40 High-Protein Snacks to Power Your Busy Day

By April Dupee We all love a good snack, but the wrong ones (hi, cookies) can leave you feeling like Sleepy from the seven dwarfs, far from the Happy you were striving for. But not all snack foods leave you feeling sluggish. In fact, here at Nutritious Life, we’re big fans of having two (healthy!) snacks a day.  The secret snack sauce? Aim for some combo of healthy fat, protein, and fiber. It’s okay to hit two out of three here, but if you’re going for a high-protein snack, you’ll want to look for something with 5 to 15 grams of protein. Also key: Make sure your snacks are actually, well, snacks, so aim for about 100 to 200 calories. RELATED: 20 High-Protein Lunch Ideas to Avoid the Afternoon Slump If you need some inspo, check out the delicious high-protein snack recipes, products, and ideas below. There’s something here for everyone—promise. (Featured photo: Shutterstock) Biena Chickpeas Made with only chickpeas, sunflower oil, and salt, this baked chickpea snack offers 6 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber in just one serving. $13 for 4, amazon.com RXBar Many protein bars contain excessive amounts of sugar and unwanted additives, but RX Bars are simply made with dates, nuts, and egg whites. These naturally sweetened and protein-rich bars are perfect when you need a quick satisfying snack. $38 for a pack of 24, amazon.com Steve’s Paleogoods Original Paleokrunch Don’t feel like making your own granola? No problem. This Original Paleokrunch granola is loaded with nuts and seeds, providing 7 grams of protein per serving. $23, amazon.com Pillars Drinkable Greek Yogurt Take your Greek yogurt on-the-go with Pillars Drinkable Greek Yogurt that comes in a variety of delicious flavors. With just 100 calories per bottle, you’ll get an impressive 18 grams of protein. Buy at your local grocery store 88 Acres Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter Pouches This allergy-friendly pumpkin seed butter provides 8 grams of protein in a convenient packable pouch. Spread some onto whole grain toast, crackers, or veggies for an easy protein-rich snack. $39 for 20, amazon.com Purely Elizabeth Oat Cups Oats on the go! Try their fun flavors like raspberry pitaya and blueberry lemon. $40 for 12, amazon.com Good Culture Cottage Cheese Cottage cheese is making a comeback, thanks to brands like Good Culture that now offer this nutritious high-protein snack in single-serving cups and delicious flavors. One container provides 17 grams of protein at only 150 calories. Win-win. $34 for 8, amazon.com Harvest Snaps Green Pea Snack Crisps Ditch the chips and satisfy your crunch cravings with Green Pea Snack Crisps. Green peas, a little oil, and salt make for a simple yet protein-packed snack. $12, amazon.com Epic Meat Bar Traditional beef jerky often has sugar and nitrates, but Epic’s meat bars are made with simple ingredients, including HQ meat. Try their Chicken Sriracha bar for 13 grams of protein and just 130 calories. $26, amazon.com Pumpkin Spice Latte Protein Balls Enjoy all the flavors of a pumpkin spice latte in a convenient on-the-go bite. Oats, vanilla protein powder, and pecans bring the protein while cozy spices and coffee add that signature flavor that made fall famous. GET THE RECIPE Rosemary Maple Tempeh Tempeh (aka fermented soybeans) packs in serious plant-based protein: a ½ cup serving provides a whopping 15 grams. Rosemary, garlic, cayenne pepper, and apple cider vinegar create a savory crave-worthy marinade. GET THE RECIPE Strawberry Veggie Smoothie Sneak more veggies and protein into your snacks with this oh-so-refreshing smoothie. Just blend cauliflower, zucchini, strawberries, nut butter, and vanilla protein powder together for a quick high-protein snack. GET THE RECIPE Cinnamon Spice Roasted Pepitas Don’t overlook pepitas, an unsung hero in the seed family. In addition to providing important and hard-to-find minerals like magnesium and zinc, they also deliver 6 grams of protein per ½-cup serving. Make them snack-worthy by tossing in coconut oil, honey, and cinnamon. GET THE RECIPE Protein Cookie Dough Cookie dough that’s healthy enough for post-workout fuel? This raw cookie dough recipe made from vanilla protein powder, almond flour, and almond butter is just as delicious as the real deal. GET THE RECIPE Vegan Chocolate Gingerbread Protein Muffins Cozy gingerbread gets a protein-boost in this recipe thanks to almond flour and chocolate protein powder. Try this one the next time you need a midday pick-me-up. GET THE RECIPE Peanut Butter Berry Yogurt Take your Greek yogurt up a notch by mixing in peanut butter for a boost of flavor, satiating healthy fats, and protein. Top with fresh antioxidant-rich raspberries for an elevated PB&J combo. Mmm. GET THE RECIPE Avocado Boat Egg Bake Avocados + eggs = the ultimate satisfying and easy snack. Top with herbs for an extra hit of flavor and antioxidants. GET THE RECIPE Grain-Free Lavender Honey Granola Pepitas, almonds, cashews, and walnuts provide heart-healthy fats and tons of protein, while honey, lavender, and coconut add unbeatable flavor. You def want this one in your high-protein snack stable. GET THE RECIPE Pesto Salmon Tartine The traditional bagel and lox combo is given a nutritious makeover with this pesto salmon tartine recipe. Protein-rich sprouted grain bread and smoked salmon are layered along with pesto and cucumber for a light, savory snack you’ll <3. GET THE RECIPE Nut and Seed Bread Bread is kind of a misnomer here, but you won’t be disappointed. For this recipe, you’ll mix nuts and seeds—almonds, walnuts, pecans, chia seeds, and pumpkin seeds—with eggs, then simply, bake. You’ll crave this crunch. GET THE RECIPE Chocolate Protein Balls Whip up these easy protein balls in seconds for a convenient snack made with everyone’s favorite combo: chocolate and peanut butter. GET THE RECIPE Tuna Chickpea Salad Don’t just reserve salads for lunch and dinner. Grab a small bowl and try this flavorful recipe made with protein-rich chickpeas, tuna, and veggies. GET THE RECIPE Cilantro Lime Avocado Yogurt Dip Mix Greek yogurt with avocado (helloooo, healthy fats) and flavor-boosting ingredients like garlic, chili powder, lime and cilantro to create a refreshing versatile dip. Pair with veggies or chips for a simple high-protein snack. GET THE