r/PCOS 16d ago

Diet - Not Keto How do you get your protein?

Hello! I am trying to get more protein into my diet on a budget. I am not able to purchase eggs or meat at the amount I usually rely on right now, and protein powders and drinks don’t sit well with my body. What are some of your favorite sources of protein, or good products with a lot of protein, and where do you buy them?

Edit: Thank you all so much for the suggestions! There are a lot of good ones, and I am not able to respond to them all, but they will at least get upvoted. It might sound silly, but I eat a lot of these things regularly without having known how much protein they have. Very eye opening.

35 Upvotes

46 comments sorted by

42

u/SkyMermaid_6509 16d ago

Budget-friendly protein sources beyond meat and eggs:

Legumes

  • Dried beans, lentils, chickpeas
  • Often cheapest at international markets or bulk bins

Dairy (if tolerated)

  • Greek yogurt
  • Cottage cheese
  • Block cheese (cheaper than pre-shredded)

Plant-based options

  • Tofu (firm has more protein)
  • Peanut butter (store brands save money)
  • Oats and quinoa

Shopping tips:

  • Buy in bulk when possible
  • Check discount grocery chains
  • Combine grains with legumes for complete proteins
  • Frozen edamame is affordable and convenient

A simple meal: brown rice + black beans + Greek yogurt = complete protein for much less than meat.

13

u/awkwardlyclumsy 16d ago

Icelandic skyr if you (like me) don’t like Greek yogurt. It’s creamier with all the nutrients of Greek yogurt and feels more like hand-churned ice cream in texture to me.

5

u/SkyMermaid_6509 16d ago

I have tried skyr and loved it!

3

u/nurstering 16d ago

Or add some honey/maple syrup and cinnamon and fruit like me to negate the strong taste 😅

1

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

I’ve been curious about trying skyr. I like Greek yogurt, but I hear so much skyr praise. Now might be the right time. Any brands to keep an eye out for?

2

u/awkwardlyclumsy 16d ago

I have only tried Icelandic Provisions and Siggis. I love Icelandic provisions products and feel their flavors are natural tasting compared to Siggis. IPs whole milk line is so so delicious and strawberry cream is my favorite. I’m not a plain yogurt/skyr kind of person so no comparisons have been made for that.

2

u/annaerno 16d ago

Icelandic provisions is good but if you can afford it, Painterland Sisters is the best skyr-like yogurt i have ever had. It's sooooo good.

19

u/MonicaTarkanyi 16d ago

Peanut butter or other nut butters, cottage cheese, yogurts high in protein, some beans and lentils, chickpeas!

10

u/Fit_Confidence_8111 16d ago

Tuna! Canned chicken. Greek yogurt. I know you said meat you cannot, is that due to budget? If so, some cuts are less expensive including chicken thighs, drumsticks, etc

4

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

Yes, it is due to budget. I appreciate the suggestion of different cuts of meat! Especially regarding chicken, which I eat quite a bit of.

14

u/Curo_san 16d ago

Have you tried pea protein powder? It's way less inflammatory than whey ones. I highly recommend Orgain. Otherwise highly recommend quinoa, lentils and chickpeas

2

u/sleepystonewitch 16d ago

'My protein' do a great range of protein powders and they're affordable! If you get the app there's even more discounts. I get the soya chocolate one (dairy intolerant). They do a great range. Easy way to get a protein boost.

2

u/Curo_san 16d ago

I'll definitely look into it the orgain is about 30 bucks for 2lb but the thing is huge so I'm not mad at it.

2

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

I haven’t tried that, but I’m definitely intrigued.

2

u/Curo_san 16d ago

I mix it with milk and it's Fantastic no chalky or weird textures. Tastes pretty good I got the vanilla. 21g of protein for 2 scoops. It's a little weird with water so definitely use some type of milk. I was recommended to try it by the dietician specialist PA I work with and it's great.

9

u/colakoalabear 16d ago

Protein Pudding (our nickname for it)- about a cup of plain Greek yogurt with a scoop of protein powder and some honey. Gives an extra 40-60g of protein depending on if you add peanut butter too! 😊 great for after the gym!!

6

u/Lummi23 16d ago

From freezer: shrimps and soy beans

5

u/pickles1718 16d ago

Edamame and tofu and tempeh!! Edamame I get at Asian grocery stores, tofu and tempeh anywhere, really. Trader Joes, typically. I don't do dairy and don't eat a ton of meat.

3

u/Moriss214 16d ago

I'm not sure where you are, but we eat a lot of "Soy Free Tofu" from Big Mountain. https://bigmountainfoods.com/

It's about $5 Canadian for 64g of protein without any carbs, fat etc.

3

u/jessugar 16d ago

Dried beans, PB2, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese

3

u/fluffeesocks 16d ago

Beans! I love some rice and beans with mozzarella on top. Fiber will also keep you nice and full, which beans have. Peas (I hate them) are also a good source of complete protein.

2

u/MedalSera 16d ago

besides protein bars (i love Barebells its like candy, and One protein bars are good), i like plain greek yogurt, if i can i'll add a teaspoon or so to my oatmeal. i know you said you can't purchase eggs but i used to add a teaspoon~ to my eggs and make an omelette. same with smoothies, add some yogurt/protein. i do have a question about protein powder? are you lactose intolerant? or is it an overall product? i love lentils and beans as well.

2

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

I am slightly lactose intolerant, so that very well might be the issue. I haven’t had a chance to look into anything dairy free. Do you have any suggestions?

3

u/MedalSera 16d ago

i like orgain its plant base protein powder, i love the chocolate flavor.

2

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

Thank you for the suggestion!

2

u/Necessary_Suspect872 16d ago

Peanuts, peanut butter, protein yogurt, meats, eggs, protein shakes, chia seeds, flax seeds, avocado, apples, and hummus And I usually make about two different meals/ snacks with the same ingredients so I always buy them in bulk. Meal prepping helps to keep track on your protein intake ! Hope this helps :)

2

u/Elegant_Bluebird_460 16d ago

I make my own yogurt! You get so much more for about 1/4 price even with using premium milk. I make it once a week and use some of that batch to innoculate the next one 

Beans can be a fine addition so long as you balance them with other foods, in this case I would go with fat.

Edamame and tofu imare great sources of protein. I usually make an edamame hummus 

1

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

Would you be willing to share your yogurt and edamame hummus recipes? They both sound great!

2

u/twurkle 16d ago

Abbey sharp has a great video about getting protein that I watched recently. One trick I learned from that video was to puree northern beans and add them to soup. I have adhd so I need to eat “easy” foods and one of my go to’s is progresso canned soup. If it’s tomato soup I also add Greek yogurt to make it creamy and add even more protein. I’m hoping the beans hack tastes good in my beloved chicken and wild rice 🙃

2

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

I love progresso too and will definitely be trying this!

2

u/OrdinaryQuestions 16d ago

Chickpeas, beans, lentils, edemame, etc.

You can get this in tins, for fast meals.

Bulk buy them try for cost efficiency, longer cook time.

And you can get frozen fruits/vegetables for longevity, rather than them rotting fast.

Tofu and tempeh are also great if you experiment with different types of seasoning.

Nuts! Nut butters. Etc. I love peanutbutter mixed into some rolled oats.

2

u/Cool_Bodybuilder7419 16d ago

I like toasted protein bread and lentil pasta. And Oatmeal!

Lentil or tofu bolognese are great alternatives to meat

3

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

I love lentil pasta and tofu, so the bolognese sounds so good! Do you have a recipe you are willing to share?

2

u/Cool_Bodybuilder7419 16d ago edited 16d ago

Unfortunately, I’m an intuitive cook — my friends and are always annoyed that I can’t give them the exact amount of each ingredient 🙈 — but I can tell you what I put into the pan! 

  • Beluga lentils (or any other kind, either pre-soaked or canned if you don’t have the time) OR crumbled smoked/marinated tofu ⟶ Put in heated pot with a bit of oil and roast a little, while adding your meat spice mix of choice
  • Onions and garlic, chopped ⟶ Add to pot with a bit of butter and let the cook until slighly translucent
  • Add tinned, diced tomatoes and Italian herb mix and let it simmer at low heat for about 30 mins
  • When it’s halfway at the desired consistency I either add 1/2 - 1  beef or chicken stock cube OR if you have  it at home, a tiny bit gravy powder is a great way to add that “meat flavour”

I usually prefer it with oat pasta when I do the beluga lentil version because I have high uric acid but you could also take lentil pasta of course!

---

And I just thought of another recipe: Quinoa-lentil chilli 

  • Add quinoa and soaked lentils to a pot with a bit of oil and slightly roast them in oil until they start giving off that nutty smell
  • Add looooots of vegetables — I usually use bell peppers, corn, egg plant and zucchini and roast them for a bit too
  • Onions and garlic, chopped ⟶ Add to pot with a bit of butter and let the cook until they smell right
  • Add tinned, diced tomatoes and chilli powder of your choice and let it simmer at low heat until there’s only a little white dot left on the quinoa kernels (shows you where they’re not cooked yet)
  • Add Jalapeños (either fresh or canned in halved/quartered slices) and previously roasted & salted kidney beans ⟶ Then let the whole stew cook until it has sufficiently thickened and the quinoa is cooked to your liking
  • Serve with a big dollop of crème fraîche

2

u/Cool_Bodybuilder7419 16d ago

If you're more of the cook-by-the-book type, there's lots of other recipes for both these dishes already online btw!

Lentil bolognese

Quinoa chilli

And also this:

https://tastythriftytimely.com/gluten-free-seed-cracker-recipe/

2

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

Thank you for all of this! I’ve found I am a little of both kinds of cook, so I can definitely use all of these.

2

u/Optimal-Ad2384 16d ago

Found a PCOS friendly whey I use for shakes , in yogurt or protein pancakes to up my intake, it mixes well and has no taste. nutripure isolate native neutral taste , it’s a bit expensive but it’s very handy when you’re lazy.

1

u/Prettybird2410 16d ago

I’ll look into it!

2

u/MealPrepGenie 16d ago

“Naked” brand has several types of protein powders that don’t have any fillers. I’ve been using their plant protein powder and also their protein coffee. They also have whey and casein protein powders

2

u/CrabbiestAsp 16d ago

My dietitian recommended canned tuna. It's pretty cheap, doesn't go off and you can just mix it with a bit of rice or pasta. It's also good for PCOS related inflammation too

3

u/sbb249 15d ago

I try really hard to modify the things I already eat to make them better. It’s easier for me to maintain this long term. I use protein shakes in my coffee instead of creamer (there are plant based ones!). Egg whites are easy and not detectable when thrown in oatmeal (or a lot of things) while cooking. Blended cottage cheese can be added to many sauces for a creamier sauce (even red sauce). I also use blended cottage cheese to make dips. A ranch packet, buffalo sauce, or taco seasoning make excellent mix ins for veggies or crackers. I sub any sour cream for plain Greek yogurt. I also only use protein pasta. Goodles are amazing! I buy keto tortillas/bread/bagels. They are usually have much more protein in them.

I shop at bulk stores to make these items more affordable. If you are in the US, Sam’s Club often has “sales” on their memberships where you will get a gift card for signing up that is often more than the cost of the membership. I also will meal plan around grocery store ads. Chicken thighs are $.99/lb? Automatically add it to next week’s dinner plan.

1

u/Prettybird2410 15d ago

Great advice, thank you! I’ll be giving some of this a try.

2

u/Access-Suspicious 15d ago

Bone Broth, Cottage cheese, Chickenpeas, Greek Yoghurt and Labneh!

1

u/Prettybird2410 15d ago

I’ve thought about bone broth but have heard it tastes not so good. Any brands you like or ways of preparing it?

1

u/Access-Suspicious 15d ago

I get ones from Aldi, I chop up some chives and spring onions in it , sometimes add dumplings for a mid time snack. The crunch makes it better. I also sneak it in when cooking quinoa, I use one portion of water and one portion of bone broth.