Minute Tip · Nutrition and protein
One protein at one meal
Start with a single meal, not a whole diet.
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The tip
You do not have to overhaul your diet to think about protein. Start with one meal.
Pick the meal that usually has the least. For many people that is breakfast. Add one protein food: an egg, some yogurt, or cottage cheese.
That is the whole step. Adequate, individualized nutrition matters for older adults, especially those 65 and over, and noticing protein at one meal is a starting point.
It is not a diet prescription. If you have kidney disease or another condition, or a clinician has given you nutrition advice, follow that first.
The claim behind this tip
Moderate evidence Adequate, individualized nutrition matters for older adults, especially those 65 and over.
Supportive guidance exists, with more limits or less consistency than a strong rating. Source-checked on . No clinician has reviewed this page.
Limits: Awareness of protein in a meal is a starting point, not a dietary prescription. Restrictions or individualized guidance from a clinician take precedence.
- ESPEN practical guideline: Clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics, European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (2022)
Limits: Awareness of protein in a meal is a starting point, not a dietary prescription. Individual clinician advice takes precedence. General education, not medical advice.
Try it today
Name the protein in one meal. Choose one meal today and identify a protein food you already enjoy and can include. About 3 minutes.
Go deeper
- Protein After 50: How Much, and How to Fit It In
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- Personalize this for me One small step chosen each day from your goals, interests, and limits.