How to Increase Protein Intake: 12 Easy Ways
Twelve realistic ways to eat more protein every day, most of which don’t ask you to change what you eat at all.
In this guide
You know you should be eating more protein. Maybe your GP mentioned it, maybe you’ve read it a hundred times online, or maybe you’ve simply noticed you’re hungry an hour after breakfast. The problem isn’t knowing. It’s doing it, every day, without living on chicken breasts and chalky shakes.
Here are 12 easy, realistic ways to increase your protein intake, most of which don’t ask you to change what you eat at all.
1. Start with breakfast
Breakfast is where most people fall furthest behind. Toast, cereal or a pastry gives you very little protein, and it’s hard to catch up later. Even one change here, like eggs, Greek yoghurt or a protein-rich coffee, makes the biggest difference to your day.
2. Put protein in your coffee
If you’re not a breakfast person, this is your shortcut. A tablespoon of Pure Beef stirred into your morning coffee adds 9.6g of protein, more than an egg. It has a neutral flavour, so your coffee still tastes like coffee. Mix it into a splash of hot coffee first, then top up, and you won’t get clumps.
3. Know the real numbers
Here’s the mistake almost everyone makes: we think about the weight of food, not the protein in it. A 500g pack of mince contains about 100g of protein, not 500g. An egg gives you 6 or 7g, not 55g. Once you know the real numbers, it’s much easier to see where you’re falling short.
4. Add protein to what you’re already cooking
Stir a tablespoon of Pure Beef into a bolognese, chilli, curry or soup. Everyone at the table gets more protein, and nobody can taste the difference. It’s a brilliant trick for fussy eaters too.
5. Swap your snack
Crisps and biscuits give you almost no protein. Try a handful of nuts, a boiled egg, a cheese stick, or a warm mug of Beef Marrow instead. A savoury mug at 4pm is far more satisfying than another trip to the biscuit tin.
| Instead of… | Try | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| A packet of crisps | A boiled egg | 6–7g |
| Biscuits with your tea | A handful of almonds (25g) | about 5g |
| Another coffee | Coffee with a spoonful of Pure Beef | 9.6g |
| Instant noodles | Noodles cooked in Beef Marrow, plus an egg | a lot more |
6. Blend it into smoothies and porridge
A tablespoon of neutral-flavoured broth powder disappears into a smoothie or a bowl of porridge. So does Greek yoghurt, nut butter or a handful of oats.
7. Cook your grains in broth
Cook rice, quinoa, couscous or pasta in Chicken + Veg instead of plain water. You add protein and a lot more flavour, for no extra effort.
8. Upgrade your instant noodles
Bin the sachet. Cook your noodles in Beef Marrow or Chicken + Veg, then add an egg and some greens. Five minutes, and far more protein than the original.
9. Keep easy protein in the cupboard
Tinned fish, beans, lentils, nuts and a pouch of broth powder all keep for months. When the fridge is empty, you still have options.
10. Spread it across the day
Rather than one big protein-heavy dinner, aim for some protein at every meal. Research suggests your body makes better use of protein when it’s spread out.
11. Try savoury, not sweet
Many people give up on protein powders because they’re sweet, sickly and full of sweeteners. If that’s you, savoury protein, like broth, fits into real food and real meals, not just shakes.
12. Make it a habit, not a project
The best protein habit is the one you’ll actually keep. A spoonful in your coffee every morning, done for a month, adds nearly 300g of protein you wouldn’t otherwise have had. Small and boring beats ambitious and abandoned.
One spoonful a day, added up
How much protein should you aim for?
UK guidelines suggest 0.75g per kg of body weight a day as a baseline, and many experts recommend 1.0 to 1.2g per kg for older adults and those who are active.
Why bone broth is such an easy win
Most protein foods need cooking, chewing or a shaker. Broth powder needs a kettle. Pure Beef is 96% protein, made from grass-fed, pasture-raised beef, with no added salt and no fillers. It’s slow-simmered for up to 16 hours, so you don’t have to.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the fastest way to add protein to my diet?
Adding a protein source to something you already eat every day, like a spoonful of Pure Beef in your coffee, is the fastest and easiest change to stick to.
Can I increase protein without eating more meat?
Yes. Eggs, dairy, beans, lentils, tofu, nuts and seeds all add protein. Bone broth is also a meat product, but you don’t have to cook or chew it, which many people find easier.
Will more protein make me bulky?
No. Building significant muscle takes dedicated strength training and a lot of food. For most people, more protein simply helps maintain the muscle they have.
The bottom line
Increasing your protein intake doesn’t mean overhauling your diet. Start with breakfast, learn the real numbers, and find one easy habit you can keep. For many people, that habit is a spoonful of broth in the morning.
Mix and match any pouches and save up to 15%.
Related reading
- High-protein savoury snacks that aren’t another protein bar
- High-protein breakfast ideas without eggs
- Sneaky bolognese (The Broth Kitchen)
Sources & further reading
