Vegetarian protein alternatives

Eating a variety of these foods will ensure you get the protein you need. How much do you need? Well a very rough guideline would be about 0.8g to 1g for every kg of body weight (taking into account you may need a little more if you're quite physically active). Vegetarians should also focus on iron, calcium, and B vitamins. If you’re just starting a vegetarian diet, you’ll want to read food labels closely – all our food items are labelled vegetarian or vegan where applicable. Learn more about vegetarian diets

  • Beans, legumes and lentils

    These versatile grains will contribute to your protein intake and bulk up salads, soups and stews. With lentils you'll get 18g of protein per cup. Chickpeas, 12g per cup. Black beans, 15g per cup. And you can also choose soya bean products (these make great dairy alternatives - cultured soya similar to yoghurt and soya ‘milk’) and tofu. 

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  • Eggs

    Once upon a time, eggs were associated with high blood cholesterol and heart disease. But studies have shown that saturated fat is the real culprit! You can have an egg a day while limiting your total daily cholesterol to 300 mg. 

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  • Grain, seeds and nuts

    Choose quinoa. It's such a versatile wholegrain, cooked the same way as rice and used in an array of sweet and savoury dishes (here are a few of our ready-made salads with quinoa). It'll give you 9g protein per cup. Another good option is chia seeds. Chia will contribute to your protein intake and has twice the amount of fibre compared to other grains. Use it in salads and smoothies (you can also find it in some cereals, energy bars and even yoghurt).