Action Plan; Plan meals and snacks with protein foods

 

It’s time to make a plan to offer a variety of protein foods. Use this list to explore ways to add them to meals and snacks. Which protein food could you offer this week to your family?

Meal Ideas 

Hummus - Search the Health eKitchen for our homemade hummus recipe! Then try one of the following:

  • Spread in a wrap or sandwich with chopped veggies.
  • Use to thicken soup. Offer with whole grain crackers.
  • Make a Mediterranean pizza! Spread hummus on a whole wheat tortilla. Add chopped tomato, artichokes, spinach, and bell pepper. Slice and enjoy!

Canned beans or lentils - Drain and rinse, then try one of these:

  • Mash them to create bean dip. Top with cheese and warm them. Offer with diced veggies and chips as nachos.
  • Add to salad topping options.
  • Make fruity street tacos. Mix the beans with diced mango, onion, bell peppers, and chopped cilantro. Fill corn tortillas.

Cooked split peas

  • Make a side dish by tossing peas with a little olive oil, garlic and fresh lemon. 

Nut butter (or seed butter such as sunflower butter) 

  • Blend in a banana smoothie.
  • Spread on whole grain bread with sliced bananas or diced strawberries.

Nuts or seeds 

  • Toss on regular (or soy) yogurt with berries.
  • Sprinkle on salads. Check out the recipe for Chopped Brussels Sprouts Salad on Health eKitchen!
  • Add to hot cereals. Toasted walnuts are great in both hot oatmeal, and chilled overnight oats.

Seafood - canned tuna fish or salmon 

  • Mix with light mayo, chopped celery, and carrot. Offer with cucumber slices or whole grain bread.
  • Drain the can, then add as a salad topping. Try the Kale And Tuna Salad recipe from Health eKitchen!

Lean meat, eggs or poultry

  • Chop hard-boiled eggs and use as a salad topping.
  • Drain canned chicken and add to salads, tacos, or wraps. 
  • Cook a large batch of chicken breast, ground meat, loin, roast, or turkey breast. Add to salads, tacos, wraps, or freeze the extra.

Snack ideas

Hummus with

  • Sliced cucumbers
  • Whole grain crackers 

Black bean dip with 

  • Sliced bell peppers
  • Mashed avocado

Nut butter (or sunflower butter) with

  • Banana in a smoothie 
  • Veggies (cucumbers) or fruits (apple slices)
  • Whole grain bread and sliced bananas

Nuts or seeds with

  • Berries on regular (or soy) yogurt 
  • Baked goods, hot cereals, or salads
  • Mixed berries

Canned tuna fish mixed with light mayo on top of  

  • Whole grain crackers 
  • Cucumber slices

Canned chicken on top of 

  • Whole grain bread
  • Whole grain crackers

Write the following statement on a piece of paper or your phone. Save it where you can easily come back to it later.

The type of protein food I will offer my family this week.  Will I offer it at meal or snack time?

Tooltip: Nuts and seeds are a choking hazard and should not be given to children under 4. Finely minced is okay to give.

Tooltip: Nuts and seeds are a choking hazard and should not be given to children under 4. Finely minced is okay to give.

Nuts and seeds are a choking hazard and should not be given to children under 4. Finely minced is okay to give.

Nuts and seeds are a choking hazard and should not be given to children under 4. Finely minced is okay to give.

Nuts and seeds are a choking hazard and should not be given to children under 4. Finely minced is okay to give.

Nuts and seeds are a choking hazard and should not be given to children under 4. Finely minced is okay to give.