60g hummus
• 1 flour tortilla
• Handful of baby spinach or rocket
• 2 strips of jarred roasted red pepper

= ~37g protein

Scramble or fry your eggs, brown off your halloumi, and layer it all on your wrap. For an extra step that makes it feel even more gourmet, toast the wrap on both sides before serving.

5. Edamame and tofu grain bowl (v/ve)

If you’re vegan or vegetarian, this one’s for you. Delicious, customisable and batchable for 2-3 days in advance, our Asian-inspired edamame and tofu grain bowl gets you a huge 40g of plant-based protein with the right ingredients. Here’s what to add.

• 200g firm tofu (cubed and pan-fried)
• 150g edamame beans
• 150g brown rice or quinoa
• 50g shredded red cabbage
• ½ cucumber (sliced)
• 1 small carrot (grated)
• 2 spring onions
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• Dressing
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari, to make it gluten-free)
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
  • Optional: pinch of chilli flakes

= ~40g protein

The ingredients list might look long, but don’t let that phase you. This uses tons of pantry staples, so chances are you have everything locked and loaded already. Our tips: press the tofu first if you have time (it crisps up better that way), and keep the dressing separate if you’re batch-cooking ahead of time. 

6. Easy high-protein soup

This one couldn’t be easier if you tried. We won’t even explain it further, just take a look at the ingredients:

• 1 jar lentil or bean soup
• 100g rotisserie chicken, shredded

=  ~39g protein

It’s that easy. Zero effort, 2 minutes to prep, and enough protein to fuel your afternoon. What’s not to love? 

High-protein grab-and-go options

While these recipe ideas are all quick and easy, sometimes we don’t even have time for that. When your lunch break is approximately 0 minutes long, there are still good options out there that don’t include meal-skipping or empty calorie take-aways. 

Just-add-water meals

You may think that the only grab and go options with enough protein content are shakes, but what if we told you you can get a nutritionally complete meal for the exact same (lack of) effort? That’s what Savoury SuperMeals provide.

With six genuinely delicious recipes, these give you a 350 cal meal with up to 25g protein, plus fibre, carbohydrates, healthy fats, and 26 essential vitamins and minerals. Just add boiling water to the recommended serving amount, wait 6 minutes, and you’re good to go.

Meal replacement shakes

These are different to protein shakes (also a good option, when used alongside whole foods). Meal replacement shakes are perfect for on-the-go days or times you’ve forgotten to prep, giving you a full macro-balanced option so they can replace your lunch entirely. Additionally, if you’re looking to lose weight, meal replacement shakes can be an effective tool – recommended by the NHS.

Not sure which one to choose? Our complete Meal Shake range has something for everyone. From vegan, to diet, to first-timers, to fortified advanced formulations. They range from 16g to 40g of protein per serve, so if you need something fast and easy, they’re a great go-to. Worried about satiety? Find out how meal replacement shakes keep you feeling full.

Building a high-protein lunch from scratch

Eating a protein-packed lunch can be as easy as you make it. If you’re not sure where to begin, a good meal pretty much always follows the same pattern: 

Protein source + fibre/veg + something satisfying (fat or carb)

Take stock of what’s in your fridge, and you’ll find that you’ve got an array of meal options to choose from. Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot of one protein source; protein stacking is also a great way to meet your metrics. Eggs + cottage cheese, tuna + beans, steak + lentils: pretty much anything can be combined to make something delicious. 

And on the days where you really don’t have the energy to think, a ready-made shake or supermeal goes a long way.

Shop our range of protein powders, Savoury Supermeals and meal replacement shakes.