30 High Protein Snacks
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Published Aug 28, 2021, Updated Sep 05, 2023
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Snack healthy with these high protein snacks! I’m sharing tons of recipes, each with at least 5g of protein per serving and some of my favorite store-bought snacks that are high in protein as well.
Snacks tends to get a bad rap, mostly because a lot of snack foods aren’t super healthy.
But snacking can actually be a great way to keep hunger at bay and help with weight loss (or weight maintenance). It’s all about choosing the right snacks… ones that are satisfying and filling.
The key = make sure your snacks are high in protein!
I’ve found that high protein snacks are the best option when it comes to snacking because they keep me feeling full… not running back to the cabinet for more like some snacks tend to do. I’m looking at you chips and crackers.
For this reason I’m always on the hunt for protein-rich snacks and wanted to create this resource as an easy guide.
Why is Protein Important?
If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile, you know how much I stress the importance of protein! I specifically aim to have a balance of protein, fiber and healthy fats for every meal and snack. But why? Protein helps stabilize your blood sugar and keeps you feeling fuller, longer.
It helps satisfy cravings, helps with weight loss (or weight management) and has so many important functions within the body, including muscle repair. So while the mainstream media messaging might be that protein is only important for athletes and body builders, I’m here to let you know that protein is important for everyone!
High Protein Snack Recipes
All of these snack recipes have at least 5 grams of protein per serving! Enjoy!
Smoothies and Shakes
How to Make a Protein Shake
Protein shake 101! Everything you need to know about making a protein shake, the difference between shakes and smoothies, why protein shakes are good for weight loss and six protein shake flavors.
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Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie
Satisfy your sweet tooth with this peanut butter cup smoothie! Filled with chocolate peanut butter flavor and loaded with healthy ingredients.
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Protein Bites, Balls and Bars
No Bake Protein Balls
The easiest no bake protein balls on the internet with four different flavors – chocolate peanut butter, tahini chocolate chip, cinnamon raisin and almond joy. Take 10 minutes to whip up a batch of these protein balls and snack healthy all week long!
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Protein Bars
These no-bake peanut butter protein bars are made with simple ingredients and super easy to whip up. They're an awesome protein-packed snack to meal prep for the week.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Bars
These no bake peanut butter chocolate protein bars taste delicious and each bar has 9 grams of protein. Plus, they're so easy to make.
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Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
Peanut butter protein cookies made with just 5 simple ingredients: oats, protein powder, peanut butter, apple sauce and honey or maple syrup. Each cookie has 4 grams of protein! Gluten-free and dairy-free.
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Coconut Protein Balls
High protein, low carb protein balls made with coconut butter and hemp seeds! You'll love the coconut flavor and the energy boost these vegan coconut protein balls provide.
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Pumpkin Protein Bars (Vegan + Gluten Free)
These pumpkin protein bars are vegan, gluten-free and oil-free. They make for a perfect pre or post-workout snack or grab-and-go breakfast. Each bar has less than 80 calories, 7 grams of protein and only 4 grams of sugar!
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Cookie Dough Protein Bites
Make healthy cookie dough protein bites with chickpea based cookie dough and melted dark chocolate. You’ll love having these on hand for a sweet treat.
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Protein Muffins + Pancakes
Double Chocolate Protein Muffins
These chocolate protein muffins are fudgy and oh so delicious. There’s no added sugar (sweetened only with bananas) and each muffin has 13 grams of protein!
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Strawberry Protein Muffins
These moist strawberry protein muffins are studded with fresh strawberries and chocolate chips. Made with oat flour and protein powder so they have an extra protein boost and they’re gluten-free!
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Baked Egg Muffins
These healthy baked egg cups are loaded with protein and veggies. Make them at the beginning of the week for a quick, on-the-go breakfast option for busy mornings.
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Protein Pancakes
Here's my classic recipe for protein pancakes made with oat flour, egg whites and protein powder. The full recipe gives you 40 grams of protein and the pancakes taste delicious.
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Protein Snack Bowls
Protein Mug Cake
Finally! A protein mug cake that actually tastes good… gone are the days of rubbery protein mug cakes. This one tastes amazing – perfect for satisfying a sweet tooth while hitting your protein goals.
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Protein Overnight Oats
With protein overnight oats you can have your oatmeal and get your protein in! Each serving has over 20 grams of protein!
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Grain-free Overnight “Oats”
A basic grain-free overnight “oats” recipe! This recipe replaces the oats with hemp seeds and chia seeds for a make-ahead breakfast that is paleo, vegan, grain-free and keto-friendly.
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Easy Chia Pudding
This 3-ingredient chia pudding is creamy, satisfying and loaded with protein, fiber and omega-3s. It's also vegan, gluten-free, paleo and keto.
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Roasted Strawberry Cottage Cheese Bowl
This strawberry cottage cheese bowl pairs roasted strawberries with cottage cheese for a delicious, protein-packed breakfast or snack.
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Strawberry Quinoa Parfait
Layers of quinoa, Greek yogurt and strawberries make for a protein-packed strawberry shortcake quinoa parfait that's perfect for breakfast or dessert.
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Protein Ice Cream
This healthy protein ice cream uses frozen bananas as the base and can easily be made into two different flavors – chocolate or vanilla. It's vegan and you'll love how creamy and delicious it is!
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Granola + Trail Mix
Hemp Granola
This crunchy hemp granola packs a nutritional punch with a variety of nuts and seeds. Paleo, vegan and free of refined sugar.
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Healthy Trail Mix
Learn how to make healthy trail mix with this foolproof method + 3 easy recipes. Trail mix is such an easy and delicious snack to make at home with just a few key ingredients.
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Savory Snacks
Egg White Bites
Make Starbucks red pepper egg white bites with this simple recipe! They're creamy and taste just like sous vide egg bites, but they're made in the Instant Pot!
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Shrimp Cocktail
Impress guests with this shrimp cocktail recipe! It’s such a healthy appetizer and so easy to whip up. Just poach the shrimp, chill and serve.
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BBQ Baked Tempeh Chips
This baked chip recipe turns tempeh into a plant-based snack that’s loaded with protein and packed with BBQ flavor!
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High Protein Dips
Protein Cookie Dough
Edible cookie dough that tastes absolutely delicious! You’d never guess that it’s made with chickpeas. Vegan and gluten-free.
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Creamy Hummus
Here's how to make perfectly smooth and creamy hummus at home! It's super easy to whip up — no peeling of chickpeas required. Serve with fresh veggies and pita for a delicious appetizer or snack.
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Lima Bean Hummus
A new twist on an old classic, this lima bean hummus is creamy, sweet and super easy to make!
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Almond Pesto Sauce or Dip
This creamy almond pesto dip (or sauce) is made with just seven delicious ingredients. Trust me, you’ll want to dip everything in it! Vegan, gluten-free, low-carb and high in protein.
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4-Ingredient Smoked Salmon Dip
This 4-ingredient smoked salmon dip is so easy to make, loaded with flavor and provides a ton of protein. Serve with crackers and veggies as an appetizer or pack it up for a work lunch!
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The Best Store-Bought High Protein Snacks
Now more than ever, I’m relying on quick grab-and-go snacks because I’m so busy running after a toddler! I’ve found a great selection of healthy store-bought snacks for when I’m on the road or when I don’t have time to prep something. Here are the high protein snacks I recommend:
- Meat sticks or jerky– I always stock up on Chomps for a shelf stable, protein-packed snack. They are perfect for taking on the go, made with high quality ingredients and free of all 8 major allergens. You can even use them as mini pepperonis to top my zucchini pizza bites.
- Greek yogurt – I always like to keep Greek yogurt in my fridge for a simple and refreshing snack option… for myself and for Olivia. My fave brands are Stonyfield Organic Greek yogurt or Fage. It’s delicious straight up with a little nut butter, granola and/or berries for added flavor, but my whipped yogurt bowl is favorite way to enjoy Greek yogurt. I also love adding it to overnight oats or smoothies (like with my strawberry banana smoothie) to amp up the protein.
- Nuts or trail mix – check the ingredient list when buying store-bought trail mixes and nuts to make sure there isn’t a ton of sodium, oil and sugar added! When it comes to nuts I like to stick with lightly salted and roasted or raw and for trail mix I like to stick to mixes that are just nuts and dried fruit. Back to Nature has some great options with minimal ingredients.
- Protein bars – my current favorite protein bar is the Aloha peanut butter cup protein bars. They’re low-sugar, plant-based, gluten-free and they taste like a candy bar to me!
- Protein cookies – I’ve been on a protein cookie kick. My two favorites are the Tone It Up chocolate chip cookies and the Tone It Up snickerdoodle cookies.
- RX Bars – these are another one of my go-to store bought protein bars because their ingredient list is so minimal. They have a ton of flavor options, but my personal favorite is the chocolate sea salt.
- Nut butter packs – have you seen those little squeeze packs of almond or peanut butter? They’re a great way to easily add protein to meals when traveling! I pair them with oatmeal or fruit. I love Artisana because their nut butters are raw and have no added sugar or oil.
- Hummus – these Sabra hummus snackers come with pita chips for dipping and are a great on-the-go snack option. They’re packed with 11 grams of protein per serving.
- Roasted Chickpeas – these Biena chickpea snacks are crunchy and made with minimal ingredients – just roasted chickpeas, sunflower oil and sea salt. They’re a great alternative to chips and packed with 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber per serving.
- Protein Shakes – definitely check the nutrition label of store-bought protein drinks because many have tons of added sugar or a long list of ingredients that are hard to pronounce. My favorite protein drink while on-the-go is this REBBL chocolate protein elixir. It has only 9 grams of sugar and is packed with 16 grams of plant-based protein and and good-for-you ingredients like Ashwagandha, Maca, and Reishi. I also really like the Aloha chocolate sea salt protein shakes.
- Crackers – I skip the crackers that are high in sodium, loaded with refined grains and have a lack fiber. These flax seed crackers are great because they’re loaded with 8 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein per serving. Another great store-bought cracker option is these Back to Nature whole lotta seeds cracker. They have a whopping 7 grams of protein per serving thanks to the natural protein found in the four seeds (flax, chia, poppy, and hemp) and the addition of a plant-based pea protein powder. I also LOVE the Simple Mills almond flour crackers! They have less protein (only 3 grams) but they’re yummy.
- Oatmeal cup – I love my protein oatmeal recipes, but when I’m on-the-go and don’t have time to whip up a bowl, this Purley Elizabeth collagen protein oatmeal is a great alternative. It has a simple ingredient list and is loaded with 11 grams of protein per cup.
- Granola – if you’re buying store-bought granola make sure to check the label! Many granolas are loaded with tons of sugar. This KIND almond butter granola is a good option as it’s loaded with whole grains, fiber and 10 grams of protein.
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Be sure to check out all my popular protein recipes here.
30 High Protein Snacks
Snack healthy with these high protein snacks! I'm sharing tons of recipes, each with at least 5g of protein per serving and some of my favorite store-bought snacks that are high in protein as well.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup vanilla protein powder (I used Nuzest)
- 1 cup oat flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt, omit if peanut butter has salt
- ½ cup natural creamy peanut butter, or almond butter
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil, more if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-4 Tablespoons chocolate chips, plus extra chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
- Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Combine protein powder, oat flour and salt.
- Add in peanut butter, honey, vanilla and coconut oil. The dough will be quite thick. I suggest combining the dough with your hands. If it’s still too dry add more coconut oil, 1 teaspoon at a time.
- Mix in chocolate chips with hand or spoon.
- Press dough into a lined loaf pan and add more chocolate chips on top. Press the chips in with your hands.
- Let bars chill in fridge for at least one hour before cutting.
- Remove bars from the fridge, cut into 6 equal-sized bars and enjoy.
- Bars will last about one week in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer.
Video
Notes
- Honey: I haven’t tested this recipe with anything else, but I think another liquid sweetener like maple syrup or date syrup would work well.
- Peanut butter: any natural, drippy nut butter should work. You can try almond butter, cashew butter or sunflower seed butter.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 294kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 37mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 13g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Equipment
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What a Fantastic Post!! Love your work.
Thank you so much!!
Great post! You should also try out Prevail Jerky a try. Their Original and Lemongrass are amazing. https://www.prevailjerky.com