In a perfect world, we’d at all times have high-protein meals prepped forward of time.
However typically quick meals is the one fare accessible.
Understanding one of the best high-protein quick meals choices is effective at instances like these as a result of it makes hitting your every day protein goal doable whenever you’re underprepared and on the go.
Some quick meals chains make it simple through the use of names like protein bins and protein bowls for his or her high-protein choices. More often than not, nonetheless, combing the menu is one of the best ways to seek out high-protein quick meals meals.
On this article, you’ll uncover 20 quick meals excessive in protein, so that you’ll have one thing to reference subsequent time you’re out and about and want protein.
The 20 Highest Protein Quick Meals Meals
Most individuals suppose quick meals is inherently unhealthy, however that’s not at all times the case. You will discover high-protein quick meals if you realize the place to look.
Under are a few of the highest protein quick meals meals from common quick meals chains.
1. Panera Bread Avocado, Egg White, Spinach, & Cheese on Multigrain Bagel (19 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Panera
Per serving: 340 energy | 19 g protein | 36 g carbs | 14 g fats
Panera’s avocado, egg white, spinach, and cheese breakfast sandwich is a good high-protein quick meals breakfast. It’s additionally excessive in wholesome fat and fiber, retaining you full all morning.
2. McDonald’s Egg McMuffin (17 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of McDonald’s
Per serving: 310 energy | 17 g protein | 30 g carbs | 13 g fats
The Egg McMuffin is a strong, high-protein quick meals breakfast choice comprising a wonderfully cooked egg topped with Canadian bacon and American cheese served sandwich-style on an English muffin. What’s extra, due to the lean bacon and bread, it solely has about 300 energy.
3. Starbucks Spinach, Feta, & Egg White Wrap (20 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Starbucks
Per serving: 290 energy | 20 g protein | 34 g carbs | 8 g fats
This high-protein, low-fat quick meals breakfast makes use of egg whites and feta cheese to pack in protein with out many energy. The spinach, sun-dried tomato cream cheese, and whole-wheat wrap present fiber and taste, making it a filling and scrumptious menu merchandise.
4. Starbucks PB&J Field (20 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Starbucks
Per serving: 520 energy | 20 g protein | 51 g carbs | 28 g fats
Meatless, high-protein quick meals choices are onerous to seek out, however not unimaginable, due to choices like protein bins at Starbucks. The PB&J protein field is a wholesome choice, offering 20 grams of protein with out meat. This high-protein take out meal can also be wealthy in wholesome fat and fiber.
5. Burger King Double Cheeseburger (26 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Burger King
Per serving: 433 energy | 26 g protein | 33 g carbs | 22 g fats
Burgers are a staple at many quick meals joints. And, when you can afford the additional energy, they’re typically a sensible choice when in search of quick meals with excessive protein. Burger King doubles the meat within the double cheeseburger, offering nearly twice as a lot protein because the common model.
6. Arby’s Double Roast Beef (38 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Arby’s
Per serving: 510 energy | 38 g protein | 38 g carbs | 24 g fats
Arby’s provides a few of the greatest quick meals for protein. As an illustration, this double roast beef sandwich incorporates 38 grams of protein. That mentioned, it’s a little bit excessive in energy, so it’s greatest for individuals who are bulking.
7. Chick-fil-A 8 Depend Grilled Nuggets (25 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Chick-fil-A
Per serving: 130 energy | 25 g protein | 1 g carbs | 3 g fats
For those who’re in search of high-protein, low-carb quick meals, Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets are for you. The rooster nuggets aren’t breaded or fried and have just one gram of carbs and three grams of fats however a whopping 25 grams of protein within the 8-count serving.
8. Chick-fil-A Cool Wrap (43 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Chick-fil-A
Per serving: 660 energy | 43 g protein | 32 g carbs | 45 g fats
The Cool Wrap is one in every of Chick-fil-A’s highest-protein quick meals choices, with 43 grams of protein per serving. The chilled sandwich incorporates grilled rooster breast, Monterey jack cheese, cheddar cheese, and inexperienced leaf lettuce rolled in a flaxseed flour wrap. This sandwich additionally has 14 grams of fiber.
9. Taco Bell Tender Beef Taco (9 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Taco Bell UK
Per serving: 180 energy | 9 g protein | 18 g carbs | 8 g fats
Taco Bell is the proper restaurant for low cost, high-protein quick meals. For instance, two tender beef tacos with a facet of black beans is a budget-friendly and wholesome choice, offering about 21 grams of protein for about $5.
10. Subway Black Forest Ham Wrap (29 grams of protein)
Picture courtesy of Orderspoon
Per serving: 430 energy | 29 g protein | 57 g carbs | 9 g fats
Subway’s black forest ham wrap is a wonderful alternative for a toothsome, high-protein, low-fat quick meals. This wrap has a double portion of ham to spice up protein content material and a great deal of veggies to maximise diet.
11. Wendy’s Apple Pecan Hen Salad (33 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Wendy’s Cayman
Per serving: 440 energy | 33 g protein | 30 g carbs | 22 g fats (with out dressing)
Wendy’s tasty high-protein quick meals salad has the proper steadiness of taste and diet, pairing candy apples and dried cranberries with savory grilled rooster breast and roasted pecans.
12. Chipotle Excessive Protein Bowl (82 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Chipotle
Per serving: 850 energy | 82 g protein | 68 g carbs | 28 g fats
Few eating places with high-protein choices provide a meal as loaded with protein as Chipotle’s Excessive Protein Bowl. With over 80 grams of protein, it’s the highest protein quick meals merchandise on this checklist.
13. El Pollo Loco Double Hen Avocado Salad (54 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of El Pollo Loco
Per serving: 430 energy | 54 g protein | 13 g carbs | 20 g fats
El Pollo Loco is a good place for low cost, high-protein quick meals. The double rooster avocado salad has 54 grams of protein, is low in carbs, and is wealthy in wholesome fat and fiber.
14. Shake Shack Hamburger (25 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Shake Shack
Per serving: 370 energy | 25 g protein | 24 g carbs | 18 g fats
In order for you a contemporary burger free from hormones, antibiotics, and different chemical junk, Shake Shack is the greatest high-protein quick meals for you. A easy Shake Shack hamburger with meat and a bun has 25 grams of protein. Swap the bun for a lettuce wrap if you would like a high-protein, low-carb quick meals meal.
15. Shake Shack Veggie Shack (20 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Shake Shack
Per serving: 630 energy | 20 g protein | 53 g carbs | 31 g fats
Many fast-food joints are including vegetarian choices to their menu. Shake Shack’s Veggie Shack is a filling and scrumptious plant-based burger that tastes like the actual factor. It additionally boasts 20 grams of protein.
16. Panda Specific Firecracker Shrimp (11 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Delish
Per serving: 110 energy | 11 g protein | 7 g carbs | 3.5 g fats
The Firecracker Shrimp from Panda Specific is a lightweight and scrumptious various to most protein quick meals that characteristic meat or poultry. The one draw back is that it’s a little bit low in protein compared, so it’s a good suggestion to double or triple your portion.
17. Popeyes Blackened Tenders 5 Piece (43 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Resetera
Per serving: 280 energy | 43 g protein | 3 g carbs | 3 g fats
Popeyes is understood for making one of the best fried rooster. For this dish, the quick meals joint makes use of blackened seasoning as a substitute of bread crumbs, making a flavorful, high-protein, low-calorie quick meals meal.
18. In-N-Out Burger Protein Type Double-Double (30 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Eat This A lot
Per serving: 450 energy | 30 g protein | 12 g carbs | 32 g fats
In order for you high-quality protein with out refined carbs, In-N-Out Burger has a meal for you. The Protein Type Double-Double has two beef patties, American cheese, tomatoes, and onions wrapped in lettuce as a substitute of a bun. Although low in carbs and excessive in protein, this burger is excessive in fats and energy.
19. Dunkin Donuts Hen and Roasted Pepper Wrap (25 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of Dunkin Donuts
Per serving: 380 energy | 25 g protein | 33 g carbs | 16 g fats
Dunkin Donuts is among the hottest quick meals chains within the US. However with a menu stuffed with doughnuts, it’s not the greatest quick meals for protein. Nevertheless, when you cease for espresso and must eat, the rooster and roasted pepper wrap is their greatest protein quick meals choice, with 25 grams per serving.
20. Subway Rotisserie-Type Hen Bowl (31 grams of protein)
Image courtesy of DoorDash
Per serving: 220 energy | 31 g of protein | 8 g carbs | 8 g fats
As a result of you’ll be able to decide and select what your meal incorporates, Subway makes it simple to create high-protein meals with the proper steadiness of macros and energy. For a high-protein, low-carb quick meals meal, the rotisserie-style rooster bowl is a wonderful choice. Or, when you’d want to have the additional carbs, merely flip the bowl right into a sub.
Ideas for Selecting the Greatest Quick Meals for Protein
Listed below are 5 top-tier ideas for selecting the greatest quick meals for protein:
Usually, meals containing meat are the greatest quick meals for protein. As a common rule, selecting leaner proteins like eggs, rooster, turkey, and shrimp is wise. Burgers are additionally high-protein quick meals choices however sometimes have extra fats and energy, so aren’t as “macro-friendly.”
Getting grilled meats and avoiding fried meals, together with sides like fries and onion rings, helps preserve your meals decrease in energy (and doubtlessly more healthy).
Be careful for high-fat toppings, akin to bacon, sausage, particular sauces, and dressings. Ask for meals with out the additional gadgets or add them sparingly.
To save lots of extra energy, go for small sundries if the meal comes with sides accessible in several portion sizes. As an illustration, if a burger comes with a small or medium portion of fries, get small.
Add a facet salad or further veggies to enhance the dietary high quality of your meal.
Excessive-Protein Quick Meals FAQs
FAQ #1: What are one of the best eating places with high-protein choices?
There’s no greatest high-protein quick meals restaurant—you could find high-protein quick meals choices at many common chains. That mentioned, the eating places that supply essentially the most protein quick meals choices embody Starbucks, Chick-fil-A, Subway, and Shake Shack.
FAQ #2: The place can I get low cost, high-protein quick meals?
A number of fast-food chains, together with Taco Bell, El Pollo Loco, and Arby’s, provide low cost, high-protein meals.
Most quick meals eating places additionally provide coupons or loyalty factors that make their meals extra budget-friendly, and in some instances, ordering utilizing their app offers you particular offers.
FAQ #3: Who makes one of the best high-protein quick meals breakfast?
It’s troublesome to say who makes the greatest high-protein quick meals breakfast as a result of it is dependent upon your location, preferences, and targets. Fortunately, nearly all quick meals chains provide high-protein breakfast choices, which means you’re more likely to discover a high-protein takeout meal that fits you, regardless of your scenario.