Where these numbers come from
Every meal on this page is one Keith actually logged. He mostly eats high-protein ready meals when busy and simple dinners like burgers. Brands are named because they are what he buys. None of them are NNF partners.
How to compare meals: protein per 100 kcal
Grams of protein on their own can mislead, because a bigger meal will always have more. Protein per 100 kcal shows how much protein you get for the calories. Roughly: 10g or more per 100 kcal is very high-protein, 5 to 10g is decent, and under 5g is mostly carbs and fat.
Ready meals from Keith’s log
| Meal | Pack | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheyhey Teriyaki Chicken Noodles | 450g | 505 | 57.4g | 11.4g |
| Wheyhey Peri Peri Chicken and Rice | 450g | 485 | 51.3g | 10.6g |
| Wheyhey BBQ Chicken Pasta | 450g | 575 | 58.9g | 10.2g |
| Fit Foods Thai Green Chicken Curry | 500g | 625 | 62.0g | 9.9g |
| Tesco Chicken and Ham Dinner | 500g | 494 | 48.5g | 9.8g |
| Fit Foods Korean Beef Noodles | 500g | 560 | 52.0g | 9.3g |
The Wheyhey teriyaki noodles are Keith’s most-logged lunch. A high-protein ready meal gives you about 50 to 60g of protein for 500 to 600 calories with no cooking. That suits a busy workday.
The burger dinner: where the bun matters
Burgers are Keith’s go-to easy dinner: shop-bought burgers, a bun and a slice of cheese. Here are three he actually logged.
| Burger dinner | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco Low Fat Irish Beef Burgers (pack of 2, 227g), Irish Pride seeded buns, Milbona cheese slices | 681 | 69.9g | 10.3g |
| Aldi beef quarter pounders (180g), Specially Selected brioche buns, cheese | 742 | 58.4g | 7.9g |
| Cajun-style Irish chicken burgers (166g), Aldi seeded brioche buns, Emporium cheese slices | 737 | 48.9g | 6.6g |
The Tesco low-fat beef burgers on their own are 17.4g of protein per 100 kcal, which is among the best on this page. Add the buns and cheese and the dinner drops to 10.3g. In all three dinners, the buns and cheese added between 357 and 402 calories but only 13 to 16g of protein. The burger made the biggest difference: with the higher-fat quarter pounders the dinner fell to 7.9g, and with the chicken burgers to 6.6g.
Easy ways to push a burger dinner higher:
- Pick a lower-fat burger. The Tesco low-fat beef pair has 54g of protein for 311 kcal, while the Aldi quarter pounders have 45g for 385 kcal.
- Check the label on the buns. They vary a lot, and a lighter bun, or an open burger on one half, cuts calories. You lose a few grams of protein, but the dinner gives more protein per calorie.
- Add a side of salad or microwave veg instead of chips.
High-protein snacks from the same log
| Snack | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lidl Milbona high-protein drink (330ml) | 215 | 35.0g | 16.3g |
| Envia chocolate protein milk drink (330ml) | 211 | 33.3g | 15.8g |
| Ehrmann high-protein pudding (200g) | 172 | 20.0g | 11.6g |
| Sportyfeel protein bar (50g) | 195 | 16.0g | 8.2g |
| Crownfield high-protein hoops (90g) | 315 | 22.1g | 7.0g |
The protein drinks are the standouts. The bars are handy but are closer to an ordinary snack for protein per calorie. The high-protein cereal is better than normal cereal but sits at the bottom of this list.
And the rest
Keith’s log also has Rice Krispies squares, popcorn and crisps. He aims for roughly 80/20: most meals built around protein, and some food just because he likes it. A high-protein diet that leaves no room for anything else does not last.
Find more high-protein options
Compare protein foods in your shop with the Protein Swap Lab, or browse the protein rankings for Aldi, Lidl and Tesco. For a full week of meals, see the 7-day meal plan. For how much you need, see how much protein per day.
Numbers come from Keith’s own entries in the NNF food tracker (12 September to 4 October 2026), which reads the pack label or the product database. Recipes and pack sizes change, so check the label on the pack you buy.
Log your own meals
Every number on this page came from the NNF food tracker, built for Irish shops. Scan the barcode and it shows the calories and protein from the label.
Questions about high-protein meals
What counts as a high-protein meal?
Look at protein per 100 kcal. Around 10g or more per 100 kcal is very high-protein. Most of the ready meals on this page land between 9 and 11g.
Are high-protein ready meals good for fat loss?
They can be. They give a known amount of calories and protein with no cooking. Check the label, and add veg or salad if the portion leaves you hungry.
How do I make a burger dinner higher in protein?
Choose a lower-fat burger, check the bun label for a lighter option, and add salad or veg instead of chips.
Do I need protein bars and shakes?
No. They are a convenient option, not a requirement. Ordinary foods like chicken, lean mince, eggs, Greek yoghurt and fish all work.