The short answer: the best high-protein snacks are plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, canned tuna, salmon or chicken, leftover chicken breast, egg whites, a protein shake, edamame, and roasted soy nuts. Each one below gives you at least 10 grams of protein. All of them come in under 200 calories.
Many popular "protein snacks," like almonds, peanut butter, trail mix, hummus and granola, don't come close. They're fine foods, but they're mostly fat or carbs with some protein attached. The numbers are further down.
Every number here comes from the USDA's nutrition database.
The 10-gram test
This article's rule is simple: a high-protein snack has at least 10 grams of protein per serving. That number comes from the FDA's Daily Value for protein, which is 50 grams. 10 grams is 20% of it, the level the FDA uses for "high" claims (FDA rule on "high" claims; FDA protein Daily Value).
This is a practical standard for choosing snacks, not a legal test. Whether a packaged food can actually print "high in protein" on its label also depends on the FDA's standard serving size for that type of food and an adjustment for protein quality. Every snack in the main list has at least 10 grams of protein in the serving shown.
The list is also ranked by protein per 100 calories, because 10 grams of protein for 70 calories is a very different snack from 10 grams for 300. For a full breakdown of that method, see High-Protein, Low-Calorie Foods: 30 Best Choices.
A few things to know:
- Brands vary. Yogurt, cottage cheese, deli meat, jerky and protein powder differ by brand. If the package has a Nutrition Facts label, the label wins.
- Calories are rounded to the nearest calorie, protein to the nearest gram and sodium to the nearest milligram.
- "Needs a fridge?" means after you buy it. Canned and pouched tuna, salmon and chicken don't need a fridge until they're opened.
The full list: 18 high-protein snacks, ranked
| Rank | Snack | Serving | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 calories | Sodium | Needs a fridge? | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Light tuna in water, drained | 3 oz (85 g) | 73 | 17 g | 22.6 g | 210 mg | No | None |
| 2 | Whey protein powder, mixed with water | 1 scoop (30 g) | 106 | 23 g | 22.2 g | 47 mg | No | Shake |
| 3 | Egg whites, cooked in the microwave | 4 large | 69 | 14 g | 21.0 g | 219 mg | Yes | Under 5 min |
| 4 | Chicken breast, roasted, leftover | 3 oz (85 g) | 140 | 26 g | 18.8 g | 63 mg | Yes | Cook ahead |
| 5 | Pink salmon, canned, drained | 3 oz (85 g) | 116 | 21 g | 18.1 g | 321 mg | No | None |
| 6 | Nonfat Greek yogurt, plain | 1 container (170 g / 6 oz) | 100 | 17 g | 17.3 g | 61 mg | Yes | None |
| 7 | Cottage cheese, 1% | 1/2 cup (113 g) | 81 | 14 g | 17.2 g | 459 mg | Yes | None |
| 8 | Protein shake with skim milk | 1 scoop whey + 1 cup skim milk | 189 | 32 g | 16.8 g | 150 mg | Yes | Shake |
| 9 | Chocolate Greek yogurt | 6 oz yogurt + 1 tbsp cocoa powder | 113 | 18 g | 16.3 g | 62 mg | Yes | Under 5 min |
| 10 | Smoked salmon (lox) | 2 oz (57 g) | 66 | 10 g | 15.6 g | 381 mg | Yes | None |
| 11 | Chicken, canned, drained | 3 oz (85 g) | 157 | 22 g | 13.7 g | 410 mg | No | None |
| 12 | Cottage cheese + strawberries | 1/2 cup + 1/2 cup sliced | 108 | 15 g | 13.5 g | 460 mg | Yes | Under 5 min |
| 13 | Greek yogurt + blueberries | 6 oz yogurt + 1/2 cup berries | 142 | 18 g | 12.5 g | 62 mg | Yes | Under 5 min |
| 14 | Turkey and cheese roll-ups | 2 oz deli turkey + 1 string cheese | 132 | 15 g | 11.6 g | 685 mg | Yes | Under 5 min |
| 15 | Tuna on whole-wheat crackers | 3 oz tuna + 6 crackers (28 g) | 193 | 19 g | 10.1 g | 434 mg | No | Under 5 min |
| 16 | Edamame, shelled | 1 cup (155 g) | 188 | 18 g | 9.8 g | 9 mg | Freezer | Microwave |
| 17 | Dry-roasted soybeans (soy nuts), unsalted | 1/4 cup (23 g) | 104 | 10 g | 9.6 g | 0 mg | No | None |
| 18 | Hard-boiled eggs | 2 large (100 g) | 155 | 13 g | 8.1 g | 124 mg | Yes | Cook ahead |
Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy database. Each food's USDA ID is listed in the sources at the end.
Snacks that don't need a fridge
These are the ones for your desk, car, gym bag or a flight.
- Canned or pouched light tuna. 73 calories and 17 grams of protein for 3 oz. It's the leanest snack on this list.
- Canned pink salmon (116 calories, 21 g) and canned chicken (157 calories, 22 g) work the same way.
- Protein powder. One 30-gram scoop of whey mixed with water is 106 calories and 23 grams of protein. Carry the powder in a shaker and add water when you're ready.
- Roasted soy nuts. A quarter cup is 104 calories and 10 grams of protein. Of the crunchy, nut-style snacks in this article, it's the only one that passes the 10-gram test.
- Tuna on whole-wheat crackers. 3 oz of tuna on 6 crackers is 193 calories and 19 grams.
Snacks from the fridge, no prep
- Plain nonfat Greek yogurt. One 6-oz container is 100 calories and 17 grams of protein.
- 1% cottage cheese. Half a cup is 81 calories and 14 grams. It's also high in sodium, at 459 mg.
- Leftover chicken breast. 3 oz is 140 calories and 26 grams, the most protein of any single food here. Cook extra at dinner.
- Smoked salmon (lox). 2 oz is 66 calories and 10 grams. It's salty, at 381 mg of sodium.
- Hard-boiled eggs. Two large eggs are 155 calories and 13 grams. They pass the 10-gram test, but they rank last on protein per calorie because the yolks carry most of the calories.
Five-minute snacks
| Snack | What's in it | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek yogurt and blueberries | 6 oz nonfat Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup blueberries | 142 | 18 g |
| Cottage cheese and strawberries | 1/2 cup 1% cottage cheese + 1/2 cup sliced strawberries | 108 | 15 g |
| Turkey and cheese roll-ups | 2 oz deli turkey rolled around 1 part-skim string cheese | 132 | 15 g |
| Microwave egg whites | 4 large egg whites, cooked in a mug with no oil | 69 | 14 g |
| Edamame | 1 cup shelled, from frozen, microwaved | 188 | 18 g |
The egg-white numbers are USDA's values for raw egg whites. Cooking them without oil or butter doesn't add calories.
When you want something sweet
- Chocolate Greek yogurt. Stir 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder into 6 oz of plain nonfat Greek yogurt. That's 113 calories and 18 grams of protein. Add a zero-calorie sweetener if you want it sweeter.
- Protein shake with skim milk. One scoop of whey blended with 1 cup of skim milk is 189 calories and 32 grams of protein.
- Cottage cheese or Greek yogurt with fruit. See the five-minute snacks above.
Popular "protein snacks" that fail the 10-gram test
These show up on almost every high-protein snack list. Here's what a normal serving actually gives you:
| Snack | Serving | Calories | Protein | Protein per 100 calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds, dry-roasted | 1 oz (about 22) | 170 | 6 g | 3.5 g |
| Peanuts, dry-roasted | 1 oz | 166 | 7 g | 4.1 g |
| Peanut butter | 2 tbsp | 191 | 7 g | 3.7 g |
| Apple with peanut butter | 1 medium apple + 2 tbsp | 286 | 8 g | 2.7 g |
| Pumpkin seed kernels, roasted | 1 oz | 163 | 8 g | 5.2 g |
| Trail mix | 1/4 cup | 173 | 5 g | 3.0 g |
| Hummus | 1/4 cup | 146 | 5 g | 3.3 g |
| Chia seeds | 1 oz (about 2 tbsp) | 138 | 5 g | 3.4 g |
| Granola | 1/2 cup | 298 | 8 g | 2.8 g |
| Popcorn, air-popped | 3 cups | 93 | 3 g | 3.3 g |
Compare that with the top of the main list. Tuna gives you about 23 grams of protein per 100 calories, and Greek yogurt about 17. Almonds give you about 3.5.
That doesn't make these bad foods. It just means they aren't protein snacks. If you eat them, count them as a fat or a carb, and get your protein somewhere else.
Near misses, and how to fix them
| Snack | Serving | Calories | Protein | The fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef jerky | 1 oz | 116 | 9 g | Add a string cheese: 188 calories, 16 g |
| String cheese, part-skim | 1 stick | 72 | 7 g | Roll it in 2 oz of deli turkey: 132 calories, 15 g |
| Skim milk | 1 cup | 83 | 8 g | Blend in a scoop of whey: 189 calories, 32 g |
Jerky is also salty. One ounce has about 506 mg of sodium, and the jerky-and-cheese combo has about 682 mg. Federal guidelines say adults should keep sodium under 2,300 mg a day (FDA).
How to judge a protein bar or packaged snack
You can check any package in about 10 seconds:
- Find the protein. If one serving has less than 10 grams, it isn't a high-protein snack, whatever the front says.
- Do the protein-per-calorie math. Divide protein by calories and multiply by 100. A 200-calorie bar with 20 grams of protein gives 10 grams per 100 calories. A 200-calorie bar with 10 grams gives only 5, which is worse than every snack in the main list.
- Check the serving size. Some packages hold two servings. If you eat the whole thing, double everything.
- Look for the % Daily Value next to protein. When a package makes a protein claim, the FDA requires it to show the protein % Daily Value, adjusted for protein quality (FDA). 20% or more means a serving gives at least 10 grams of quality-adjusted protein.
Do high-protein snacks help with weight loss?
Only if they fit your calories. A snack doesn't burn fat. It's still calories, and if your total for the day is too high, you won't lose weight. If you don't know your number yet, start with Know Your Number.
What protein does do is help you hold on to muscle while you lose fat. A review of 24 controlled trials found that higher-protein diets, at the same calories, led to slightly more fat loss and preserved about 0.43 kg (about 1 pound) more lean mass than standard-protein diets (Wycherley et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012).
The smart way to use snacks is to fill the gap between the protein you get at meals and your daily target. To set your target, see How Much Protein Do I Need?. For more on keeping muscle, see the Muscle and Body Composition Guide.
Common mistakes
- Trusting the front of the package. "Protein" on the front doesn't mean 10 grams inside. Read the Nutrition Facts label.
- Eating "healthy" snacks without counting them. An ounce of almonds and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter add about 360 calories. Log them. If tracking feels like a chore, read How to Count Calories Without Going Crazy.
- Snacking without a gap to fill. If your meals already hit your protein target, a protein snack is just extra calories.
- Ignoring sodium. Cottage cheese, deli turkey, jerky and smoked salmon are all high in sodium. They're fine, but don't build every snack around them.
- Forgetting what you add. Granola on your yogurt or oil on your edamame changes the numbers fast.
If you're snacking well and still not losing, read Why You're Not Losing Weight.
Frequently asked questions
What is a high-protein snack?
In this article, a snack with at least 10 grams of protein per serving. That's 20% of the FDA's 50-gram Daily Value for protein. It's a practical cutoff, not the FDA's full legal test for a "high in protein" label, which also depends on standard serving sizes and protein quality.
What snacks are highest in protein?
Per serving, the top snacks in this list are a whey shake with skim milk (32 g), leftover chicken breast (26 g), whey with water (23 g), canned chicken (22 g) and canned salmon (21 g).
What is the best high-protein, low-calorie snack?
Canned light tuna. 3 oz has 73 calories and 17 grams of protein. Egg whites, plain nonfat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese are close behind.
Is peanut butter a high-protein snack?
No. Two tablespoons have 191 calories and 7 grams of protein. That's about 3.7 grams of protein per 100 calories, and most of its calories come from fat.
Is granola a good high-protein snack?
No. Half a cup of granola has 298 calories and 8 grams of protein, one of the lowest protein-per-calorie numbers of any snack here.
What are good high-protein snacks on the go?
Canned or pouched tuna, salmon or chicken, roasted soy nuts, and protein powder in a shaker. None of them need a fridge until they're opened or mixed.
The bottom line
A real high-protein snack has at least 10 grams of protein. Tuna, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, chicken, egg whites and a protein shake all clear it for under 200 calories. Nuts, nut butter, trail mix, hummus and granola don't. Pick the ones you like, count them in your calories, and use them to close your protein gap for the day.
Want a plan built around foods you actually like? Book a free consult.
About the author: Brian is The Diet Rebel, an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Coach and Certified Weight Management Specialist, with a Precision Nutrition Certificate in Nutrition and Coaching.
This article is for education, not medical advice. If you have kidney disease or another medical condition, ask your doctor before changing how much protein you eat.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, SR Legacy (April 2018 release). https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/ — USDA food ID (FDC ID) for each food:
- Light tuna, canned in water, drained: 173709
- Whey protein powder: 173180
- Egg whites, raw: 172183
- Chicken breast, skinless, roasted: 171477
- Pink salmon, canned, drained, without skin and bones: 173724
- Greek yogurt, plain, nonfat: 170894
- Cottage cheese, 1% milkfat: 173417
- Skim milk: 171269
- Cocoa powder, unsweetened: 169593
- Smoked salmon (lox): 173687
- Chicken, canned, no broth: 171110
- Strawberries, raw: 167762
- Blueberries, raw: 171711
- Deli turkey breast, sliced: 172941
- Part-skim mozzarella (string cheese): 170847
- Whole-wheat crackers: 172749
- Edamame, prepared: 168411
- Soybeans, dry-roasted: 172441
- Whole eggs, hard-boiled: 173424
- Beef jerky: 167536
- Almonds, dry-roasted: 170158
- Peanuts, dry-roasted: 173806
- Peanut butter, smooth: 172470
- Apple, raw, with skin: 171688
- Pumpkin seed kernels, roasted: 170557
- Trail mix, regular: 167561
- Hummus, commercial: 174289
- Chia seeds: 170554
- Granola, homemade: 171646
- Popcorn, air-popped: 167959
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 21 CFR 101.54, Nutrient content claims for "good source," "high," "more," and "high potency." https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-D/section-101.54
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 21 CFR 101.9, Nutrition labeling of food (protein Daily Value of 50 grams; protein quality correction). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-A/section-101.9
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sodium in Your Diet. https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-education-resources-materials/sodium-your-diet
- Wycherley TP, et al. Effects of energy-restricted high-protein, low-fat compared with standard-protein, low-fat diets: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23097268/