How to spread your protein requirements out across the day
What is a balanced diet?
In general, a balanced diet should include plenty of vegetables and fruit along with wholegrains and protein-rich foods, such as meat, seafood, dairy and beans.
Each individual may have specific requirements depending on their dietary requirements and physical activity for example.
How to make the most of protein?
In NZ typically our protein consumption is skewed heavily towards the evening. Emerging research suggests that spreading the consumption of protein more evenly across your meals during the day may actually help stimulate muscle synthesis. Therefore helping your body to use protein more effectively than when intake is skewed towards the evening.
What might this look like in a day’s meals?
Including protein-rich foods in your meals or snacks will help to spread intake throughout the day.
To give you some ideas, we have developed example meal plans. These show how protein can be spread across the day, in the context of a healthy balanced diet and exercise. Each example meal plan is developed for a specific age, gender, weight, height and activity level.
Energy needs are affected by these factors, e.g. the more exercise you do the more energy (kJ) you will need.
The protein, carbohydrate and fat ranges are calculated using the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR) (Ministry of Health). For more information check out our Protein FAQs.
These plans are intended as a guide only. For more information on your individual needs, please consult with a dietitian or health professional.
Active Male, 19-30 years old
Breakfast - KJ: 2,478, protein: 37.8g | |
Wholegrain bread |
2 thick slices |
Butter |
5 grams |
Eggs |
3 large |
Coffee and Protein+ milk |
180 ml coffee with 100 ml milk |
Morning Tea - KJ: 2,032, protein: 30.4g | |
Banana |
1/2 |
Protein+ vanilla smoothie booster |
1 serve (2 scoops) |
Milk |
200 ml |
Blueberries | 1/2 cup |
Rolled oats | 1/2 cup |
Lunch - KJ: 4,332, protein: 39.6g | |
Wholemeal pita bread |
3 |
Red capsicum |
1 cup |
Cos lettuce |
1/2 cup |
Tomato |
1 medium |
Avocado |
1/4 |
Falafel | 100g |
Afternoon Tea - KJ: 1,392, protein: 16.2g | |
Crackers |
4 |
Hummus | 4 Tbps |
Tasty cheese | 40g |
Dinner - KJ 2,774, protein: 45.1g | |
Grilled chicken breast |
110g |
Broccoli | 1 cup chopped |
Roast potato | 1/2 cup |
Roast kumara |
1 |
Red capsicum |
1/2 cup |
Brown rice | 1 cup |
Dessert - KJ: 784, protein: 2.3g | |
Apple crumble | 1 cup |
*RDI: Recommended Dietary Intake per Serving (NZ Adult)^.
Active Female, 19-30 years old
Breakfast - 2,619KJ, protein: 30.6g | |
Protein+ Banana Choc bowls |
1 serve |
Kiwifruit |
1 |
Boysenberry |
1/4 cup |
Rolled oats |
1/2 cup |
Coffee with whole milk |
180 ml coffee 30 ml milk |
Morning Tea - 956KJ, protein: 12g | |
Protein+ honey yoghurt pouch |
150g |
Apple |
1 |
Lunch - 2,048KJ, protein: 22.5g | |
Canned chickpeas |
1 cup |
Rocket |
1 cup |
Cherry tomatoes |
1/4 cup |
Olive oil |
1 tsp |
Balsamic vinegar |
drizzle |
Plain croutons | 1 cup |
Feta cheese | 20 g |
Roasted pumpkin | 1 cup |
Afternoon Tea - 1,455KJ, protein: 12.6g | |
Cracker |
5 |
Hummus |
4 Tbsp |
Raw carrots |
1 cup |
Dinner - 2,564KJ, protein: 24.7g | |
Chicken breast |
100g |
Kumara |
1 |
Broccoli |
1/2 cup chopped |
Couscous |
3/4 cup |
Leafy greens |
1 cup |
Avocodo | 1/4 |
Olive oil | 1 tsp |
Dessert - 1,249KJ, protein: 7.2g | |
Almonds |
30g |
Dried fruit |
1/4 cup |
*RDI: Recommended Dietary Intake per Serving (NZ Adult)^.
Moderately Active Male, 31-50 years old
Breakfast - 2,675KJ protein: 28.3g | |
Muesli |
1 cup |
Protein+ milk |
1 cup |
Black coffee |
1 cup |
Banana |
1 medium |
Morning Tea - 1,986 KJ, protein: 16.6 | |
Peanut butter | 2 Tbsp |
Crackers |
6 |
Lunch - 2,375KJ, protein: 40.6g | |
Bread roll |
2 medium |
Mixed leafy greens |
1/2 cup |
Tasty cheese |
40 g |
Tomato |
1/2 sliced |
Tuna |
1 can |
Afternoon Tea - 775KJ, protein: 14.6g | |
Kiwifruit | 1 |
Protein+ honey yoghurt |
180g |
Dinner - 3,462KJ, protein: 31.5g | |
Protein+ Spicy roast vege pizza |
1 serve |
Baked potato |
1 medium |
Mixed leafy greens |
1/2 cup |
Tomato |
1/2 |
Feta cheese |
20g |
Dessert - 212KJ, protein: 0.6g | |
Green apple |
1 large |
*RDI: Recommended Dietary Intake per Serving (NZ Adult)^.
Moderately Active Female, 19-30 years old
Breakfast - 1,768KJ, protein: 26.2g | |
Rolled oats |
1/2 cup |
Protein+ milk |
1/2 cup |
Kiwifruit |
1 |
Protein+ honey yoghurt |
1/2 cup |
Coffee with Protein+ milk |
180 ml coffee 40 ml milk |
Morning Tea - 663KJ, protein: 10.6g | |
Cottage cheese |
45g |
Crackers |
5 |
Lunch - 2,081KJ, protein: 29.9g | |
Vegetable quiche | 175 g |
Mixed bean salad |
1 cup |
Feta cheese |
20g |
Afternoon Tea - 1,601KJ, protein: 16.6g | |
Pear |
1 large |
Wholegrain bread |
1 slice |
Tasty cheese |
40 g |
Tomato |
1 small |
Dinner - 2,856KJ, protein: 36.3g | |
Grilled chicken breast |
110 g |
Baked Kumara |
1 |
Red capsicum |
1/2 |
Baked parsnip |
1/2 cup |
Salad leaves |
1 cup |
Cherry tomatoes | 4 |
Cucumber | 1/4 cup |
Brown rice | 3/4 cup |
Dessert - 465KJ, protein: 11.4g | |
Protein+ honey yoghurt |
150 g |
*RDI: Recommended Dietary Intake per Serving (NZ Adult)^.
Sedentary Male, 51-70 years old
Breakfast - 1,986KJ, protein: 36.4g | |
Mixed grain bread |
2 slices |
Poached eggs |
2 medium |
Mushrooms |
1 cup (sliced) |
Coffee with protein+ milk |
180 ml coffee 1 cup milk |
Morning Tea - 982KJ, protein: 7.8g | |
Dried fruit |
40 g |
Crackers |
2 |
Tasty cheese |
20 g |
Lunch - 2030KJ, protein: 24.1g | |
Bread roll |
2 |
Grilled chicken breast |
60 g |
Cherry tomatoes |
4 |
Cos lettuce |
1/2 cup |
Cucumber |
26g |
Afternoon Tea - 2,186KJ, protein: 17.1g | |
Mixed grain bread |
2 |
Avocado |
1/2 |
Cottage cheese | 45 g |
Dinner - 2,172KJ, protein: 42.4g | |
Potato, boiled | 1 large |
Beef steak |
120 g |
Broccoli |
1/2 cup |
Green beans |
1/2 cup |
Baked Kumara | 1/2 cup |
Dessert - 976KJ, protein: 9g | |
Red apple |
1 large |
Kiwifruit |
1 |
Protein+ honey yoghurt |
100g |
*RDI: Recommended Dietary Intake per Serving (NZ Adult)^.
Sedentary Female, 51-70 years old
Breakfast - 1,899KJ, protein: 29.1g | |
Protein+ banana chock yoghurt bowl |
1 serve |
Coffee with milk | 180 ml coffee 100 ml protein+ milk |
Morning Tea - 717KJ, protein: 11.3g | |
Red apple |
1 small |
Protein+ honey yoghurt pouch |
150 g |
Lunch - 1,874KJ, protein: 31.5g | |
Boiled egg |
1 medium |
Bread rolls |
2 |
Chicken |
50g |
Lettuce |
1/2 cup |
Tomato |
1/2 |
Afternoon Tea - 749KJ, protein: 31.5g | |
Crackers |
6 |
Cottage cheese |
45 g |
Dinner - 2,551 KJ, protein: 34.6g | |
Grilled Chicken |
1 medium thigh |
Baked kumara |
1 |
Feta cheese |
20 g |
Spinach |
1/2 cup |
Baked pumpkin |
1/2 cup |
Dessert - 219KJ, protein: 2.8g | |
Banana |
1 small |
Kiwifruit |
1 |
*RDI: Recommended Dietary Intake per Serving (NZ Adult)^.