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High-Protein Lunches and Best Ingredients

By Ethan Boldt

June 20, 2025

You want to get more protein into your day. Perhaps you find it easy to hit your protein goals at breakfast (protein shakes and smoothies; eggs; Greek yogurt) and dinner (grilled meat or fish with sides). But lunch can prove to be a challenge, including packing a high-protein lunch to take to work or school.

Below we meet that challenge with numerous high-protein lunch ideas, including bowls, salads, sandwiches, wraps, soups and more. Having a high-protein lunch can change how you experience hunger for the rest of the day, including “snack time” in the afternoon. Because protein helps you achieve satiety, a protein-rich lunch can help you make better food choices for the rest of the day.

Learn about the other benefits of a high-protein lunch, how much protein you want to aim for, the best high-protein lunch ingredients and then, of course, the many different types of high-protein lunches you can make.

How much protein do you need?

If your goal is to maintain general health, mobility and well-being as you age, you want to consume at least 50 percent of your body weight in grams of protein per day. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you want to get in at least 75 grams of protein.

Therefore, if you’re eating three meals a day, you want to consume about 25 grams of protein per meal. Does your average lunch hit that mark? Likely not. The high-protein lunches below all do.

It’s also important to know that, in general, men require more protein than women, so they may want to go up to 0.8 grams per pound of body weight.

For those wanting to build muscle, 0.8 to 1.2 grams of protein per pound of body weight is suggested.

Benefits of high-protein lunches

First, making your own lunch assures that you cannot only hit your protein goal but also add more nutrients and skip the less healthy ingredients, including preservatives and processed ingredients.

Here are the benefits of high-protein lunches:

• Promotes muscle growth and repair – Protein plays a key role in building muscle and can help preserve lean body mass, even during weight loss.

• Supports healthy blood sugar levels – When within the normal range, protein helps slow the absorption of carbohydrates, aiding in more stable blood sugar.

• Increases satiety – Protein takes longer to digest, helping you feel full for longer.

• Creates a balanced meal – A combination of carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein makes for a well-rounded, satisfying meal.

High-protein lunch ingredients

It’s easier to add protein to your lunch than you think. Here are some ideas:

• Grilled chicken, steak or fish — Season and then grill; next chop up and add to nearly any salad, or slice and add to a sandwich.

• Lentils or beans — These legumes are high in fiber (which also helps fill you up) and protein. Add them to a slow-cooking soup, salad or grain bowl. The healthiest version is soaking your legumes overnight.

• Bone broth — A homemade bone broth can be used as the base for a high-protein soup. Also consider Bone Broth Protein, which is a powder you mix with water. It’s three times more potent than homemade broth (based on protein content). Bone Broth Protein Chicken Soup also works well for most soups, as it's a higher-powered chicken broth.

• Boiled eggs — Boiled eggs can be smashed and mixed with some Greek yogurt (also high in protein) for an egg salad sandwich; they can also be sliced and added to a sandwich.

• Low-fat cheese — Low-fat cheese is higher in protein and lower in fat (of course) than regular cheese. Cube and add to a salad, or slice and add to your sandwich.

• Wheat berry bread — Flourless, wheat berry breads like Ezekiel are higher in protein and fiber than regular breads.

• Nuts and seeds — High in protein and fat, both nuts and seeds help fill you; add to salads or grain bowls.

• Protein powder — Have a protein smoothie with your salad or sandwich, so consider using Ancient Nutrition’s Whey Protein, Multi Collagen Protein, Multi Collagen Advanced, Bone Broth Protein or Plant Protein.

• Greek yogurt — This high-protein yogurt can be used in place of mayonnaise and mixed with seasonings for a sandwich spread or a salad dressing. You can also place a large dollop of it on your soup.

High-protein salads and bowls

1. Cobb salad

A longtime favorite lunch salad, the Cobb is naturally high in protein but can also go way too high in fat and calories if you’re not careful. Simply make a few substitutions.

Instead of regular bacon, go with turkey bacon. Use one boiled egg. Go with grilled chicken rather than processed meat. Use a low-fat cheddar. Make up a salad dressing with Greek yogurt (with lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, extra virgin olive oil, and sea salt and black pepper).

Rather than iceberg lettuce, go with denser, dark greens like spinach, baby kale or arugula.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 397 calories

• 4.1 grams of carbohydrates

• 1.3 grams of fiber

• 18 grams of fat

• 53.2 grams of protein

2. Quinoa bowl with miso tahini dressing

Quinoa bowls are trending, from fast casual restaurants to cafes, but they're also easy to make at home. Try this spin on the quinoa bowl recipe, which is loaded with plant-based protein and flavor, in part courtesy of a delicious miso tahini dressing.

Quinoa is a rare plant food that is a complete protein source, with all 20 amino acids, including the nine essential amino acids that your body doesn’t produce on its own. It’s also high in fiber.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 595 calories

• 78.4 grams of carbohydrates

• 24.3 grams of fiber

• 20 grams of fat

• 33.2 grams of protein

3. Greek salad with grilled white fish

You know all about the Mediterranean diet, right? Well, the Greek salad is a classic Mediterranean dish, and with a few simple additions, you can also make it high protein.

For vegetables, you want chopped peppers, cherry tomatoes, sliced red onion and cucumber. Feta cheese and pitted Kalamata olives are a must to make it Greek. Dressing can be the same as the Cobb salad above, though consider swapping in red wine vinegar instead of ACV.

For more protein, add some grilled white fish, such as cod or halibut.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 409 calories

• 18 grams of carbohydrates

• 3.2 grams of fiber

• 23.2 grams of fat

• 26.7 grams of protein

4. Mushroom risotto

Risotto is one of those dishes that everyone has heard of, but a surprisingly high percentage of people have never made it. Fortunately, this one is a cinch and while most risottos are heavy on carbs, this one is balanced beautifully by offering plenty of protein as well.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 424 calories

• 45.4 grams of carbohydrates

• 3.9 grams of fiber

• 15.6 grams of fat

• 24.8 grams of protein

Other high-protein salads can include:

• Chicken fajita salad

• Chicken Caesar salad with Greek yogurt dressing

• Niçoise-Style Chopped Salad

• Jerk tofu grain bowl

High-protein sandwiches and wraps

5. High-protein bagel with smoked salmon

Most of us love bagels but probably reserve them for the special treat category because of the high carb and calorie count, in addition to the negligible protein. Here’s a high-protein bagel that’s also moderate in calories. It relies on Greek yogurt, the magical ingredient that can make many recipes become higher in protein and workable.

It also contains collagen protein from Ancient Nutrition, which adds to the protein content in the best of ways, as it helps support your skin, hair and joints.

Add reduced fat cream cheese, sliced smoked salmon and capers.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 367 calories

• 39.6 grams of carbohydrates

• 1 gram of fiber

• 9.7 grams of fat

• 31.1 grams of protein

6. Turmeric tuna salad

Turmeric and tuna go very well together and turn mundane tuna salad sandwich into something special. Add some Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard, along with minced onion and chopped celery. Use chopped apple or dried cranberries as well, along with fresh lemon juice.

Our recipe also calls for a half-scoop of Bone Broth Protein Turmeric. If you don’t use that, simply add a teaspoon of turmeric. Serve with two slices of wheat berry bread.

Nutrition facts for one serving (without the bread):

• 409 calories

• 7.2 grams of carbohydrates

• 1.9 gram of fiber

• 21.6 grams of fat

• 36.6 grams of protein

7. Egg salad sandwich

A delicious lunch sandwich is always the egg salad variety. First make up some boiled eggs.

Put eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes. For easier peeling, transfer the eggs to an ice bath after cooking.

Chop and smash two eggs in a small bowl, then add Dijon mustard and Greek yogurt, along with sea salt and black pepper. Finely chop some red onion as well and add.

Serve on wheat berry bread and top with sliced tomato and arugula.

Nutrition facts for one serving (with the bread):

• 362 calories

• 34.8 grams of carbohydrates

• 7 grams of fiber

• 10.8 grams of fat

• 23.4 grams of protein

Other high-proteins sandwiches and wraps include:

• Chickpea salad sandwich

• Turkey avocado wrap

• Salmon burger

• Turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich

• Flank steak sandwich

High-protein soups

8. Chicken soup

This is one of the most nutrient-dense soups you will find. It’s not just very high in protein (42 grams of protein per serving) but also includes over 20 percent Daily Value of over 15 vitamins and minerals. It’s also delicious and perfect for anytime you want some nourishment.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 428 calories

• 21 grams of carbohydrates

• 5.4 grams of fiber

• 18.9 grams of fat

• 42.1 grams of protein

9. French onion soup

You’ve likely had classic French onion soup at a restaurant or cafe. For an everyday soup, it can be too rich. Not this version, as our homemade French onion soup is perfectly balanced in macros.

Consider it a great lunch or dinner, next to a salad and/or a grilled piece of meat.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 343 calories

• 18.4 grams of carbohydrates

• 2.8 grams of fiber

• 15.8 grams of fat

• 25.6 grams of protein

10. Farmer’s market summer soup

Do you frequent the farmer’s market in the summer? If so, you know that those vegetables are at their peak of freshness and can make a great soup.

Consider the following ingredients to make up a great high-protein summer soup, any time of year in truth. Pick up carrots, celery, garlic, zucchini and corn, along with some fresh herbs like parsley. You’ll also need crushed tomatoes, farro, chicken broth (such as Bone Broth Protein Chicken Soup), olive oil and chicken breast.

Season with sea salt, pepper, basil, oregano and garlic powder. Cook up in a slow cooker or Instant Pot, or a big soup pot on the stovetop. Top with fresh Parmesan, lemon juice, fresh herbs and ground pepper.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 450 calories

• 52.8 grams of carbohydrates

• 9.1 grams of fiber

• 12.6 grams of fat

• 37.2 grams of protein

11. Southwest chili

Okay, not quite a soup but let's count it. This is a perfect chili that is high in protein and fiber and is delicious, with classic flavors. This recipe delivers on all counts.

Nutrition facts for one serving:

• 441 calories

• 33.8 grams of carbohydrates

• 11.3 grams of fiber

• 17.3 grams of fat

• 37.6 grams of protein