11 High Protein Snacks To Curb Savory Cravings
- Cary Cuevas, RDN, LD, CPT
- Jul 9
- 9 min read
Snacks can be a healthy part of your everyday diet, but they are also where most people tend to overconsume calories and fat. Opting for snacks that have more protein and complex carbohydrates can help satisfy those crunchy and savory cravings.
Here is a list of snacks that have at least 15% of their calories coming from protein. Most have a moderate amount of sodium, but no more sodium per serving than a lower protein equivalent. This list includes traditional high-protein snacks, as well as methods to increase protein in lower-protein options, along with high-protein alternatives to conventional snacks that have emerged on the market over the past decade.
Dry-roasted edamame
Dry-roasted edamame offers a crunchy kick that’s a great lower-fat option to higher-fat nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are healthy sources of fat and support weight maintenance, blood sugar control, and are essential to include in a well-balanced diet. If you’re a regular nut and seed lover, replacing a serving or two of nuts and seeds a week with dry-roasted edamame can help increase overall protein and fiber intake without giving up a savory, crunchy snack. They also make a great salad topper.
The Only Bean comes in 4 different flavors, including Sea Salt and Ranch. Some grocery stores carry them, and they’re also available on Amazon. You can purchase directly from The Only Bean on their website. The Only Bean also has several high-protein, high-fiber pastas available on their website.
Seapoint Farms offers Sea Salt and Wasabi flavors at most grocery stores, as well as on Amazon. More snacks, pastas, and lentil options can be found on their website; however, their 'buy now' options direct you to Amazon for purchase.
Biena Snacks comes in classic sea salt and ranch flavors, and also offers a Chili Lime flavor. I haven’t seen these in stores, but they’re available on Amazon and through their website. If you enjoy roasted chickpea snacks, they offer six flavor options available online. Roasted chickpeas aren't as high in protein or fiber as roasted edamame
2. High fiber crackers and cheese
Crackers and cheese are a classic snack that can be satisfying and add fiber and protein to your daily diet. While most crackers on the market have little to no protein or fiber, there are great, low-cost crackers that pair well with a variety of cheeses that can be a healthy addition to your day.
Triscuit, Wheat Thins, and Artisan Nut Thins are great options available at most stores, and don’t cost more than less healthy crackers. Some stores offer generic brand versions of Triscuit and Wheat Thins that are more cost-effective and have a similar taste. If you need gluten-free options, Simple Mills and Mary’s Gone Crackers offer several gluten-free, high-fiber cracker options.
A good rule of thumb for selecting a high-fiber cracker is to look for one that contains around 2 grams of fiber per 100 calories. If there are 3-4 grams of protein per serving as well, that’s a bonus.
While cheese is higher in saturated fat, reduced-fat versions or naturally lower-fat options are available to reduce total fat and calories. Reduced-fat cheese or a hard, flavorful cheese like Aged Gouda, Grana Padano, or Pecorino Romano can help save on fat and calories without sacrificing flavor. Semi-hard cheeses, such as Swiss or Pepper Jack, have bold flavors with fewer calories and less fat than other semi-hard cheeses, like cheddar or Colby.
Babybel cheese or String Cheese are other excellent options, offering a milder flavor, lower calories, and aiding in portion control. If you’re looking for a cream cheese substitute, The Laughing Cow has a variety of creamy cheese options that average around 25 calories per serving with 2 grams of protein.
3. Non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt dip for vegetables & whole grain crackers
Mixing a dressing seasoning packet, such as Ranch or French onion dip, in 1/2-1 cup of non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute for using sour cream. Low-fat and non-fat Greek yogurt has between 15-18 grams of protein per serving compared to 1 gram of protein in sour cream. The fat content of low-fat Greek yogurt is similar to that of low-fat sour cream.
Another calorie hack that my clients and I have been enjoying is mixing 2-3 servings of our favorite cream-based salad dressing into 1/3 to 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt to make a dip. Thinning the mixture with 1-2 ounces of milk or a plant-based milk helps make it pourable for use as a dressing. Minimal flavor is lost, and while the protein content isn't significant, total calories are reduced by close to 50 percent.
Good plain, non-fat, and low-fat Greek yogurt options should be between 80-100 calories for a 3/4 cup serving and contain between 15-18 grams of protein.
If low-fat and non-fat Greek yogurt is too much of a compromise for your flavor preference, using whole milk or 5% fat Greek yogurt may be a better option, as it still has less fat and more protein per serving. A 3/4 cup serving of whole milk or 5% plain Greek yogurt contains approximately 175 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 16 grams of protein, while regular sour cream has a similar calorie count, with 16.5 grams of fat and only 3 grams of protein. When calories are the same, any food with less fat and more protein is a healthier option.
4. Protein Pretzels: There are now high-protein pretzel options
Lenny & Larry’s Fitzels use wheat flour and Pea protein to get 7 grams of protein per 130-calorie serving. While some protein snacks may not be ideal for kids and adolescents, Fitzels have the same ingredients as a regular pretzel, with the addition of pea protein, making them a great family-friendly snack. Compared to other higher-protein snacks, they’re reasonably priced, too.
Kindling Protein Pretzels use whole wheat flour, wheat protein isolate, and chickpea protein, offering 9 grams of protein and 2-3 grams of fiber in each 130-calorie serving. Aside from yeast and seasonings, the only other ingredient is expeller-pressed sunflower oil, making it a fantastic family-friendly snack.
Crisp Power Protein Pretzels are the highest protein-per-serving pretzel, with 28 grams of protein, and they contain 10 grams of fiber per 190-calorie serving. The high protein and fiber content comes from using hydrolyzed wheat protein, soy protein isolate, and carob seed protein, as well as dextrin fiber (corn). While total fat per serving is relatively low for a snack, the source is from hydrogenated coconut oil. The process of hydrogenating an oil can increase the amount of Trans Fats. Trans fats have been linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health issues and should be limited to less than 2 grams per day. Coconut oil is also a saturated fat, which should also be limited to 10% of total daily calories. Pretzels' taste doesn't benefit from the use of saturated fat compared to unsaturated fats found in oils like sunflower oil. The use of several isolated protein flours and hydrogenated coconut oil makes these a less family-friendly option. For adults seeking a protein-rich pretzel or crunchy snack, they're still a better option than most chips.
5. Veggie snack sticks, puffs and chips
There are now more "vegetable" based snack options available on the market. Though some choices, such as Sensible Portions Garden Veggie Straws, chips, and puffs, have little to no fiber or protein, so they’re not any better than your average chip.
There are better options to consider that offer a decent amount of protein and fiber, such as Harvest Snaps and Hippeas. Not only do these snack options have protein and fiber, but most options are gluten-free and more allergen-friendly.
Harvest Snaps offers several different snack options, including Snack Crisp, made from pea protein, Crunchy Loops, made with lentils, and Crunch Puffs, made with navy beans. They range from 130-150 calories per serving with 4-5 grams of protein and 3-5 grams of fiber. They come in a variety of flavors to satisfy those cravings for cheesy or spicy chips.
Hippeas are like Cheeto puffs, but they're made with chickpeas. They come in several flavors, and are available in both individual-size bags and larger multi-serving bags. Calories range from 130 to 150 per serving, with 3-6 grams of protein and 2-3 grams of fiber. If you’re a hot Cheeto fan, Hippeas has a Blazin’ Hot flavor that may hit the spot.
A few other options to check out that are plant-based:
Kibo Chips – available in Chickpea, Lentil, Veggie Chips
6. Freeze-dried cheese snacks
Freeze-dried cheese snacks are great on their own as a cracker or chip substitute or added to salads as a crouton substitute. While freeze-dried cheese snacks are higher in fat, they have enough protein to make them a good option for crackers like Cheez-its and Goldfish. Here are a few excellent brand options available in-store and online.
7. Protein Chips
More and more chip options, higher in protein and fiber, are available as substitutes for high-calorie chips that often lack protein. Finding alternatives to higher-fat chip options can be helpful when seeking ways to increase protein or reduce total daily calories without giving up a favorite snack food. Here are a few chip options that use whey, eggs, and/or meat to make crunchy, savory snacks.
Legendary Foods came on the market with high-protein sweet pastries and rolls. They’ve expanded into the chips territory using a dairy-based protein as the first ingredient, but also contain rice protein and lupin protein. With 20 grams of protein per 150-calorie serving, they’re a very high-protein snack, though they have little fiber per serving.
Quest has been making protein chips for over a decade. They mostly use dairy-based protein to get 18-20 grams of protein per 140-150 calorie serving. Quest also makes a Cheez-Its like cracker with 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in 130-calorie servings.
Some brands like WILDE use chicken breast and egg whites to create a chip alternative. WILDE offers several flavor options, including Chicken & Waffles, Barbeque, and Buffalo.
Lesser Evil is known for its high-fiber popcorn, but they also make a cassava flour and egg white-based snack called Power Curls, which are available through Amazon and come in four flavor options.
8. Beef jerky and pepperoni sticks
Most beef jerky is a lean protein option with more protein than fat per serving. There are leaner pepperoni stick options now available. Chomps and Country Archer Provisions are two brands that offer beef and poultry-based pepperoni sticks high in protein, containing at least 8 grams of protein and less than 3 grams of fat per 1-ounce serving, with fewer than 100 calories.
9. Tuna, Salmon, or chicken salad
Tuna, Salmon, and chicken breast are excellent options for lower-calorie, high-protein choices. Using a pre-seasoned, flavored tuna can help save calories by eliminating the need to add mayonnaise to make a tuna salad. If adding mayonnaise is a must for an enjoyable snack, a tablespoon of reduced-fat mayonnaise only adds around 50 calories.
A good mayonnaise substitute to save calories is blending cottage cheese to a smooth texture and using it in place of mayo. The same can be done to make a chicken salad from leftover chicken or using canned chicken.
Smoked or canned salmon is another fantastic high-protein snack that pairs well with whole-grain crackers and vegetables. Though higher in calories, it is rich in healthy Omega-3 fats, which are often lacking in most Americans' diets.
Eating any of these protein options with high-fiber crackers or tortillas, or as a dip for vegetables, is a healthy and satisfying snack.
10. Cottage Cheese & Vegetables or fruit
Cottage cheese and fruit are a classic breakfast or snack option. Many of my clients have been enjoying fresh vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and celery, paired with seasoned cottage cheese. Black pepper is a favorite addition, but everything bagel seasoning is an excellent alternative for flavor. Another easy way to add some flavor is to use a ranch or French onion seasoning. Be cautious with some seasonings as they can be high in sodium. While cottage cheese is a low-calorie, high-protein snack, it is also higher in sodium. If you need to keep your total sodium lower in your diet, using Greek yogurt is a better option if you add a seasoning that is higher in sodium.
11. Protein-rich salads using beans and ancient grains
Salads, whether as a snack or light meal, can help add protein to your daily diet while providing the great benefits of vegetables.
Here are a few recipes that are higher in protein:
I love the EatingWell website for recipes and ideas. Here is a list of 14 high-protein salads that can be a main meal, a side dish, or, in a smaller portion, a lighter meal or snack.
If you're struggling to find balance in your diet and lifestyle to feel healthier or manage a health condition, schedule a complementary introductory call following the link below to learn more about how Registered Dietitian Cary Cuevas can support you through realistic changes to help you achieve the healthiest version of you!
Disclosure: HealthyU Nutrition and Registered Dietitian Cary Cuevas are not affiliated with the brands shared in this article and do not receive compensation for including them.
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