By United Supermarkets Dietitian Team
United Supermarkets’ Lifestyle Desk
Protein is an essential macronutrient and can be found in multiple places throughout the body as well as in multiple types of foods. Protein is necessary in the diet for a plethora of reasons such as, growth and maintenance of tissue, help maintain proper pH, helps balance fluids, helps form antibodies, some help transport nutrients throughout the body, and so much more. Healthfully hosting is no small task and our dietitians are always here to help you balance out your hosting table. Here are their top 5 tips on how to add more protein.
Add Meat
This one is pretty intuitive. Protein coming from animal sources is the most bioavailable to your system and easy to create a spread for. Bioavailable means the body absorbs and utilizes it more efficiently. Be it chicken, turkey, fish, or red meat most of the time there is no shortage of these already on the table.
Be cognizant of how these proteins are cooked (ie: baked, fried, grilled) and if there is a sauce on them. For example, fried chicken generally has more calories than grilled chicken. With that in mind, it might alter how much you put on your plate and how full you feel after a serving. Serving sizes are important here and depending on who you are as an individual you generally can stick to 0.8g-1.6g of protein per kilogram of body weight. This is a very wide range and we always recommend talking with your healthcare team before making diet changes.
Add The Beans
Be it a bean based pasta alternative for your pasta salad or cowboy caviar dip, adding beans not only gives you the benefit of more protein, but also fiber. Fiber keeps you feeling fuller longer and has a slew of other benefits over the course of time with regular recommended consumption. The next time you are at the grocery store or shopping online, turn that can of beans around to the nutrition facts and see how much plant powered protein is in there per serving – you might find yourself surprised.
Add Nuts And Seeds
Party trail mixes are fun and easy to put together. They take minimal prep and ‘cooking’ time and have different flavor profiles depending on what you’re going for. You might feel like buffalo or going Greek. It’s all up to you but nuts and seeds pack a nutritional punch with protein, fat, and more fiber making it an excellent option as part of a snack or meal.
Add An Egg
With 6 grams of protein, deviled eggs are an easy hosting appetizer. You can also chop hard boiled eggs and put them on salads, with nuts and seeds of course, for a meat alternative option for your guests. Eggs are an inexpensive way to increase the protein and help add flavor to your meals and snacks. For another example, carbonaras are one of our favorites!
Get Saucey
Whatever might be on your hosting table, think of what fun sauces have more protein to them like pestos, cashew queso, peanut sauce, Greek yogurt dips, hummus, cottage cheese dips, and tofu dips. Chips really are a vessel for these flavorful and protein packed options. Some of these can be higher in calories so be sure to pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues as they are all unique and different.
Lightened up Blue Cheese and Greek Yogurt Dip
INGREDIENTS
4 oz Blue Cheese
1/2 c. Fat Free Greek Yogurt
1/8 tsp. Cayenne
1/8 tsp. Ground Dried Mustard
1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
1 c. Tri-Colored Peppers
1 c. Celery
1 c. Carrot Sticks
1 lb. ReadyMeals Grilled Chicken
DIRECTIONS
1. In a small serving bowl combine the blue cheese and yogurt to mix well
2. On a rectangular platter set the bowl in the center
3. If you’re chicken is not already diced in 1-inch cubes, do so now
4. With the chicken, place it in a football shape around the bowl
5. Fill in the rest of the rectangle with the vegetables and serve
