MEN’S FITNESS ONLINE

Biggest Australian Fitness Events

High-Protein Snacks That Actually Fill You Up

The 3pm snack is where good intentions often go to die. But if you keep a few protein-rich options within reach, you won’t need heroic willpower to avoid the chips.

Todd Cole
Quick answer Greek yoghurt, cottage cheese, tinned tuna, edamame, jerky, boiled eggs, a protein shake or a handful of roasted chickpeas will all get you 15-25g of protein without much effort. The trick with snacks isn’t finding one perfect food – it’s having a few of these on hand so you’re not grabbing chips at 3pm.

Why Your Snacks Need More Protein

Most blokes get their protein sorted at meals and then undo it between meals with whatever’s closest – biscuits, muesli bars, a servo pie. The problem isn’t willpower, it’s that low-protein snacks don’t fill you up, so you eat more of them and you’re hungry again an hour later.

If you’re chasing a body composition goal, snacks are also where a lot of people quietly blow their calories or fall short on protein. Spreading your daily protein target across four or five smaller hits rather than two big meals is a simple way to hit the numbers – see our guide to bulking and protein targets for the maths.

Best Whole-Food High-Protein Snacks

No brand names, no marketing, just food that happens to be high in protein.

Greek yoghurt in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Greek yoghurt (170g tub) ~17g protein
Cottage cheese, a high-protein snack
Cottage cheese (1 cup) ~25g protein
Flaked tinned tuna, a high-protein snack
Tinned tuna or salmon (small pouch) ~20g protein
Two halved boiled eggs, a high-protein snack
Two boiled eggs ~12g protein
Shelled edamame in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Edamame (1 cup, shelled) ~17g protein
Beef jerky strips, a high-protein snack
Beef or turkey jerky (30g) ~15g protein
Roasted chickpeas in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Roasted chickpeas (1 cup) ~15g protein
Sliced cooked chicken breast, a high-protein snack
Cooked chicken breast (100g) ~31g protein

High-Protein, Low-Calorie Snacks (For Cutting)

If you’re cutting, the goal is protein without the calories stacking up around it. These are the ones that give you the most protein for the least energy.

Fat-free cottage cheese with cracked pepper, a high-protein snack
Fat-free cottage cheese (with cracked pepper)
Tinned tuna in spring water, a high-protein snack
Tinned tuna (in spring water, not oil)
Boiled egg whites, a high-protein snack
Egg whites (3-4) (boiled or scrambled dry)
Cooked prawns with lemon, a high-protein snack
Prawns (cooked and chilled, with lemon)
Protein shake made with water, a high-protein snack
Protein shake (made with water, not milk)
Rolled turkey breast slices, a high-protein snack
Turkey breast slices (rolled up plain)

None of these are exciting. That’s the point – they do the job without adding a few hundred calories you didn’t plan on.

Vegetarian High-Protein Snacks

Cut the meat and fish from the list above and you’ve still got options – you just have to work a bit harder for the same numbers.

Greek yoghurt in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Greek yoghurt (or high-protein yoghurt)
Cottage cheese in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Cottage cheese
Shelled edamame in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Edamame
Roasted chickpeas in a bowl, a high-protein snack
Roasted chickpeas (or lentil chips)
Cubed marinated tofu, a high-protein snack
Tofu (cubed and marinated)
Two halved boiled eggs, a high-protein snack
Two boiled eggs
Protein shake made with water, a high-protein snack
Whey or pea-protein shake

Store-Bought vs Homemade: Do You Need a Protein Bar?

Protein bars are convenient, not magic. Plenty of them are closer to a chocolate bar with a marketing budget than an actual food. Check the label for two things: protein per 100g, and how far down the ingredient list sugar sits. A whole-food snack from the lists above will usually beat a bar for the same calories.

If you do use protein powder to fill the gap, the type matters less than people think – see our WPC vs WPI breakdown if you’re deciding which one to buy.

FAQs

How much protein should a snack have?

Aim for at least 15g of protein in a snack. Anything less and it starts behaving more like a treat than something that actually keeps you full.

What are good high-protein snacks before bed?

Slow-digesting options like cottage cheese or Greek yoghurt are a better bet before bed than a fast-absorbing whey shake, since they release protein over several hours while you sleep.

Can high-protein snacks help with weight loss?

Yes, mainly because protein is the most filling macronutrient. Swapping a low-protein snack for a high-protein one usually means you eat less later without trying to.

Related: Protein Alternatives: 10 Top Sources of Protein and our full guide to bulking without getting fat.

,

YOu might also like…