Eating healthy with a spotlight on protein

TO BACK TO YOU GUYS IN STUDIO. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, JASON. ALL RIGHT. WE’RE JUST A FEW WEEKS IN THE 2026 RIGHT. THE MOST COMMON NEW YEAR’S GOAL OR ONE OF THEM, ESPECIALLY STRICT EATING BETTER EATING MORE HEALTHY. WHAT ARE YOU PUTTING IN YOUR BODY IS JOINING US RIGHT NOW IN THE STUDIO TO TRISTAN IS JAMIE LEE MCINTYRE HERE, GIVING US SOME REALLY IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR US THIS YEAR. AND EVEN REALLY PRETTY RECIPE. THANKS FOR BEING AND I MEAN, WE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT THIS IS THERE’S A LOT OF CONFUSION RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ALSO JUST GOT BRAND NEW DIETARY KIDS THAT, YEAH. AND SO I KNOW EVERYONE’S THINKING, WELL, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT BUT THE BIG PART OF THIS IS PROTEIN. YEAH, WHAT KIND OF EATING WITH THAT. YEAH. SO LOTS OF BUZZ ABOUT PROTEIN WITH THESE NEW DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS. WHAT IS REALLY BEEN A NOTICEABLE SHIFT IS AN EMPHASIS ON PRIORITIZING 13 AT EVERY MEAL, USING HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN. WHOLE FOODS. >> REALLY PRIORITIZING IT ALONG WITH VEGETABLES AT THE TIPPY TOP. YEAH, THE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE 1.2 TO 1.6 GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT PER DAY. AND THAT CAN SHIFT DEPENDING ON YOUR AGE ACTIVITY LEVEL. ALL. BUT IT’S DEFINITELY A BIG FOCUS RIGHT NOW. WE’VE KNOWN FOR YEARS PROTEINS, ESSENTIAL FOR MUSCLE REPAIR, MUSCLE THEIR DAY-TO-DAY ENERGY LEVEL. SO IT IS IMPORTANT FOR SURE. SO LET’S TALK ABOUT I MEAN, THERE’S ALL KINDS OF PROTEIN OUT THERE. AND YOU JUST KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT MAY BE QUALITY. I THERE IS A QUANTITY ASPECT, BUT THEY’RE REALLY QUALITY. WHAT ARE YOU EATING, RIGHT? WHAT DO YOU KIND OF SUGGESTING PEOPLE MAYBE TURN TO AS GETTING A BETTER SOURCE APPROACHING BECAUSE WE ARE NOW. WE HAVE LIKE ALL KINDS OF SHAKES AND HOW YOU HAVE BEEN CLEAR TEAM THE WATER WILL BE PRO TIENEN EVERYTHING. YEAR WE’LL HAVE IT AND EVERYTHING. BUT >> WE REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON WHOLE FOOD SOURCES OF PROTEIN ANIMAL SO SAYS A PROTEIN BEEF SPECIFICALLY. IT’S EXCELLENT SOURCE OF IRON. >> ZINC SELENIUM B VITAMINS. IT’S A HIGH QUALITY PROTEIN YOU GET ALL 9 ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS THAT YOUR BODY CAN’T MAKE ON ITS OWN. ALL FROM BEEF AND OVER TEENS. SO IT’S A GREAT THING TO INCORPORATE INTO FAMILY MEALS BECAUSE A LOT OF FAMILIES ARE JUGGLING. YOU KNOW, QUICK ENTERS AND TRYING TO MEET NUTRITION GOALS. SO >> LET’S TALK ABOUT SOME OF RECIPES THAT YOU HAVE HERE. I MEAN, GETS SOME OF THEY LOOK GORGEOUS, VERY SIMILAR SATURDAY. OR LET WITH FAMILIES SHOULD WE START HERE? SO THESE ARE ALL FROM FLORIDA BEEF DOT ORG. THE FLORIDA BE COUNCIL IS A GREAT RECIPE. SELECTION WITH HEART HEALTHY AND 30 MINUTES OR LESS IS MORE. IS GO GET A FRIENDLY, ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF CATEGORIES. THIS IS ZIP, EAT BEEF, ALPHABET, SOUP OF ALL BROWN MEAN GROUND BEEF. AND THEN I ADDED IN SOME BEEF BROTH. SOME CANNED TOMATOES. SOME PASTA, SOME NORTHERN BEANS. AND WE’RE GETTING 43 GRAMS OF PROTEIN PER SERVING. WOW. THAT’S A LOT ACCIDENTS. SOURCE OF DIETARY FIBER FROM THOSE BEANS AND VEGGIES AS WELL. EXCELLENT SOURCE OF IRON, ZINC SELENIUM AND SEVERAL B VITAMINS. AND YOU CALL THE ALPHABET SOUP YOU WANT? NOODLE. I DID. FUNNY ABOUT THEY WERE TRYING TO PICK OUT THEIR NAMES SMART GREAT WAY TO GET THE KIDS INVOLVED IN MAKING SOME OF OKAY. AND THEN OVER HERE. WELL, YEAH. IS A MEDITERRANEAN BEEF AND SALAD PETA. YOU KNOW YOU GROUND BEEF HERE AS WELL. I DID A PETITE CERTAINLY IN GROUNDS AND MY MY HUSBAND GROW THAT I PUT TOGETHER WHOLE WHEAT PITA. OKAY. AND THEN SOME LETTUCE AND KALAMATA OLIVES, CHOPPED PEPPERS AND FETA CHEESE. AND SO WE HAVE THESE ARE NICE BALANCED MEALS BRILES. IT REALLY ALLOWS YOU TO GET THAT PROTEIN EVERY MEAL, WHICH IS A BIG FOCUS OF THE NEW DIETARY GUIDELINES AS WELL. NOT JUST SAVING ALL FOR DINNER GETTING AND THAT LUNCHES AS WELL. MAYBE BREAKFAST, TOO. SO THIS IS A WAY TO STRETCH IT OUT BECAUSE PROTEIN ALSO HELPS PUTS IT. IT. SO IT’S A NICE WAY TO KIND OF GET THAT FULLNESS SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT THE DAY, RATHER THAN JUST WINNING, TOLD A TURTLE YOU CAN DO. AND A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, BIG MISCONCEPTION IS THAT THERE’S NO TIME TO MAKE PROTEIN. IT’S A LOT OF KITCHEN TIME. YEAH, BUT THIS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE. STUDENTS ARE BACK A MINUTE. I MEAN, ESPECIALLY THE ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN MAKE, KEEPING THE FRIENDS AND YOU MAKE A BIG POT COUPLE YEAH, I ALWAYS EAT SO MUCH HEALTHIER WHEN I HAVE A BIG BATCH OF SOUP PREPPED UP, IT IS PERFECT FOR TODAY THAT TODAY THE TO GET JAMI JAMI, WHERE CAN WE FIND MORE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY WHO WANT TO FIND THESE RECIPES WITH YOU AND ANYTHING ELSE YET? YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM AT JAMIE LEE, THE RDN OR FLORIDA BEEF THAT WORK HAS THESE RECIPES PERFECT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US THIS MORNING. MEAN, IT DOES LOOK REALLY GOOD. SMELLS GOOD. THE SUPER SPECIALLY. I WANT MAKE SURE YOU GO CHECK OUT THESE RECIPES. WE’RE GOING TO ON THE GULF COAST NEWS

Eating healthy this new year with a spotlight on protein

Updated: 12:05 PM EST Jan 16, 2026

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As we begin the new year with goals and renewed energy, it’s a great time to think about delicious food that helps you feel your best.Registered dietitian and nutritionist Jamie Lee McIntyre joined the studio to discuss one of the hottest nutrition topics of 2026: protein. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.

FORT MYERS, Fla. —

As we begin the new year with goals and renewed energy, it’s a great time to think about delicious food that helps you feel your best.

Registered dietitian and nutritionist Jamie Lee McIntyre joined the studio to discuss one of the hottest nutrition topics of 2026: protein.

DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.