This is BY FAR the question that I get the most. Well, besides, “what do you eat?!” So this answers both.

First of all, meat & dairy products are not the only source of protein available. People probably wouldn’t still be around if we had been exclusively dependent on meat (which over our evolutionary lives has many times been scarce!) and dairy. (think about it. does it make sense that our health should be so dependent on cow’s lactation, i.e. milk designed for calves?)

Major sources of plant based protein are beans, legumes, soy, and whole grains. Breads & pasta have protein too, whole wheat or not. Veggies & fruit have protein too, albeit in small amounts, but they do add up! Even beer has about a gram per bottle : )

Here’s an example of a quick lunch. Watch how this quickly adds up:

1 can of red kidney beans 330 calories, 0g fat, 24g protein, 12g fiber
1/2 cup of cooked quinoa 111 calories, 4g fat, 4g protein, 5g, fiber
1/4 cooked frozen spinach 10 calories, 0g fat, 0g protein, 0.5g fiber
1.5 tbsp. nutritional yeast 70 calories, 1g fat, 8g protein, 4g fiber

total 521 calories, 5g fat, 36g protein, 21.5g fiber

For my body weight, I only need about 10 more grams of protein for the entire day.

how much protein do you need a day?
check this website to find out what your daily protein needs are.