High Protein, High Fibre Meals: 25 Easy Power Pairs

The easiest way to eat more protein and more fibre is to put them on the same plate: a lean protein base plus at least one fibre booster. That's a Power Pair, and it fixes the two nutrients almost everyone is short on with one simple habit.

You don't need two separate plans. You need one question at every meal: what fibre can I add to this protein? Below you'll find the formula, the numbers, and 25 real meals and snacks to get you started. No food scale needed.

Why pair protein and fibre?

Three reasons this combination works so well:

• They keep you full. Protein is the most filling nutrient, and fibre adds volume and slows digestion, so a meal with both holds you longer.
• Steadier energy. Adding protein and fibre to a meal slows how quickly the carbs in it are absorbed, so blood sugar rises more gently and you avoid the mid-afternoon crash.
• They protect what matters. Protein builds and protects muscle as you age. Fibre feeds your gut bacteria and is linked with a lower risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer.

How much protein and fibre do I need a day?

• Protein: up to 1 g per pound of your goal body weight. A goal weight of 140 lb means working up to about 140 g a day.
• Fibre: at least 25 g for women and 38 g for men.

The fibre numbers are minimums, not limits, and most Canadians eat about half. So if you're nowhere near 25 g right now, you're in good company. We'll build up slowly.

What's the Power Pair formula?

Every Power Pair is a lean protein base plus at least one fibre booster. Once you know the formula, you can make your own from whatever's in your fridge. All numbers are approximate.

| Lean protein base | Protein | Fibre booster | Fibre | |---|---|---|---| | 0% Greek yogurt, 1 cup | 23 g | Raspberries, 1 cup | 8 g | | 1% cottage cheese, 1 cup | 25 g | Lentils, ½ cup cooked | 8 g | | Chicken breast, 1 palm cooked | 30 g | Black or kidney beans, ½ cup | 7 g | | Extra lean ground turkey or beef, 4 oz | 28 g | Chia seeds, 2 tbsp | 7 g | | White fish or shrimp, 4 oz cooked | 25 g | Chickpeas, ½ cup | 6 g | | Tuna in water, 1 can | 25 g | Pear, 1 medium | 5.5 g | | Protein powder, 1 scoop | 24 g | Broccoli, 1 cup cooked | 5 g | | Extra firm tofu, 150 g | 18 g | Avocado, ½ medium | 5 g | | Deli turkey or chicken, 3 oz | 15 g | Apple, 1 medium | 4.5 g | | Egg whites, ½ cup | 13 g | Frozen mixed veggies, 1 cup | 4 g |

The double agents: lentils, beans, chickpeas and edamame give you protein and fibre in the same bite. Adding half a cup to a meal is one of the easiest upgrades there is.

My targets for a Power Pair: meals land at roughly 25 g of protein or more with at least 8 g of fibre. Snacks land around 15 g of protein or more with at least 4 g of fibre.

Why keep the fats small?

Fat is essential, but it has 9 calories per gram compared with 4 for protein and carbs, and it adds up fast in oils, dressings, cheese, nuts, nut butters and fattier cuts of meat. That's why every pair here uses lean proteins and low fat dairy, and gets its fat from plant foods like avocado, chia, flax and hummus, which bring fibre along with them.

What are some high protein, high fibre breakfasts?

Breakfast is where most people lose the most protein and fibre. Fix this one meal and the rest of the day gets easier.

• Berry Chia Yogurt Bowl (28 g protein, 15 g fibre): 1 cup plain 0% Greek yogurt, 1 cup raspberries, 2 tbsp chia. Let it sit 5 minutes.
• Protein Overnight Oats (28 g, 11 g): ½ cup oats, ¾ cup skim high protein milk, ½ cup 0% Greek yogurt, 1 tbsp chia, ½ cup berries.
• Veggie Scramble and Avocado Toast (32 g, 10 g): 1 egg plus ¾ cup egg whites, spinach and peppers, 1 slice high fibre whole grain toast, ½ avocado.
• Black Bean Breakfast Burrito (31 g, 12 g): whole wheat tortilla, 1 egg plus ½ cup whites, ½ cup black beans, salsa. Make 5 and freeze them.
• Cottage Cheese Pear Toast (27 g, 11 g): 2 slices high fibre toast, ¾ cup 1% cottage cheese, a sliced pear, cinnamon.
• Raspberry Flax Smoothie (35 g, 13 g): 1 scoop protein powder, 1 cup frozen raspberries, 2 tbsp ground flax, ½ banana, 1 cup skim or unsweetened soy milk.

What about lunch and dinner?

Lunches that last until dinner: - Chicken Chickpea Quinoa Bowl (40 g, 9 g): a palm of chicken, ½ cup chickpeas, ½ cup quinoa, cucumber, tomato, lemon and herbs. - Tuna White Bean Bowl (33 g, 8 g): a can of tuna, ½ cup white beans, 2 cups greens, celery, red onion, lemon and Dijon. - Turkey Hummus Wrap (30 g, 13 g): whole wheat tortilla, 4 oz deli turkey, ¼ cup hummus, spinach and peppers, an apple on the side. - Chicken Lentil Soup (35 g, 10 g): broth, a can of lentils, 3 oz chicken, carrots, celery and onion. It freezes well. - Pink Salmon Edamame Bowl (36 g, 11 g): 4 oz canned salmon or shrimp, ½ cup edamame, ½ cup brown rice, cucumber, cabbage, ¼ avocado. - Grown Up Snack Box (30 g, 12 g): a hard boiled egg, ¾ cup cottage cheese, ¼ cup hummus with veggie sticks, an apple.

Dinners for busy weeknights: - Turkey and Bean Chili (36 g, 10 g): 4 oz extra lean turkey, ½ cup kidney beans, tomatoes, peppers, onion, chili spices. - Sheet Pan Cod (31 g, 9 g): 5 oz cod, a cubed sweet potato, 1 cup broccoli, 1 tsp olive oil. - Chicken Fajita Bowl (40 g, 11 g): a palm of chicken, ½ cup black beans, peppers and onions, ½ cup brown rice, salsa. - Lentil Pasta Bolognese (35 g, 8 g): 2 oz dry lentil or chickpea pasta, 3 oz extra lean beef, ½ cup marinara, a big handful of spinach. - Shrimp Edamame Stir Fry (41 g, 11 g): 4 oz shrimp, ½ cup edamame, 2 cups stir fry vegetables, ½ cup brown rice. - Tofu Chickpea Tomato Curry (29 g, 10 g): 150 g extra firm tofu, ½ cup chickpeas, spinach, canned tomatoes, curry paste, ½ cup quinoa or rice.

What are good high protein, high fibre snacks?

If it doesn't have protein, it isn't your snack yet. If you're in perimenopause, think of this as a planned fourth meal, not a grab-and-go snack.

• Cottage Cheese Berry Cup (20 g, 7 g): ¾ cup 1% cottage cheese, ½ cup raspberries, 1 tbsp chia.
• Greek Yogurt Ranch and Veggies (19 g, 6 g): ¾ cup 0% Greek yogurt with ranch or dill seasoning, 2 cups snap peas, carrots and cucumber.
• Apple, Jerky and Cheese (17 g, 4 g): an apple, 1 oz lean jerky, a light cheese string.
• Turkey Roll Ups (20 g, 7 g): 3 oz deli turkey, ¼ cup hummus, a cup of veggie sticks.
• Pear Flax Yogurt (19 g, 7 g): ¾ cup 0% Greek yogurt, ½ diced pear, 2 tbsp ground flax.
• Shake and a Pear (24 g, 5 g): a scoop of protein powder and a pear.
• Tuna Crackers and Carrots (28 g, 6 g): a can of tuna mixed with mustard or Greek yogurt, 6 whole grain crackers, a cup of baby carrots.

What does a full day of Power Pairs look like?

| Meal | Power Pair | Protein | Fibre | |---|---|---|---| | Breakfast | Berry Chia Yogurt Bowl | 28 g | 15 g | | Lunch | Tuna White Bean Bowl | 33 g | 8 g | | Fourth meal | Greek Yogurt Ranch and Veggies | 19 g | 6 g | | Dinner | Turkey and Bean Chili | 36 g | 10 g | | Total | | about 116 g | about 39 g |

That day clears the fibre minimum for both women and men. If your protein target is higher, add a Shake and a Pear or make one portion a little bigger. The milk in your coffee adds a few grams too. For more on closing that gap, see [what 140g of protein looks like](/blog/what-140g-of-protein-looks-like).

Your first week: - Pick one breakfast pair and make it 5 days this week. - Stock 3 fibre boosters you like, plus frozen edamame and canned beans. - Swap mayo and creamy dressings for mustard or Greek yogurt. - Next week, add a lunch pair.

Go slow with fibre. Eating very little right now? Add one booster a day and build up over one to two weeks, with plenty of water. A bit of extra gas at first is normal and settles as your gut adjusts.

Quick answers

What is a Power Pair? A meal or snack built from a lean protein base plus at least one fibre booster, so you hit both nutrients at once.

What foods are high in both protein and fibre? Lentils, beans, chickpeas and edamame. Half a cup added to any meal is one of the easiest upgrades there is.

How much fibre should I eat a day? At least 25 g for women and 38 g for men. These are minimums, not limits.

Why does adding fibre give me gas? Your gut needs time to adjust. Add one fibre booster a day over one to two weeks, drink plenty of water, and it usually settles.

This isn't medical advice. If you're pregnant, have a medical condition such as kidney disease, IBS or diabetes, take medication, or have a history of disordered eating, talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian before changing how you eat.