High-protein meals without meat or fish

General information, not medical advice. If you eat a fully plant-based diet, are pregnant or have a medical condition, discuss your diet with your GP or a dietitian.

High-protein meals without meat or fish are easier to put together than many people think. This article explains which sources you can combine, what the Belgian dietary recommendations say and what to watch if you also skip dairy and eggs.

How much protein you need

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) set the reference intake for adults at 0.83 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. For someone weighing 70 kilograms, that is about 58 grams. Older adults and people who train a lot often need a bit more, as the article on protein after 40 explains. With a varied diet without meat or fish you reach that amount easily, as long as there is a protein-rich food on your plate at every meal.

Protein sources without meat or fish

In its 2025 dietary recommendations, the Belgian Superior Health Council, the scientific body that advises the federal government, recommends eating pulses such as lentils, chickpeas and beans several times a week. It does not give an amount in grams. The Health Council of the Netherlands does: it advises 250 grams of cooked pulses a week. The article on pulses explains how to eat them more often, step by step, without digestive discomfort.

Besides pulses, dairy such as yoghurt, quark and cheese provides plenty of protein, as do eggs, tofu and tempeh, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Eggs are a quick fix on a busy day, as the article on eggs as a weekday protein source shows. A breakfast with yoghurt and nuts, a lunch with wholemeal bread and hummus or egg, and an evening meal with a lentil or bean dish already provide a good share of your daily protein.

Combining plant sources

Protein is made of building blocks called amino acids. Your body cannot make some of them, so they have to come from food. Dairy and eggs contain all of them in good amounts. Plant sources sometimes contain less of one or more: grains are lower in one, pulses in another. That is why they complement each other. You do not need to combine them in the same meal; a varied pattern over the day is enough. Soy products such as tofu, tempeh and soy drink are an exception: they provide all essential amino acids in a good balance, so they easily replace meat in a hot meal. With shop-bought meat substitutes, do check the label, because protein and salt content vary widely between products.

Fully plant-based: watch your vitamin B12

If you also skip dairy and eggs, one nutrient really needs attention: vitamin B12. It occurs naturally almost only in animal products. EFSA sets an adequate intake of 4 micrograms a day for adults. On a fully plant-based diet you only get it from fortified foods or a supplement. A deficiency develops slowly and can affect your nervous system and blood formation, so do not wait for symptoms. Iron, calcium and iodine also deserve a bit more attention then; a dietitian can help you adjust your diet.

References

• EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for protein. EFSA Journal. 2012;10(2):2557.
• Hoge Gezondheidsraad (Superior Health Council, Belgium). Voedingsaanbevelingen voor de Belgische bevolking (advies 9805-9807) (in Dutch). 2025.
• Gezondheidsraad (Health Council of the Netherlands). Richtlijnen goede voeding: eiwitbronnen en voedingspatronen (nr. 2025/19). 2025. In Dutch.
• EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for cobalamin (vitamin B12). EFSA Journal. 2015;13(7):4150.