High-Protein Vegetarian Meal Plan Without Eggs (7 Days, ~100g+ Protein/Day)
Type "high-protein vegetarian meal plan" into any search bar and you'll get eggs at nearly every meal — a scramble for breakfast, an egg-topped bowl for lunch, deviled eggs as the snack. That's a real strategy, but it isn't the only one, and it doesn't work if you don't eat eggs, whether that's allergy, preference, or just being tired of them. The actual math behind "high protein" doesn't require eggs at all: a six-ounce cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt carries about 17 grams of protein, half a block of firm tofu carries about 34, and a cup of cooked lentils carries about 18 — all figures from USDA FoodData Central, linked below by item.
This plan proves it with numbers instead of promises: seven days built entirely from dairy (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese), soy (tofu, tempeh, edamame), legumes, and nuts, landing at roughly 1,650–1,830 calories and, on the days we computed, 103–124 grams of protein — every meal's protein shown in grams so you can see it add up, not just take our word for it. The grocery list rings up at $56.26 at Walmart, itemized below with the arithmetic shown.
Why is "high-protein vegetarian" usually code for eggs?
Because eggs are cheap, familiar, and protein-dense per calorie, they've become the default answer to "how do vegetarians hit their protein target" — to the point that most plans stop looking for a second answer. That's fine if you eat eggs. If you don't, you're left improvising, and the grain-and-vegetable defaults that fill in the gap (a veggie stir-fry, a plain grain bowl) typically land closer to 15–20 grams of protein a meal, not the 25–30 grams research on satiety points to. This plan is built the other way: every breakfast, lunch, and dinner is anchored to a specific dairy, soy, or legume source first, and the rest of the meal is built around it — the same logic egg-based plans use, applied to foods that aren't eggs.
How much protein do you actually need?
Start with the floor. The National Academies' Dietary Reference Intake report, hosted on the NIH's NCBI Bookshelf, sets the Recommended Dietary Allowance for "all others (except infants)" at 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day — that's the minimum to avoid deficiency, not a target for anyone trying to build or preserve muscle. For adults who exercise regularly, the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements' factsheet on exercise and athletic performance states that "athletes require a daily protein intake of 1.2 to 2.0 g/kg." And specifically for weight management, a review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that daily intake in the range of 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram — with individual meals around 30 grams — is the range associated with better appetite control and preserved lean mass while losing fat.
Do the math for your own body weight: a 70 kg (154 lb) adult has an RDA floor of about 56 g, a weight-management target band of roughly 84–112 g, and an upper active-adult ceiling near 140 g. This plan's ~100–120 g target sits above the weight-management floor and toward the upper half of the active-adult range — intentionally generous, so a lighter or less active reader has room to scale portions down, and a heavier or more active one still clears their number. Treat every number here as adjustable to your own weight and activity level, not a fixed target everyone should hit exactly.
The $56 grocery list (Walmart, July 2026)
Store-brand (Great Value) where it exists, priced from Walmart listings checked July 2026. Every price is approximate and varies by store and season — verify at purchase. The soy milk price is a range estimate, flagged below, because unsweetened cartons weren't consistently listed with a single confirmed price.
| Item | Size | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy — $9.02 | ||
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt | 32 oz | $2.94 |
| Cottage cheese, 1% | 16 oz | $2.24 |
| Cheddar cheese | 8 oz | $1.87 |
| Mozzarella, part-skim | 8 oz | $1.97 |
| Soy — $18.65 | ||
| Firm/extra-firm tofu | 14 oz | $2.92 |
| Tempeh (2 packages) | 2 × 8 oz | $9.04 |
| Frozen shelled edamame (2 bags) | 2 × 12 oz | $3.84 |
| Soy milk, unsweetened (see note) | 64 fl oz | ~$2.85 |
| Legumes — $10.20 | ||
| Canned chickpeas (2 cans) | 2 × 15.5 oz | $1.72 |
| Canned black beans (3 cans) | 3 × 15 oz | $2.58 |
| Dry brown lentils | 1 lb | $1.92 |
| Peanut butter | 40 oz | $3.98 |
| Grains, nuts & produce — $18.39 | ||
| Quick oats | 18 oz | $3.12 |
| Quinoa | 16 oz | $3.38 |
| Whole-wheat sandwich bread | 20 oz | $1.48 |
| Dry-roasted peanuts | 16 oz | $2.58 |
| Dry-roasted almonds | 14 oz | $6.08 |
| Bananas (about 7) | ~3 lb | $1.75 |
| Total | $56.26 | |
Arithmetic: Dairy $2.94+$2.24+$1.87+$1.97=$9.02. Soy $2.92+$9.04+$3.84+$2.85=$18.65. Legumes $1.72+$2.58+$1.92+$3.98=$10.20. Grains/nuts/produce $3.12+$3.38+$1.48+$2.58+$6.08+$1.75=$18.39. Category subtotals sum to $56.26. Assumes pantry salt, pepper, and oil for roasting and pan-searing. Unsweetened soy milk wasn't reliably listed with one confirmed price at Walmart, so we used the midpoint of the reported range (~$2.50–3.20 per 64 fl oz, varies by store) — treat it as the least certain line item. Cottage cheese's protein (12–14 g per ½ cup depending on brand) and canned chickpeas' protein (~12–14 g per cup drained, extrapolated from a smaller verified portion) and mozzarella's numbers (~70–85 kcal, ~6–7 g protein per oz — no single precise figure available) are ranges; we used the midpoint for the day-by-day math below and flag it here. This week's tofu, cottage cheese, chickpeas, and edamame are used almost exactly; the peanut butter, dry lentils, quinoa, oats, almonds, and part of the bread, cheddar, and mozzarella carry well into a second week, which is where this list gets cheaper.
This list is built for a generic shopper — you're not generic. Caullie learns the foods you already love, builds meal plans around them at your calorie target, and generates the grocery list for you.
Get Caullie on the App StoreBatch-cook these on day one (about 75 minutes)
- Cook the whole lentil bag: Boil dry brown lentils in salted water (about 3 parts water to 1 part lentils) for 20–25 minutes until tender. You only need 3 cooked cups this week, but a full pound of dry lentils makes far more — portion out what you need and refrigerate or freeze the rest for next time.
- Roast the whole tofu block: Press and cube the block, toss with a little oil and salt, and roast at 425°F for about 30 minutes until golden. Split it into two portions for the two tofu meals.
- Pan-sear both tempeh packages: Slice and pan-fry in a little oil for 4–5 minutes per side. Refrigerate the two portions you'll use in separate meals.
- Cook a big batch of quinoa: One pot (about 1¼ cups dry) covers all six quinoa-based meals for the week.
- Portion the dairy: Split the Greek yogurt into single 6 oz servings and the cottage cheese into ½ cup servings so breakfast is grab-and-go.
Edamame needs no prep — it steams from frozen in about five minutes, which is why it's this plan's easiest snack.
The 7-day plan (~1,650–1,830 calories, ~103–124 g protein a day)
Calories and protein are approximate, computed from USDA FoodData Central entries: plain nonfat Greek yogurt (~100 kcal, ~17 g per 6 oz), cottage cheese, 1% (~81 kcal, ~12–14 g per ½ cup), cheddar (~115 kcal, ~7 g per oz), part-skim mozzarella (~70–85 kcal, ~6–7 g per oz), firm tofu (~285 kcal, ~34 g per half block), tempeh (~320 kcal, ~34 g per cup), edamame (~187 kcal, ~18 g per cup), unsweetened soy milk (~93 kcal, ~8.7 g per cup), chickpeas (~228 kcal, ~12–14 g per cup drained), black beans (~218 kcal, ~14.5 g per cup), cooked lentils (~230 kcal, ~18 g per cup), peanut butter (~191 kcal, ~7 g per 2 tbsp), quick oats (~152 kcal, ~5–7 g per ½ cup dry), cooked quinoa (~222 kcal, ~8 g per cup), whole-wheat bread (~81 kcal, ~4 g per slice), and banana (~105 kcal; its small protein contribution isn't counted in the totals below). Each meal's protein is shown in grams and summed into the day total — this counts only the major sources listed, so real days run a little higher once vegetables and grain protein are added in. Targets one moderately active adult; scale portions to your own goal.
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Snack | ~Day total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (batch day) | Greek yogurt oat bowl: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ½ cup dry oats (cooked in water), a banana, and a cup of soy milk on the side (~450 kcal, ~31 g) | Roasted tofu quinoa bowl: half a block of baked tofu over a cup of quinoa with vegetables (~507 kcal, ~42 g) | Lentil toast plate: a cup of cooked lentils, two slices of whole-wheat toast, and an ounce of melted cheddar (~507 kcal, ~33 g) | A cup of steamed edamame with flaky salt (~187 kcal, ~18 g) | ~1,651 kcal · ~124 g |
| 2 | Cottage cheese oat bowl: ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup dry oats (cooked), 2 tbsp peanut butter, and a banana (~529 kcal, ~25 g) | Black bean quinoa bowl: a cup of black beans, a cup of quinoa, and an ounce of shredded cheddar (~555 kcal, ~30 g) | Pan-seared tempeh plate: a cup of tempeh over two slices of whole-wheat toast (~482 kcal, ~42 g) | A cup of soy milk and an ounce of dry-roasted almonds (~260 kcal, ~15 g) | ~1,826 kcal · ~112 g |
| 3 | Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ½ cup dry oats (cooked), 2 tbsp peanut butter, and a banana (~548 kcal, ~29 g) | Chickpea quinoa salad: a cup of drained chickpeas, an ounce of part-skim mozzarella, and a cup of quinoa (~527 kcal, ~28 g) | Lentil toast plate: a cup of cooked lentils, an ounce of melted cheddar, and a slice of toast (~426 kcal, ~29 g) | A cup of steamed edamame (~187 kcal, ~18 g) | ~1,688 kcal · ~104 g |
| 4 | Cottage cheese soy bowl: ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup dry oats (cooked), a cup of soy milk, and a banana (~431 kcal, ~27 g) | Tempeh quinoa bowl: a cup of pan-seared tempeh over a cup of quinoa (~542 kcal, ~42 g) | Black bean melt: a cup of black beans, two slices of toast, and an ounce of part-skim mozzarella (~457 kcal, ~29 g) | An ounce of dry-roasted peanuts and 6 oz Greek yogurt (~266 kcal, ~24 g) | ~1,696 kcal · ~122 g |
| 5 | Greek yogurt peanut butter bowl: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ½ cup dry oats (cooked), 2 tbsp peanut butter, and a banana (~548 kcal, ~29 g) | Chickpea cheddar bowl: a cup of chickpeas, an ounce of cheddar, and a cup of quinoa (~565 kcal, ~28 g) | Roasted tofu toast plate: half a block of baked tofu with two slices of toast (~447 kcal, ~42 g) | A cup of steamed edamame (~187 kcal, ~18 g) | ~1,747 kcal · ~117 g |
| 6 | Cottage cheese almond bowl: ½ cup cottage cheese, ½ cup dry oats (cooked), an ounce of dry-roasted almonds, and a banana (~505 kcal, ~24 g) | Lentil mozzarella quinoa bowl: a cup of cooked lentils, an ounce of part-skim mozzarella, and a cup of quinoa (~529 kcal, ~33 g) | Black bean toast plate: a cup of black beans, two slices of toast, and an ounce of cheddar (~495 kcal, ~30 g) | A cup of soy milk and an ounce of dry-roasted peanuts (~259 kcal, ~16 g) | ~1,788 kcal · ~103 g |
| 7 | Greek yogurt soy bowl: 6 oz Greek yogurt, ½ cup dry oats (cooked), a cup of soy milk, and a banana (~450 kcal, ~31 g) | Black bean cheddar bowl: a cup of black beans, an ounce of cheddar, and a cup of quinoa (~555 kcal, ~30 g) | Chickpea melt: a cup of chickpeas, two slices of toast, and an ounce of part-skim mozzarella (~467 kcal, ~28 g) | A cup of steamed edamame (~187 kcal, ~18 g) | ~1,659 kcal · ~107 g |
How each day total is computed (adding the four rounded meal figures): Day 1: 31+42+33+18=124 g, 450+507+507+187=1,651 kcal. Day 2: 25+30+42+15=112 g, 529+555+482+260=1,826 kcal. Day 3: 29+28+29+18=104 g, 548+527+426+187=1,688 kcal. Day 4: 27+42+29+24=122 g, 431+542+457+266=1,696 kcal. Day 5: 29+28+42+18=117 g, 548+565+447+187=1,747 kcal. Day 6: 24+33+30+16=103 g, 505+529+495+259=1,788 kcal. Day 7: 31+30+28+18=107 g, 450+555+467+187=1,659 kcal. Every day clears 100 g; two days (1 and 4) run a little above the 120 g mark simply because whole servings — a full half-block of tofu, a full cup of tempeh — don't divide evenly. That's the deliberate cushion mentioned above, not a target to chase every single day.
Where every gram comes from (no eggs required)
The reason this plan hits its number is that every meal is built around one of these anchors first, with grains and vegetables added after — the same approach the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition review above points to when it recommends meals around 25–30 grams of protein for appetite control. Half a block of tofu or a cup of tempeh alone clears that bar; lentils, black beans, and edamame get most of the way there on their own; Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, and cheese fill in the rest.
| Food | Serving | ~Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Firm tofu | ½ block | 34 g |
| Tempeh | 1 cup | 34 g |
| Cooked lentils | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Edamame | 1 cup | 18 g |
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt | 6 oz | 17 g |
| Black beans | 1 cup | 14.5 g |
| Chickpeas, drained | 1 cup | ~12–14 g |
| Cottage cheese, 1% | ½ cup | ~12–14 g |
| Unsweetened soy milk | 1 cup | 8.7 g |
| Cooked quinoa | 1 cup | 8 g |
| Cheddar | 1 oz | 7 g |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 7 g |
| Mozzarella, part-skim | 1 oz | ~6–7 g |
| Quick oats | ½ cup dry | ~5–7 g |
| Whole-wheat bread | 1 slice | 4 g |
Figures per the USDA FoodData Central entries linked in the plan above. Ranges reflect either brand variation (cottage cheese, chickpeas) or a lack of one precise verified figure in our source data (mozzarella, oats) — we used the midpoint for the day-by-day math and are flagging the range here rather than presenting a single number as more precise than it is.
Easy swaps
| If this doesn't work for you… | Swap it for… |
|---|---|
| Tempeh (don't like the flavor, or can't find it) | An extra cup of black beans (~14.5 g protein) or chickpeas (~12–14 g), or another half-block of tofu (~34 g) |
| Tofu | A cup of tempeh (~34 g) or two cups of edamame (~36 g combined) |
| Cheddar | Part-skim mozzarella at roughly the same protein (~6–7 g per oz) but somewhat fewer calories |
| Chickpeas | Black beans — nearly interchangeable in protein per cup |
| Whole-wheat bread (want fewer carbs) | Drop it and add an extra ½ cup of cottage cheese or a cup of edamame in its place to keep the protein |
| Peanut butter (allergy) | An ounce of dry-roasted almonds — a bit less protein (~6 g vs. ~7 g), so add a few extra almonds to close the gap |
| Traditional paneer instead of cheddar/mozzarella | Works if your store carries it reliably — we didn't have a confirmed current price or nutrition figure to include it in this list, so we left it out rather than guess |
| Want to try seitan? | Dry vital wheat gluten (roughly $25.99 for a 4 lb bulk bag) is extremely protein-dense (~75 g protein per 100 g dry), but it's a flour that has to be kneaded and simmered into seitan at home — an optional, advanced project, not a ready-to-eat swap, and not required for this plan |
Need this dairy-free instead of egg-free? Our high-protein vegan meal plan solves the same protein math using soy and legumes only, with a full protein-per-dollar breakdown.
How do you get 25–30 grams of protein at breakfast without eggs?
By combining two dairy or soy sources instead of leaning on one. A six-ounce serving of plain nonfat Greek yogurt alone provides about 17 grams of protein — add a cup of unsweetened soy milk (~8.7 g) or two tablespoons of peanut butter (~7 g) and you're at 24–25 grams before the oats or banana are even counted. This mirrors the range a review in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition associates with better appetite control across the day. Cottage cheese works the same way: a half-cup brings roughly 12–14 grams on its own, so pairing it with oats and either soy milk or peanut butter closes the same gap. The trick that makes egg-free breakfasts work is treating dairy and soy as the anchor the way eggs would be, not as a topping.
Can lacto-vegetarians get enough protein from dairy and soy alone?
Yes, comfortably — the numbers above show it. Greek yogurt (~17 g per 6 oz), cottage cheese (~12–14 g per ½ cup), and cheese (~6–7 g per oz) are all dense enough to anchor a meal on their own, and pairing any one of them with a soy or legume side easily clears 25–30 grams. What eggs uniquely offer is convenience — a two-minute cook time — not a protein advantage dairy and soy lack. The National Academies' Dietary Reference Intake report sets the RDA at 0.8 g/kg for any adult regardless of protein source, and neither that report nor the NIH's exercise and athletic performance factsheet specifies eggs as necessary to reach the higher active-adult range — they specify a gram total, which this plan reaches with dairy, soy, and legumes.
Keep the foods you already eat in the plan
You've already ruled out eggs — you shouldn't also have to give up the dairy or soy foods you actually like just to hit a protein number. Caullie learns which foods you love, builds meal plans around them at your calorie and protein target, and generates your grocery list automatically. Free to try for a week on the App Store.
Try Caullie freeThis article is about meal logistics and cost, not medical care, and is not medical advice. Calorie and protein figures are approximate, derived from the USDA FoodData Central entries linked above; the day tallies count major protein sources only, and several individual figures (cottage cheese, chickpeas, mozzarella, oats) are ranges rather than single precise numbers, flagged where they're used. Protein needs vary by body weight, activity level, kidney function, and other individual factors — the ranges cited here are general guidance, not a prescription. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making a significant change to your diet, especially if you have a medical condition. Prices are Walmart figures from July 2026 (the soy milk price is a flagged range estimate) and will vary by store and season — verify at purchase.