• Roxana Ehsani is a board-certified sports dietitian who runs and strength trains.
• She focuses on a nutrient-rich diet with plenty of protein, fiber, and carbohydrates.
• She loves overnight chia seed pudding, sheet pan dinners, and "nice cream" for dessert.

As a board-certified sports dietitian, Roxana Ehsani knows how important a balanced diet is for staying fit.

Ehsani, who works in Miami, runs most days of the week and strength-trains two to four times a week. To help with her performance, she prioritizes high-quality protein sources, such as salmon and dairy, in her diet.

"I'm pretty good about getting plenty of protein in my meals and snacks," she told Business Insider. "I know it's just going to keep me full for longer, and also aids with muscle repair and recovery."

She eats lots of fruits and vegetables for added vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber that can help her energy levels. She also eats carbohydrates such as whole wheat bread, buckwheat, and quinoa.

Ehsani shared the meals and snacks she eats throughout the day to feel energized for workouts, build muscle, and recover.

Overnight chia seed pudding

Ehsani usually starts her mornings with a filling and nutritious breakfast.

"I'm pretty obsessed with chia pudding as of now, and it's super easy to make," she said.

Before bed, she mixes a few tablespoons of chia seeds with dairy milk and refrigerates it. In the morning, she tops it with fresh berries, a drizzle of almond butter, and some granola or nuts.

That breakfast gives her omega-3 from the chia seeds, which is fantastic for heart health and also promotes strong joints, she said. From the other ingredients like dairy milk, berries, and almond butter, she's getting protein, calcium, potassium, fiber, antioxidants, and healthy fats — all crucial for feeling good and energetic.

Sometimes, she changes up breakfast by eating oatmeal or a smoothie bowl, keeping many of the ingredients, like fresh fruits and milk.

Canned or smoked salmon for quick, high-protein lunches

Ehsani said that her lunch hours are "pretty busy," so she whips together a quick and protein-packed meal for lunch.

"I'll usually utilize something like smoked salmon or canned salmon as my protein source," she said. Often, she'll take either one and throw it into a wrap or sandwich with hummus, greens, and cut-up vegetables. Salmon is one of the highest sources of protein, with 27g of protein per serving.

Sometimes, she'll have soup or a sweet potato for lunch instead. But she's "always making sure to get plenty of protein, veggies, and some type of whole grain or starchy veggie."

Fruit right before a workout

Ehsani usually exercises in the late afternoon or early evening. To prepare, she eats some fruit 15 minutes before the workout.

She'll usually have a banana, seasonal fruit like mango, or dried fruits like dates or raisins. "I like to have it just pretty much right out the door, to top off my glucose stores and give me energy to get through that workout," she said.

She sips a few dairy beverages throughout the day

To get a little more protein throughout the day, Ehsani has dairy milk when she can, such as in an afternoon latte.

She also sips chocolate milk right after her workout.

"Chocolate milk is a great recovery beverage," she said, because it has a three-to-one carb to protein ratio to replenish muscle glycogen and electrolytes to make up for lost sweat. It also just tides her over while she prepares dinner.

She tries to drink chocolate milk 30 to 60 minutes after the workout for it to have an optimal impact on her body. "Usually, I'll try to do that really quickly after the workout, probably right away when I get home," she said.

Simple sheet-pan dinners for protein and fiber

Ehsani relies on sheet pan dinners a lot throughout the week because they're a quick and easy way to eat a fresh, balanced meal with protein, fiber, and other vitamins.

Usually, she'll season or marinate a piece of salmon, chicken, or sablefish along with veggies like sweet potatoes, eggplant, or broccoli. Sometimes, she deviates by throwing the ingredients on top of some mixed greens and making a salad or grain bowl instead.

"I chop a little bit, throw it in the oven, and then I can go shower and get ready," she said. "It just gives me all those nutrients in one."

Two-ingredient mango ice cream packed with vitamins

"I have a big sweet tooth," Ehsani said. For dessert, she and her husband will have a few squares of dark chocolate. More recently, she said they've been making homemade mango ice cream by blending frozen mangoes and dairy milk together.

"It makes a really nice, almost like a soft-serve consistency," she said, tasting like a satisfying dessert with some extra nutrients. For even more protein, she said Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, or protein powder can be added as well.

"We've been doing that a lot of nights, making some type of healthy-ish sweet treat in the evenings," she said.

• Starbucks' new protein cold foam will be released by the end of 2025, CEO Brian Niccol said Tuesday.
• The optional topping will bring 15g of protein with no added sugar to "virtually any cold beverage."
• The new offering taps into the protein coffee trend sweeping TikTok, a marketing strategist told BI.

Starbucks may unleash the next wave of protein coffee, or "proffee," posts on TikTok if its new menu item brews up the excitement execs hope it will.

The coffee giant plans to release its new protein cold foam by the end of this year, capitalizing on the growing trend of making even your coffee a health drink, popularized by gym bros and Gen Z.

"In late Q4, we'll introduce protein cold foam," CEO Brian Niccol told investors during the company's Q3 earnings call on Tuesday. "It taps into what has become one of our most popular modifiers — cold foam, which grew 23% year-over-year. Protein cold foam with no added sugar is an easy way to add 15 grams of protein to virtually any cold beverage. And customers can also add the flavor of their choice."

Since debuting cold foam as a topping in 2014, Starbucks has expanded its flavor options to include offerings like vanilla, brown sugar, pumpkin spice, and raspberry cream.

Starbucks is in the middle of a revitalization campaign, intending to reverse slumping sales and renew diminished consumer interest. In addition to remodeling stores with ceramic dishes and comfy chairs to encourage visitors to stay longer and bringing back the self-serve condiment bar, Niccol has also aimed to streamline the store's menus, announcing plans to cut 30% of its offerings and changing the pricing structure for add-ons like syrups.

In the hourlong call, during which Starbucks announced that it had beat analyst expectations on revenue but missed on earnings, Niccol appeared animated by new protein-focused menu items, mentioning "protein" at least eight times.

"As we move further into 2026, expect more experiential beverages and nutritious, satisfying bites for the afternoon day part," Niccol said. "This month, we'll start testing new coconut water-based tea and coffee beverages in select markets, and we'll lean into customer needs with upcoming tests of gluten-free and high-protein options to create food that's as artisanal as our beverages."

Michael Della Penna, chief strategy officer at the digital advertising research firm, InMarket, which publishes regular reports on fast-casual restaurant customer loyalty, told Business Insider that the demand for high-protein drinks and food options has been accelerating over the last 3-5 years.

A study by Cargill found that more than 60% of Americans increased their protein intake in 2024 — a rise from 48% in 2019. Gen Z, in particular, loves a high-protein option and tends to prefer customizable menu offerings and cold beverages, Della Penna said, making an optional protein add-on like cold foam a perfect blend to capture trending tastes.

"The other interesting part of it is the routine that a drink like that can create for a consumer," Della Penna said. "By introducing protein, that's a great way to get a consumer back as they move about their daily lives, particularly when going to work out and then stopping to get a cold brew with a scoop of protein. That creates that sort of repeatable pattern of visitation and purchase that a drink like that can offer to a segment within their customer base."

With Gen Z and fitness fans in mind, move over, pink drink — it's protein's time to shine.

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