Eating a protein-rich snack might be the key to having your snacks actually fill you up.
“It’s an important nutrient, helping to fill you up, and eating protein regularly throughout the day will help keep your energy levels up,” saysChris Mohr, Ph.D., RD, of MohrResults. Becauseproteinslows the digestion of carbohydrates, it prolongs the release of carbs and, thus, the energy you get from those carbs. “Including protein in your snacks will help you fight the afternoon slumps and, of course, fuel those (hopefully) hard-working muscles,” adds Mohr. Plus, if you’retrying to lose weight—or just keep your weight where it is—a protein-packed snack may be quite helpful.
The 8 Best High-Protein Foods, According to a Dietitian
Here are 15 healthy snacks with at least7 grams of proteinper serving and less than 14 grams of carbohydrates.
1. Peanuts
Protein:7gCarbohydrate:5g
With 7 grams of plant-based protein and 2 grams of fiber in a1-ounce serving (a handful), peanuts will help you stay fuller longer. They are inexpensive, quick, easy and convenient, and you can find different flavors to help keep better-for-you snacking interesting. To make it easy, buy in pre-packaged1-ounce packagesto grab on the go.
Top Vegetarian Protein Sources
2. Mozzarella Cheese Stick
Protein:7gCarbohydrate:1g
Offering 7 grams of protein per serving,cheese sticksare the perfect on-the-go snack to keep you energized throughout the day. They are fun to eat and provide 20% of your daily value of calcium, helping to keep those bones and teeth strong. Pair with high-fiber, low-carb fruit like raspberries for an even heartier snack.
3. Epic Meat Snack Strip
Protein:6-8gCarbohydrate:<1-5g
Epicmeat snack strips come in varieties like Wagyu Beef, Maple Smoked Salmon and Sriracha Chicken. You’ll get 6-8 grams of protein in each strip and you could pair with a cheese stick for an even bigger protein punch on your snack—that’s sure to keep the hunger pangs at bay.
4. StarKist Wild Yellowfin Tuna Pouch with Tomato Basil
Protein:14gCarbohydrate: 2g
Tuna packetsare a super convenient classic high-protein, low carb snack. You’ll also get a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient we tend to fall short on. These packs, made with extra virgin olive oil, don’t need to be refrigerated and travel well, so they are perfect to throw in your purse, gym bag or in your luggage—ensuring you always have a high-protein snack ready when you are—make sure you pack a fork!
5. Cottage Cheese
Protein:24gCarbohydrate:11g
Surprisingly high in protein (at about24 grams per cup), cottage cheese also gives you healthy amounts of calcium. “I like to add fresh salsa from the refrigerated section of the grocery store to the top of mycottage cheese. That’s my kind of snack,” says Tiffany Davis, chef and co-owner ofNourish Foods Co. If you’re in the mood for something on the sweeter side, cottage cheese also pairs nicely with fresh fruit such as berries, pineapple and mango.
6. Fairlife Core Power High Protein Milk Shake
Protein:26gCarbohydrate:8g
Whether you’re looking to lose or maintain weight, build muscle or recover from your exercise training plan, you might have lofty protein goals.Fairlife protein shakespack 26 grams of protein with only 170 calories. Even better, you get all of the natural nutrition benefits of milk—calcium, potassium and magnesium.
7. Frozen Edamame
Protein: 9gCarbohydrate:7g
The 10 Best Vegan Protein Sources
8. Sargento Sweet Balanced Breaks
Protein:7gCarbohydrate:12g
These portable, preportioned cheese, nut and dried fruit combos are quite delicious—plusBalanced Breaksclock in at under 200 calories and provide 7 grams of protein and about 12 grams of carbohydrate (give or take a few depending on the nut and fruit combo).
9. Siggi’s Vanilla and Strawberry Lower-Sugar Yogurt
Protein:14gCarbohydrate:4g
Yogurt is an excellent go-to, portable, protein-rich snack, but can sometimes be sneaky with hidden added sugar. “I’m so thankful, though, that Siggi’s now offers ‘lower sugar’ flavors, so I don’t have to waste even a second reading labels,” says Andrews. Pick up a multipack of these particular versions and you’ll get 14 grams of protein and only 4 grams of carbohydrate in asingle-serve container.
10. Kaimana Teriyaki Salmon Jerky
Protein:12gCarbohydrate:0g
Any type of salmon jerky will be protein-rich and relatively low in carbs, so long as there’s not too much of a sugary-sweet flavor.Kaimana Jerkydoes a great job of keeping all of their flavors at zero carbs per serving, yet you get 12 grams of protein per serving.
11. Whisps Protein Snackers
Protein:11gCarbohydrate:9g
Whisps protein snackersare a flavor-packed protein-rich snack that will satisfy all your sweet and salty cravings. They are filled with Whisps cheese bites, dried fruit and salami—all conveniently packaged for on-the-go snacking. Pair this with a serving of cool, refreshing cucumber slices for an even more low-carb satisfying snack experience.
12. Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides
Protein:9gCarbohydrate:3g
One scoopwill give you 9 grams of protein and no added sugar—plus a dose of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid and of course, collagen. To really keep your carbs at a minimum, blend the collagen powder into a latte using low-carb, plant-based milk like almond, coconut or cashew. A cup ofwhole cow’s milk, though, will give you another 8 grams of protein and about 12 grams of carbohydrates.
13. Eggland’s Best Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggs (2-Pack)
Protein:11gCarbohydrate:0g
Offering 5.5 grams of protein per egg,Eggland’s Best Hard-Cooked Peeled Eggsare the perfect on-the-go snack to keep you energized throughout the day. “In addition to a protein boost, they also contain 25% lesssaturated fat, 10 times more vitamin E and double the omega-3s compared to ordinary eggs,” says Mohr. “The best part? They’re already cooked and peeled, making them über convenient for me and my family.”
14. Lifeway Farmer Cheese
Protein:13gCarbohydrate:9g
You might feel like you hit the high-protein, low-carb jackpot with this find—13 grams of protein in a 1/2 cup serving size. Think of farmer cheese as cottage cheese meets ricotta with a creamy spreadable texture that’s perfect for snacking. Pair with a low-carb hydrating vegetable like celery sticks, cucumber slices or summer squash slices for a texture add. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning for a complete savory bite.
15. The Only Bean Edamame Snacks
Protein:14gCarbohydrate:7g
Crunchy beans snacks are all the rage and a delicious way to get a high-protein, low-carb snack that satisfies that crunchy snack craving. In 1/3 cup serving, you also get 5 grams of fiber, which is gut-healthy bonus. You can findThe Only Beansnacks in three savory flavors; sea salt, buffalo and sriracha. They are dry-roasted, not fried, to get the perfect crunch and they’re gluten-free!
10 Foods with More Protein Than an Egg
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