30+ Best High Protein Snacks (2024)

Most of us love snacking, and it can be a challenge to find snacks that are both healthy and satisfying.

Nothing satisfied your hunger like a high-protein snack, especially if you’re having to do work that requires a lot of concentration. Sure, you can reach for some nuts or a boiled egg for quick protein, but there are some other more creative options out there, too. Why not try something new?

When it comes to satisfying your hunger, nothing does it more effectively than nutritious high protein snacks.

When it comes to getting full, protein is the way to go, so why not have some tasty healthy protein snacks on hand all the time?

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be challenging to find snacks that are both convenient and healthy. High protein snacks are a popular solution, as they provide numerous health benefits and help keep energy levels stable throughout the day. The focus of this article lies in introducing readers to a variety of high protein snacks that can be easily incorporated into a daily diet.

Protein serves as a vital nutrient in maintaining strong muscles, repairing tissues, and supporting immune function. High protein snacks fit perfectly into a balanced diet, whether for fitness enthusiasts aiming to build muscle or individuals simply looking to maintain their overall health. By exploring different high protein snack options, readers can experience the advantages of incorporating these nutrient-rich foods into their lifestyle.

From savory treats to sweet indulgences, there are a plethora of high protein snacks available that cater to various taste preferences. This article will provide an insight into nutritious options, tips for selecting the best high protein snacks, and suggestions on how to effortlessly incorporate them into daily routines.

If you’re doing paleo or keto, you definitely need to have some high protein low carb snack ideas. However, even if you’re not on a special diet, snacking on protein snacks can be filling and give you some solid brain fuel.

We’ve scoured the internet and our recipe collection to come up with some great high protein low calorie snacks that will hit the spot.

Whether you want savory high protein snacks like cottage cheese toast or something sweet and full of protein like peanut butter chocolate balls, we’ve got you covered.

Yes, that’s right. Even if you’re eating a healthy diet, you don’t have to give up sweet treats.

Let’s dive in and check out these 31 delicious healthy protein snack ideas.

Source: crispyfoodidea.com

1. Keto Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Chocolate and natural peanut butter as a healthy snack? You betcha!

What can we say to make this snack sound even sweeter? How about this: these little delicious nuggets are no-bake.

This recipe takes a bit of time to make, but it’s so totally worth it. And what an amazing investment in not just your health, but also satisfying your taste buds.

With peanut butter and whey protein powder, these little balls are packed with tons of wholesome protein.

And you’re going to use real dark chocolate to make them. None of that fake chocolate stuff.

Also, you can make these little healthy fat protein balls with another type of nut butter.

Source: tasteofhome.com

2. Ham Roll Ups

When it comes to easy appetizers, it doesn’t get much easier than these delicious ham roll-ups with simple ingredients.

These little gems are great as a lunch, but they also work perfectly when you need a high-protein snack idea.

One thing we love about this snack is that you can make them ahead, even as early as the day before you serve them.

All you need to make these ham roll-ups are ham and cream cheese, but you can also mix some chopped ripe olives and sliced green onions (scallions) into your cream cheese.

For even more crunch and tanginess, stuff them with a miniature pickle.

Source: gimmedelicious.com

3. Cheesy Kale Chips

Once you know how crunchy and tasty kale protein chips can be, you may never reach for another bag of potato chips.

And we’re being serious. You won’t have to convince yourself to love these kale chips. They really are just as delicious as your favorite potato chip brand, and best of all, kale chips are high protein snacks.

Best of all, these kale chips have just four ingredients: kale, olive oil, salt, and shredded cheddar cheese.

They’re packed full of vitamins and nutrients, and they will disappear quickly, so make sure you cook a big batch.

Source: lowcarb-nocarb.com

4. Almond Sesame Crackers

Even when you’re dedicated to a low carb lifestyle and you’re faithfully following paleo or keto, sometimes you just want a salty crunch.

If that’s the case, we’ve got a delightful surprise for you. You’re going to love having these keto almond sesame crackers in your kitchen when the craving strikes.

Even better, these delicious high protein snacks are easy to make. They’re made with the popular Fathead dough, which is made out of almond flour.

For extra variety in a high protein snack, make the “Everything Bagel” flavored crackers with onion powder, hemp hearts, poppy seeds, and caraway seeds with your sesame seeds.

Source: chocolatecoveredkatie.com

5. Peanut Butter Frozen Yogurt

One of the best treats in life is a cold sweet scoop of ice cream.

The fact is, even if you’re looking for a high protein low carb snack, you can still enjoy something that tastes as delicious as ice cream but has a fraction of the calories.

This recipe for peanut butter frozen yogurt is super healthy and has just five ingredients.

We love that this recipe is customizable. You can make it with cashew butter, almond butter, and sunflower butter.

To make this frozen treat sweet, you can use a natural sweetener like maple syrup or coconut sugar, or you can use erythritol if you want a sugar-free snack.

Source: vegetarianventures.com

6. Cottage Cheese Toasts

Besides being packed with protein, cottage cheese toast is also a yummy and versatile snack.

You can pile whatever you want on top of these little slices of heavy, from fruit to a fried egg.

Whatever you can dream up, you can add it as a topping to cottage cheese toast.

Want something slightly sweet? Add some fruit or fresh berries.

Craving something a little more savory? Try veggies like sliced tomatoes or cucumbers.

When you’ve got a loaf of whole wheat bread and a tub of cottage cheese, you’ve got hundreds of possibilities.

Source: healthysubstitute.com

7. Chicken Salad Bites

Chicken salad is an all-time favorite in most families, and it’s awesome to be able to use leftover rotisserie chicken to make this classic salad.

One way to enjoy chicken salad as a high protein snack is with these cute little chicken salad bites.

Instead of crackers or bread, you can use thick cucumber slices as the base for this snack. Alternatively, you could use a rice cake as a base.

Besides the chicken, this chicken salad recipe snack also has cream cheese, crumbled blue cheese, and sour cream in it, so it’s extra creamy and full of protein.

The chicken salad has diced celery, some hot sauce, and green onions for seasoning.

Source: panlasangpinoy.com

8. Tuna and Crackers

There’s something that’s just so wonderful about tuna salad.

People don’t make a lot of tuna casseroles anymore, but tuna salad has become a mainstay that we can’t get enough of.

You can still enjoy your favorite tuna salad as a snack when you’re following a keto or paleo lifestyle. The delivery method (bread) just has to change a bit.

You can use low carb bread for a good old-fashioned tuna salad sandwich, but tuna salad is just as tasty on crackers.

Consider making some keto crackers to make this the ultimate healthy snack.

Source: dontwastethecrumbs.com

9. Trail Mix

While you can buy trail mix, store-bought versions of this classic healthy protein snack sometimes have ingredients we would rather leave out.

That’s totally OK because it’s easy to make a homemade trail mix snack so that you can get your protein intake.

When you make your own trail mix, you can pack it full of your favorite nuts, dried fruit (with no added sugar), and even chunks of antioxidant-rich dark chocolate.

Consider almonds, cashews, walnuts, peanuts, and sunflower seeds as your protein sources.

To add sweetness, use dried cranberries or dried blueberries. Be sure you buy dried fruit that doesn’t have added sugar.

Source: masonfit.com

10. Pita Pizzas

We love pita pizzas because they’re just the right size for the perfect high protein snacks.

Also, if you want to make a meal out of pita pizzas, it’s easy to do that, too.

This recipe gives you six different ideas for the perfect pita pizza. Try spicy shrimp pita pizza, high protein cheeseburger pita pizza, BBQ chicken pita pizza, spicy beef pita pizza, and classic pepperoni pita pizza.

They’ve even got an excellent green veggie pita pizza that you can make with broccoli, green bell pepper, zucchini, and jalapeno.

Source: culinaryhill.com

11. Turkey Cheddar Roll Ups

One of the quick and easy snack appetizers lots of us enjoy is the turkey roll-ups that are sold at Costco.

Well, now, you can make these yourself at home with this handy copycat recipe.

These turkey roll-ups have cream cheese, whole berry cranberry sauce, romaine lettuce, turkey, tomato, and Havarti cheese. You can also use Swiss cheese if you prefer that.

To keep this a low carb snack, opt for using low carb tortillas. You can barely taste the difference.

Source: eatingbirdfood.com

12. Peanut Butter Chia Seed Pudding

Besides being loaded with antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, chia seeds also serve as an excellent thickener for foods like chia pudding.

If you want another reason to love this recipe, it’s dairy-free, grain-free, and gluten-free.

The milk is almond milk, but you can use other milk substitutes, too.

To get its sweetness, this recipe relies on a bit of honey or maple syrup instead of sugar. Nevertheless, you can use other sweeteners, including fruits.

For this recipe, you can easily substitute almond butter or another nut butter if you prefer.

Source: halfbakedharvest.com

13. Roasted Pumpkin Seed Hummus

Hummus is a power food, but what if you’re not a fan of the key ingredient in hummus (chickpeas)?

No problem! You can simply make hummus out of pumpkin seeds.

With this snack recipe, you get all of the good things about hummus, plus the nutty rich taste of pepitas that have been roasted to perfection.

The spices are what make this pumpkin seed hummus so delicious. It’s absolutely brimming with chili powder, a bit of black pepper, and smoked paprika.

Serve this pumpkin seed hummus with keto crackers, pita bread, or fresh veggies.

Source: therecipecritic.com

14. Mini-Burritos

Burritos are basically the Mexican version of hot pockets. When you make them correctly, they’re tasty, nutritious, and highly portable.

We love this recipe for mini-burritos as high protein snacks. They’re made with ground chicken (you can use ground turkey), and you can substitute cauliflower rice or brown rice for the boxed Mexican rice.

Spices for these yummy little burritos include chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder.

You can also make these with sausage or beef, and even add eggs if you’re craving a breakfast burrito.

Be sure to pack them full of avocado and pico de gallo for maximum flavor.

Source: thebeet.com

15. Nuts

Nuts are one of the planet’s healthiest foods, a protein-rich snack, and they are an excellent source of protein.

However, believe it or not, not all nuts are created equally when it comes to how much protein they have.

Certainly, all nuts do have protein, but some nuts have more protein than others.

These nuts have the most protein in them: almonds, peanuts, cashews, pistachios, hazelnuts, walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, pine nuts, chestnuts, and macadamia nuts.

Source: downshiftology.com

16. Yogurt

Making homemade yogurt at home is definitely an endeavor, but it comes with a wonderful sense of accomplishment when you’re done.

And homemade yogurt is not only healthy and fresh but also incredibly delicious.

If you feel overwhelmed with the idea of making homemade yogurt, you can try making it in your Instant Pot.

On the other hand, you can enjoy all of the different varieties of store-bought yogurt, too. If you buy yogurt at the store, be sure to carefully check the labels to make sure you’re not getting a bunch of sugar.

Source: kevinandamanda.com

17. Salted Edamame

When you’re wanting a salty treat that is also a high protein snack, you don’t need to worry about reaching for a bag of crispy potato chips. Instead, edamame is an excellent choice.

A restaurant favorite, edamame is made from salt and green soybeans and it’s super simple to make. In fact, after making edamame at home, you may never order it at restaurants again.

All you need to make delicious crunchy edamame is water, salt, and a bag of frozen or fresh edamame. Simply cook the edamame, salt it, and serve cold or warm.

Source: themodernproper.com

18. Deviled Eggs

When it comes to classic appetizers, deviled eggs are right up near the top of all-time favorites.

In fact, deviled eggs may be one of the earliest appetizers and a lot of it has to do with how easy they are to make.

Besides being yummy, they’re also full of protein. They are eggs, after all. But the flavor is amazing, also.

We love the versatility of deviled eggs. Consider topping them with pickles, bacon, herbs, and more for some variety.

This recipe uses Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and pickle brine.

Source: thebigmansworld.com

19. Milk/Chocolate Milk

One of the fastest and easiest ways to get a good healthy dose of protein is to simply drink a glass of milk.

Besides being good for you and full of protein, milk is also delicious and creamy.

Want a sweet smoothie? Try blending some chocolate or vanilla protein powder with your milk and some ice cubes for an icy cold sweet treat.

You can also make a fruit smoothie or protein shake with milk, protein powder, and fresh fruit.

We love this recipe for keto chocolate milk. It’s sugar-free and low carb, with just two grams of net carbs for every serving.

Source: onceuponachef.com

20. Jerky

One of the joys of eating a high protein diet is enjoying delicious jerky.

Whether you love beef jerky or jerky made from other types of meat, jerky is delicious.

It’s not difficult to make homemade beef jerky, but it’s somewhat time-consuming. You just have to have the patience to cook your meat very slowly for a long time.

You can make homemade beef jerky in a food dehydrator, which is the easiest way. However, you can also make beef jerky in your oven.

Source: inspiredtaste.com

21. Hummus

Hummus is a kind of wonder-food, isn’t it? Remarkably tasty and creamy, hummus is packed with loads of high-quality vegetable protein.

You can buy hummus in nearly endless flavors at the supermarket, but it’s not that difficult to make your own hummus at home.

The secret to making perfect homemade hummus is the order that you use to add your ingredients to your trusty food processor.

The lemon juice and tahini go in first and they are processed for about a minute. Then you add your garlic, olive oil, cumin, and salt. The very last thing you add is your chickpeas.

Source: simplyrecipes.com

22. Hard Boiled Eggs

Most people following a healthy lifestyle think of eggs when you mention high protein foods.

And here’s the good news. A hard boiled egg isn’t just for breakfast and brunch.

You can cook a batch of hard-boiled eggs to keep in the fridge. Then, you’ve got handy, healthy, portable high-protein snacks whenever you need one.

It’s easy to overcook eggs, and one of the best time investments you can make is to learn how to properly cook hard-boiled eggs.

This recipe shows you how to do exactly that. Another fool-proof way to cook perfect hard-boiled eggs is to use an electric egg cooker. They’re surprisingly affordable and handy as can be.

Source: theprettybee.com

23. Chocolate Lentil Protein Muffins

If you think lentils are just for savory veggie soups, you’re in for a delightful surprise because you can also use lentils to make perfectly moist high protein chocolate muffins.

You would never guess that these decadent mushrooms were made with something as humble as lentils, would you?

To make them nice and sweet, these muffins make use of organic cane sugar. You can use your choice of gluten-free flour such as almond flour or coconut flour.

The chocolate flavor comes from unsweetened cocoa powder and dairy-free chocolate chips.

Source: foodfaithfitness.com

24. Almond Quinoa Energy Bars

When you need to pack in a nice energy boost, nothing does it better than these delicious almond quinoa energy bars.

This powerful protein bar will feed your mind, belly, and body like nothing else.

This recipe is loaded with healthy fats, plenty of beneficial fiber, and tons of vitamins. Here’s the best part: in addition to being high protein, they’re dairy-free and gluten-free.

Even better, they’re easy to make because your slow cooker does the work for you.

These bars get their protein from almond butter, almond milk, and quinoa. Add dried apples, dried cranberries and raisins, and roasted almonds for some satisfying crunch.

Source: loveandlemons.com

25. Roasted Chickpeas

Chickpeas aren’t just for hummus. You can actually roast chickpeas and snack on them for a wonderful high protein crunchy vegan snack.

To make a roasted chickpea snack, you can cook your chickpeas from scratch or use canned chickpeas.

When you get ready to roast your chickpeas, all you need is stuff you probably already have in your pantry: extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and spices like curry powder or paprika.

Once they’re nicely roasted, you can store your chickpeas at room temperature in a loosely covered container.

Source: afoodloverskitchen.com

26. Strawberry Banana Granola Parfaits

A delicious parfait made with fresh strawberries, a banana, and granola is a great way to start your morning.

As it turns out, these handy little parfaits are also an excellent afternoon snack or even a dessert.

You can use whatever type of berries you like, and we love using blueberries or raspberries when they’re in season.

To make these delicious little high protein low calorie snacks even more full of protein, add some chopped nuts.

Also, the recipe calls for plain Greek yogurt, but you can use regular plain nonfat yogurt, too.

Source: littlebroken.com

27. String Cheese/Cheese

Cheese is one of the yummiest high-protein snacks you can eat, and these days, it’s incredibly easy to have cheese handy in the fridge.

Long gone are the times when we had to buy cheese in blocks and cut it up. Although you can easily still do that, you can also buy cheese that is individually wrapped and ready to go when you are.

You can buy string cheese or even tasty little chunks of cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese that are individually wrapped in single-serving packages.

Also, don’t forget the little baby bell cheese and Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

Source: cozypeachkitchen.com

28. Crispy Baked Tofu Nuggets

If you’re following a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, it can be more challenging to find high protein snacks. Fortunately, tofu saves the day once again.

These little golden nuggets are completely meatless, and they offer a powerful protein punch. To make them, you can use either flax-seed eggs or regular eggs.

Spices used to make these crispy tofu nuggets are ground paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.

You can serve these with a tangy sauce, dip, or salsa for even more yumminess. The recipe comes with a maple dijon dipping sauce that looks delicious.

Source: thekitchengarten.com

29. Sunflower Seeds

There is something so addictive about roasted sunflower seeds.

Sunflower seeds have a satisfyingly crunchy texture and the salt makes them as addictive as can be.

High in protein, this is a good way to get a good dose of protein without a lot of unhealthy fat. Besides being high protein low fat snacks, sunflower seeds are also high in vitamin E and selenium.

You can buy them at the store, but it’s also fun (and easy) to make your own at home.

Also, if you grow your own sunflowers, that’s just a whole new kind of wonderful.

Source: ourbestbites.com

30. Roasted Edamame

We’ve already covered salted edamame, but a list of healthy protein snacks would not be complete without roasted edamame.

If you’re looking for pure salty crunch without the unwanted carbs, you will adore this insanely addictive edamame.

The best part is that you start with frozen, shelled edamame, so you can have this recipe ready to go anytime you need it.

The edamame is coated in kosher salt and seasoned with black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. Parmesan cheese adds even more protein (not to mention exceptional flavor!).

Source: twopeasandtheirpod.com

31. Black Bean Dip

Remember when we used to buy bean dip in cans?

That product is still out there (and still a guilty pleasure occasionally), but you can make your own bean dip at home that tastes like it’s gourmet.

This recipe for black bean dip is something anyone can throw together quickly and easily. And you just need a few key ingredients to get a delicious Tex-Mex flavor.

Use canned black beans to make this dip. Just be sure to drain and rinse them. Onion, cilantro, garlic, jalapeno, and lime juice give this dip so much flavor.

Spices include traditional Mexican food spices like cumin and chili powder. Sprinkle your black bean dip with cojita cheese for garnish and even more flavor.

Watch the video below for even more high-protein snack ideas.