Sneaking in Protein

desertheart

I know that I need to eat protein to keep MS in check, but I'm having a difficult time eating most things with protein.  I can usually sneak it in at dinner or lunch (grains, beans, etc.), but it's a little more difficult with quick snacks I can eat quickly/take to meetings/eat in car.  Any ideas?  

Right now I cannot stand: peanut butter, cheese, high protein granola bars (tried several types), meat, most nuts, fish, milk, boiled eggs, 

I feel like the only high protein foods I can stomach are: oatmeal, vanilla yogurt, mac and cheese packets, and bagels and cream cheese.  Not ideal for a really quick snack except for maybe yogurt.

I've looked up high protein foods, and even most of the pictures alone make me want to hurl.  Any thoughts how to sneak in more protein??

yogahh

Can you stomach a protein shake? The chocolate ones are not that bad!

PrimRoseMama

Is jerky an option? With my pg with DS I craved it & it was amazing for my MS. Also, yogurt covered fruit is great. You can do bananas in yogurt & chill them.

A smoothie might be a good option. Have you tried Cliff Bar? They have amazing flavors.

desertheart

Thanks!

@yogahh I almost bought some today at Whole Foods, but I just kept thinking about Ensure. Haha.  I'll have to look up some reviews and see which ones taste the best.  I would make some, but our blender sucks and that also means thinking ahead if I'm taking it work (which, of course, I hate doing right now). 

@PrimRoseMama Hmm, actually jerky sounds good.  I have some homemade dried sausage from back home in my freezer.  Might have to give that a try.  I need to find a place that sells the good stuff here, not Slim Jims.  Haha.  Cliff Bars are meh for me.  Fruit and yogurt I can do.  Bananas, nope.  It's strange because they used to settle my stomach.  It feels so strange to be turned off by food...I am not a picky eater.  But now I hate everything.    

doozer1345

@yogahh rookie question...so we can drink the powder protein shakes??? I thought we couldn't. Doesn't make sense that we couldn't but I got that stuck in my head. You're going to make my pregnancy if we are!

aloha5736

From what I read watch the glutamine in protein shakes. I read something about brain development, and that was enough. Didn't going into the research of it, but could find protein other ways. It's in the amino acid blend. I tend to do Greek yogurt, string cheese, eggs, etc. Even making a protein shake with Greek yogurt. I'm super into clean eating while pregnant so maybe I'm more nutty than most LOL. I stopped doing my daily protein shake in June when TTC, just wanted to do more whole foods. Also a lot contain artificial sweeteners.

missemmawoodhouse

How about these Chobani yogurts? The banana maple is so good:
https://www.chobani.com/products/oats#peach

Also, I love cottage cheese with mango.

yogahh

doozer1345 said:

@yogahh rookie question...so we can drink the powder protein shakes??? I thought we couldn't. Doesn't make sense that we couldn't but I got that stuck in my head. You're going to make my pregnancy if we are!

No idea about the powder. What I love is the bolthouse farms vanilla protein shake. Haven't had one since getting ku wo haven't checked the label but I believe they are all pasteurized. Might treat myself to one today!

desertheart

I did read something about the protein shakes and brain development.  I think there are other types of smoothies/shakes out there where the protein is from the yogurt. The ones I saw from WF were from veggies, so I'll check those out again. I'm beginning to have a hard time with Greek yogurt except for the Wallaby blended vanilla.  Something about that strong acidic taste that gets in the back of my throat.  TMI, but it reminds me of throwing up.  Haha.  Same with the Annie's Mac and Cheese packets starting yesterday.  I'm getting frustrated bc I buy food and then the next day I can't stand it.  We've thrown away more food in the last few weeks, bc I hate everything.  

I can stand cashews, so I put a huge bag on my desk and eat one or two every 10-15 minutes.  I'm hoping that will help keep MS away between lunch and bigger snacks.  

Scrambled eggs are fine as long as they do not produce that over-cooked egg smell.  Gag.  But not something I can eat easily at work.  

sarahufl

Is a mac & cheese packet really considered high-protein?

I ate yogurt and cheese- couldn't stomach the idea of meat or beans.

desertheart

@sarahufl The Annie's box I have says 9g per servings, which is almost up there with Greek Yogurt at 12g.  

sorarose

How about avocado and hummus?

I was the same last pregnancy, wanting to eat all the carbs. Maybe sneak in protein here and there? Like add parmesan cheese to your pasta?

desertheart

I was bummed that hummus does have that much protein, though chickpeas have a good amount.  I found a recipe where you make roasted snacks out of them, so I might have to try that.

Parmesan is a good idea.  I make this homemade spaghetti-O's type sauce and I add nutritional yeast, which tastes Parmesan-like.  It has only 3g of protein per tablespoon  but it's got a ton of other nutrients in it.  OMG, now I want spaghetti-O's....the terrible canned type.  Haha.      

sorarose

desertheart said:

I was bummed that hummus does have that much protein, though chickpeas have a good amount.  I found a recipe where you make roasted snacks out of them, so I might have to try that.

Parmesan is a good idea.  I make this homemade spaghetti-O's type sauce and I add nutritional yeast, which tastes Parmesan-like.  It has only 3g of protein per tablespoon  but it's got a ton of other nutrients in it.  OMG, now I want spaghetti-O's....the terrible canned type.  Haha.      

It depends how much hummus you would consume. I don't stick to the 2 tablespoons, so if I'm eating around 6 tables spoons of the stuff, I am getting about 6grams of protein.  :-)

Do you think you could stomach ravioli? I also did that when I was at my worst; chicken and chicken salad eventually seemed less disgusting as time went on, as did salmon, but definitely "sneak it in" where you can.

saladflambe

Pudding? It's not super high protein, but it's proteinier than other things. I like room temp snack pack cups lol.

Also, special K crisps and fiber one brownies... ok that's more fiber than protein, but still.

saladflambe

Also, I dig Nature's Path Buckwheat frozen waffles. You can toast and bring with you. Obviously, a carb, but higher in protein than a lot of carbs & a more whole carb (buckwheat) than other more processed things.

NHKx2

I second the yogurt options. Yogurts like Chobani, Fage, and Skyr have a good amount of protein in them. I also toss a handful of almonds into my oatmeal or just snack on them in the afternoon.

skc040512

I've been making smoothies and using a ton of Greek yogurt, and adding things like kale, carrots, bananas, strawberries, blueberries and kiwis. It ends up being super filling, and you get fiber from the fruits and veggies (which I've been having a hard time eating) and almost 20 grams of protein from the yogurt.

amandalb12

I went to get a bolthouse drink when I first found out I was pregnant and most of them said "semi-pasteurized" I believe. Not sure if that's still safe or not and I'm sure they're all different!

desertheart

Thanks everyone.  Sometimes I add 1 cup of yogurt to the large instant pudding mixes.  It cuts down on the tart taste and give the pudding a protein boost.  

I've never had such a weird relationship with food.  I'm looking forward to next weeks when I'm 12 weeks.  Hopefully I will be able to start stomaching all those completely normal foods that you never give much thought to... like lettuce.  Haha.  

desertheart

@amandakb12 I'm not sure about that.  I've only heard of low-temp or flash pasteurizing.  Just looked it up...Bolthouse uses the term flash pasteurized on its FAQ.  https://www.bolthouse.com/faq   There's a debate about whether or not it's safe.