High protein snacks: 24 picks ranked by protein, with fiber and calories

The short answer: the best high protein snacks are chicken, canned fish, Greek yogurt, edamame, cottage cheese, eggs and jerky. In USDA data, 3 oz of roasted chicken breast gives 26g of protein, a 170g cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt gives 17g, and a cup of cooked edamame gives 19g with 8g of fiber. Pair two foods to reach 10g or more.

Every figure below comes from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). Brands differ, so check the label on what you buy.

What are the best high protein snacks?

The best high protein snacks give 10g of protein or more in a normal portion. Here are 24 common snacks, sorted from most protein to least.

Two patterns stand out. Fish, poultry and dairy give the most protein for the fewest calories, but no fiber. Edamame, nuts, seeds and hummus bring fiber with their protein. Edamame is the only snack here with more than 15g of protein and 5g of fiber in one portion.

How do you make a snack with 10g of protein or more?

Pair one protein food from the top of the table with a fruit, vegetable or whole grain. The protein food does most of the work, and the plant food adds fiber. These pairings all reach 10g, using the same USDA figures:

Notice the peanut butter and banana. On their own they give 8.4g, so the cup of milk is what pushes it past 10g. If a snack falls short, add milk, yogurt, an egg or a spoon of seeds.

To see where snacks fit in your day, start with how much protein you need. Harvard’s Nutrition Source says adults need at least 0.8g per kilogram of body weight a day, about 50g for a 140-pound person. A 15g snack covers almost a third of that. You can add up any plate with our meal protein calculator.

What are high protein snacks that don’t need refrigeration?

Jerky, nuts, seeds, peanut butter and canned or pouched tuna, salmon and sardines all keep without a fridge until you open them. The FDA’s storage chart gives unopened canned seafood up to 5 years in the pantry. Once a can is open, refrigerate leftovers and use them within 3 to 4 days.

• Beef jerky: 9.4g of protein per ounce.
• Pumpkin seeds: 8.5g per ounce, the most of any nut or seed in the table.
• Peanuts: 6.9g per ounce, and usually the cheapest.
• Tuna or sardines with crackers: 19.5g for tuna on 6 whole-wheat crackers.

Yogurt, cheese, eggs, milk and deli meat are perishable. The FDA says to refrigerate perishables within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when it’s above 90°F, so keep them cold or eat them within that window.

What are good high protein snacks on the go?

Good on-the-go snacks are ones you can eat with one hand and no fork: string cheese, jerky, a bag of nuts or seeds, hard-boiled eggs, a tub of edamame or a single-serve yogurt. Pack two of them together and you’re at 10g or more.

1. Boil a batch of eggs on Sunday. The FDA chart gives hard-cooked eggs 1 week in the fridge.
2. Portion nuts into 1-ounce bags. An ounce is about 23 almonds or 49 pistachios, by USDA’s counts.
3. Keep a can of tuna and crackers at work. Neither needs a fridge before opening.
4. Cook extra chicken at dinner. Three ounces is the highest-protein snack on the list. Cooked poultry keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.

Our guide to meal prep for beginners shows how to fit eggs and snack boxes into one Sunday session.

Are high protein snacks good for you?

Most are, if you watch the salt and the processing. Harvard’s Nutrition Source advises choosing fish, poultry, beans and nuts, limiting red meat and cheese, and avoiding cold cuts and other processed meats. It counts deli-sliced chicken among processed meats.

Salt is the catch with several snacks. The FDA’s Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300mg a day, and it calls 20% of the Daily Value or more per serving high. In USDA data:

An ounce of jerky or 2 ounces of deli turkey is about 22% of the Daily Value, high by the FDA’s measure. The FDA suggests choosing low-sodium or no-salt-added nuts and seeds. If you have high blood pressure, plain yogurt, edamame, eggs and unsalted nuts are the easier picks.

Peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, fish and soy cause allergic reactions in some people, as Harvard notes. Harvard also says people with kidney or liver disease need to manage protein with their doctor, so ask before you add more.

What should you eat with these snacks during the day?

Snacks work best as a top-up to meals that already carry protein. Start the day with our high protein breakfast ideas, and if cost matters, our list of the cheapest protein foods shows that dried beans and eggs give the most protein per dollar. For more fiber alongside your protein, see our guide to high fiber foods.

If you want meals and snacks planned for a month, the meal plan below has grocery lists and prep plans. It was written with menopause in mind, and its meals are high in protein.

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Making something festive? These healthy Christmas treats list protein and added sugar for each one.

Quick questions

What snack has the most protein?

Of the 24 common snacks we checked in USDA FoodData Central, 3 ounces of roasted chicken breast had the most protein, at 26.4g for 140 calories. Next came a can of sardines at 22.7g, 3 ounces of cooked shrimp at 20.4g and a cup of cooked edamame at 18.5g.

What high protein snacks can I buy at the store?

Good ready-to-eat picks include plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, canned tuna or sardines, jerky, roasted pumpkin seeds, peanuts and frozen edamame. A 170g container of plain nonfat Greek yogurt gives 17.3g of protein in USDA data. Check labels for sodium, since jerky and deli meat run high.

Are high protein snacks good for you?

Most are, especially fish, poultry, yogurt, eggs, beans and nuts, which Harvard’s Nutrition Source recommends. Watch processed meats such as jerky and deli slices: Harvard advises avoiding them, and an ounce of jerky has about 506mg of sodium, which the FDA would call high for one serving.

What are high protein snacks with low calories?

Light tuna, shrimp, smoked salmon, deli turkey and plain Greek yogurt give the most protein per calorie in USDA data. Three ounces of light tuna in water has 16.5g of protein for 73 calories, and a 170g cup of nonfat Greek yogurt has 17.3g for 100 calories. Smoked salmon and deli turkey are high in sodium.

How much protein should a snack have?

There is no official target for a snack, but 10g or more is a useful aim because it makes a real dent in your day. Harvard puts the minimum for adults at 0.8g per kilogram of body weight, about 50g for a 140-pound person, so a 15g snack covers almost a third.

What are good high protein snacks with no refrigeration?

Jerky, nuts, seeds, peanut butter and unopened cans or pouches of tuna, salmon or sardines all keep without a fridge. Beef jerky has 9.4g of protein per ounce and pumpkin seeds 8.5g. The FDA says to refrigerate perishables such as yogurt, cheese and eggs within 2 hours.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Nutrition figures are from USDA data and will vary with brands and portions. If you have kidney or liver disease, high blood pressure, a food allergy or a diet set by your doctor, ask what suits you.

Sources

• USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy data (protein, fiber, calories and sodium per 100g, and portion weights)
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Nutrition Source: Protein
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in Your Diet
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Safe Food Handling
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Refrigerator and Freezer Storage Chart