Get more protein into your daily diet with these high-protein snack foods.

• How Much is Enough Protein|
• Benefits|
• Best Snack Ideas & Recipes|
• Store-Bought Healthy High-Protein Snacks|
• Protein is Underappreciated|

Chances are high that you’re eating less protein than you need daily. Protein is a vital and underemphasized component of a healthy diet. Yes, we all know we need to eat protein, but it’s less known that we need to eat more as we age to maintain muscle mass. This applies to both growing children and aging adults [1, 2, 3]. Failing to maintain skeletal muscle as we age can lead to bone loss, a reduction in metabolic health, and even the degradation of immune function [4, 5, 6].  

It’s also true that active adults need more protein than sedentary ones, so if you have a weight loss or fitness goal you’re aiming toward, it’s time to take a serious look at your daily protein intake [2, 7].

It can feel daunting to revamp your entire diet all at once. So, instead of trying to bite off too much, let’s keep it simple and start with how to add more protein to the meal you likely have the least—snacks. Bags of chips, pretzels, crackers, cookies, and most other processed snack foods are low in protein, but they tend to be the easy things we grab when we need a quick boost in the afternoons.

How Much Is Enough Protein?

Getting enough protein every day is vital for so many aspects of health. Whether you’re trying to build muscle mass, lose fat, or simply keep feeling your best as you age, protein is probably the most underrated ingredient in your cocktail of health strategies.

So what’s enough?

It turns out that the Food and Nutrition Board’s Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of body weight is woefully low for optimal health and wellness [6]. We’re not looking for the bare minimum—we’re looking to thrive and feel great in our bodies, right?

Unfortunately, “what’s enough” can be a moving target. Protein needs change as we age, if we get injured, or if we develop a metabolic condition like insulin resistance. That being said, you shouldn’t overshoot either. Going over 2.2 grams per kilogram (kg) is generally safe for athletes, but if you don’t fall into that category, you should check with your doctor or nutritionist to assess your needs. Staying under 2 grams per kg of body weight is likely a good measuring stick until you can get a professional opinion. Consuming more than that long term may lead to digestive distress, kidney problems, and blood vessel abnormalities [8].

The International Protein Board (IPB) and other researchers agree that most people should be shooting for closer to 1.1–2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight [6, 8]. For most adults, that averages out to 30–50 grams of protein per meal with one high-protein snack daily. If you’re trying to build muscle or are over the age of 50, aim for the higher end of that range.

Here’s a chart from the IPB to further explain specific recommendations within the range of 1.1 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram and how it can impact your health [6]:

What Does Extra Dietary Protein Give You?

Protein plays a vital role in body structure and function, regulates cellular and bodily processes, and can provide energy if carbohydrate or fat levels are low [9].

After we eat protein, the body breaks it down into amino acids and forms them into new proteins that do everything from helping to fight infections to helping cells divide [10]. Here are some of the health benefits of maintaining adequate protein intake in your daily diet:

• Weight loss and fat loss [11, 12, 13, 14]
• Better metabolic health, including blood sugar maintenance [11, 13, 15, 16]
• Muscle gain [4, 5]
  • Key for metabolic health, immune health, and detoxification
  • Key for weight loss, fat loss, hunger management, and healthy metabolism
• Healthy aging [17, 18, 19]
  • As we age, our bodies become less efficient at digesting and using protein, and our appetites tend to decline [20, 21]. Both factors can contribute to malnutrition and sarcopenia (muscle wasting), so it’s important to eat more protein than most diets typically provide [21, 22].
• Gut health [23, 24]
  • Increased gut biodiversity
  • Improved gut barrier
• Strong bones [6]
  • So important, especially for women, to prevent injury and ensure continued mobility, balance, and quality of life as you age

I had an incredibly informative conversation with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon about the importance of dietary protein and the many roles skeletal muscle plays in the body. She described protein as the most undervalued nutrient in our diet.

A crucial point she made was that we, as members of Western culture, do not necessarily have bodies that are “overfat” but “under-muscled.” In other words, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic health conditions related to metabolic dysfunction as we age very well could be solved by increased muscle mass. We’re focusing on the wrong body metric when our only focus is fat loss. 

Dr. Lyon also described skeletal muscle as “underappreciated as an endocrine organ.” She specifically spoke about insulin resistance beginning at the skeletal muscle level years before a person will become diagnosably insulin resistant at the doctor’s office. Her solution—and I agree 100%—is higher dietary protein combined with resistance training. And this can start at any age.

Best High-Protein Snack Ideas and Recipes

What we sometimes forget about snacks is that they’re really just a smaller meal. Eating a smaller portion of leftovers from last night’s high-protein dinner is a completely legitimate snack option. Snack foods, as marketed in the center aisles of the grocery store, are almost all empty carbohydrates dressed in different packaging.

That being said, if eating leftovers were all I suggested here, this would be a boring blog post and not very helpful to you. If you’re looking for portable snacks, things that don’t need refrigeration, or even just something different to mix up your diet for the day, this list will have options that fit those needs. Just remember that leftovers also count if you’ve made something delicious and can’t wait to it eat again.

To start as simply as possible, here’s a chart of some easy-to-prepare protein-rich foods that can serve as ingredients to some recipes I’ll share below.

From USDA’s FoodData Central, all macronutrients rounded to the nearest tenth [25]

This list is intended to help you think of things that are easy to make or grab and go without a recipe. I will often eat two hard-boiled eggs and a tablespoon of nut butter as I’m heading out the door to the gym, for example. This is a totally viable high-protein snack that doesn’t require a recipe. The same goes for something like store-bought hummus and carrots, although you could make your own hummus from scratch if you wanted to. A delicious egg salad, however, is in the list of recipes below, and I’ve added my favorite hummus recipe, too, for good measure.

Start Small: Simple Protein Swaps 

You may find that you can start small by swapping out some of your staple foods with higher protein alternatives. Here are a few easy targets that contain significantly more protein per 8-ounce serving. 

• Rice (4 g/cup) → Quinoa (8 g/cup) 
• Sour cream (5 g/cup) → Greek yogurt (23 g/cup)
• Wheat pasta (7 g/cup) → Chickpea pasta (14 g/cup)
• Regular milk (8 g/cup) → Fairlife Milk  (13 g/cup)
• Oat milk (3g/cup)  → Soymilk (8g/cup)

Add Protein Powder to What You Already Eat

• Mix it into oatmeal or chia pudding 
• Add to your morning coffee 
• Mix it into yogurt, peanut butter, & chocolate chips (tastes like cookie dough!)
• Make protein powder banana bread 
• Mix into your favorite chip or veggie dip (unflavored is best)

High-Protein Snack “Salads” to Make in Bulk

Chicken salad, egg salad, tuna salad, salmon salad, and even bean salad are all fantastic, high-protein foods you can make at the beginning of the week to simplify snack prep and ensure you’re getting enough protein.

One of my go-to meal-planning hacks is to buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store as a starting point for multiple high-protein meals. I will often eat the legs, thighs, and wings at dinner time and then chop up the breasts to make chicken salad for the rest of the week. I can eat chicken salad as lunch or as a snack for a few days, making meal prep simple and easy.

The ingredients I’ll share first can be applied to chicken salad, egg salad, and canned salmon or tuna salad. You should limit your tuna intake to two to three servings per week due to its high mercury content, so if you’re making this in bulk, as I’m suggesting, it might be better to stick with salmon. Salmon is also higher in omega-3 fatty acids than tuna.

Chicken/Egg/Canned Salmon Salad

If you divide this recipe into four servings, your protein per serving will be roughly:

Chicken Salad – 23 grams

Egg Salad – 14 grams 

Salmon – 21 grams

Tuna – 23 grams

Ingredients:

• Choose ONE: 2 cooked chicken breasts (86 grams protein), 8 whole hard-boiled eggs (48 grams protein), OR 2 cans – fish like salmon (80 grams of protein) or tuna (86 grams of protein)
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 3-5 green onions, chopped (choose quantity based on your own taste preference)

• 3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons avocado mayonnaise
• 3-4 tablespoons Dijon or stone ground mustard (also to taste)
• (optional) 1 cup fresh chopped parsley
• (optional) 1 green apple, diced (skip if you’re aiming for a more low-carb diet)
• (Optional) 1/4 cup dried fruit like cranberries (skip if you’re aiming for a more low-carb diet)
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Shred the chicken using two forks or cube it into a large mixing bowl.
2. Add all ingredients, and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
3. Portion out as you please, and enjoy on its own, in a tortilla roll-up, or on gluten-free seed crackers for an additional protein boost.
4. Refrigerate the uneaten portions.

Three Bean Salad

Legumes like beans and lentils are an incredibly good source of protein. They’re also a high-FODMAP food, so if you’re sensitive to those, you might want to limit your intake. I’ll mention here that it’s not necessary for every meal you eat to contain a complete protein (beans and rice vs just beans, for example). As long as you reach your total protein goal throughout the day, it’s ok to split up the various plant-based protein constituents and enjoy this yummy bean salad as a snack on its own.

Beans and legumes are rich in antioxidants, low-fat, and heart-healthy, so they make one of the best high-protein snacks, especially if you need fuel in the form of carbs for endurance sports. This recipe also includes additional veggies. Once you’ve made this recipe, you might find that you want to play with quantities (more fennel, less bell pepper, etc) or add other veggies into the mix to spice it up.

If you divide this recipe into 6 servings, your protein per serving will be roughly 16 grams. 

Ingredients:

• 3 cans of beans (I like to use red kidney, black beans, and cannellini beans) (about 84 grams of protein, depending on the beans you choose)
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 1 bell pepper (I prefer red or orange), diced
• 1 bulb fennel (diced)
• 3-5 green onions, chopped (choose quantity based on your own taste preference)
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (healthy fat) (or more, to taste)
• 1 tablespoon vinegar, or more, to taste. (Generally, 3-to-1 oil to vinegar is a good ratio. I use raw apple cider, but white wine and red wine vinegar are also delicious.)
• (optional) 1/2 tablespoon raw red onion (some find raw onion difficult to tolerate)
• (optional) 1 cup fresh corn (skip if you’re aiming for a more low-carb diet)
• (optional) 1 cup fresh chopped parsley
• (optional, will add a protein boost) 1 cup whole milk feta cheese (adds 3.5 grams of protein per serving)
• sea salt and pepper or other desired seasonings to taste

Directions:

1. Thoroughly rinse and drain the beans before adding to a large mixing bowl.
2. Add all other solid ingredients.
3. Drizzle oil and vinegar, and mix until well incorporated
4. Portion out as you please, and enjoy!
5. Refrigerate the uneaten portions.

Homemade Hummus

Hummus is a perfect high-protein food because combining chickpeas and tahini (made from sesame seeds) creates a complete protein. There are endless ways to zest up your standard hummus, which has six basic ingredients: chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. You can double or triple this recipe if you have mouths to feed other than your own.

You may also want to add additional spices like sumac, cayenne for spice, chopped parsley, or roasted red bell pepper for variety.

If you divide this recipe into four servings, your protein per serving will be roughly 8 grams

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed (about 21 grams of protein per can)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Juice from one lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Optional flavors: 1 roasted bell pepper, coarsely chopped OR 1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, coarsely chopped
• Optional herbs and spices: sumac, cayenne, or chopped parsley

Directions:

• Blend in a food processor or high-speed blender until you’ve reached a smooth consistency.
• Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Roasted Chickpeas

Another chickpea favorite, this crunchy snack is as tasty as any you’ll find in a bag on the chip aisle, but it’s packed with protein. Roasted chickpeas are also delicious as a salad topper, and when you toss in some pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, you now have a complete protein.

If you divide this recipe into 8 servings, your protein per serving will be roughly 5.25 grams.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of rinsed chickpeas (about 42 grams of protein)
• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• sea to taste
• Optional seasonings: chili lime salt, cumin + cayenne + paprika, or lemon pepper

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 425°
• Lay the rinsed chickpeas out on a kitchen towel or paper towel and pat them dry. The dryer they are, the better they’ll crisp.
• Transfer the rinsed and dried chickpeas to a large mixing bowl and drizzle the avocado oil into the bowl and toss to fully coat.
• Transfer to a parchment-lined cookie sheet and roast at 425°F for about 20 minutes or until crispy (ovens differ).
• While the chickpeas are roasting, rinse and dry your mixing bowl to reuse.
• While your chickpeas are crispy and hot, toss them back into the mixing bowl, add your favorite spice mix from the list above (or come up with your own), and toss to coat.
• Enjoy right away, or store in a sealed container after they’ve completely cooled.

Store-Bought Healthy High Protein Snacks

If you’re looking at these recipes and thinking you don’t have time to do any of that and would rather enjoy shelf-stable high-protein snacks, here are a few options to consider that range in protein content from 4 grams to 20 grams per serving.

• Beef jerky and meat sticks (just be sure to look out for added sugar). Chomps is a great brand without added sugar.
• Whisps or other cheese crisps with no added sugar. Bonus points if you find one with seeds included for added protein (you can also make these yourself)
• Protein bars with less than 10 grams of sugar and at least 10 grams of protein like:
  • Evolution Bar
  • Barebells*
  • Quest bars*
  • RxBar
  • Aloha bars
  • Zing plant-based protein bars
• High protein granola like Bear Naked or Purely Elizabeth if you want grain-free or whole-grain gluten-free 
• Trail mix that includes nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
• Quest protein chips*
• Crunchy chickpeas (the store-bought version of the recipe above)
• Fat Snax almond crackers (keto and gluten-free)
• Brami Lupini beans 
• Sardines and crackers
• High-quality protein powders and protein shakes with less than 10 grams of sugar per serving like:
  • Marine Collagen
  • Whey Protein
  • Pea Protein

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but combined with the chart above and the recipes I’ve provided, it’s a great starting point for getting closer to the recommended amount of protein that you need as soon as tomorrow.

*While tasty and great for an on-the-go protein source, some versions of these snacks are highly processed and best enjoyed in moderation. 

Protein is Underappreciated

Now that you know you’re likely not getting quite enough daily protein, it’s time to pack your snacks with more. Most adults should aim for between 30 and 50 grams of protein per meal with one high-protein snack. 

Increasing protein intake aids in weight loss and fat loss, better blood sugar maintenance, improves satiety, strengthens bone health, improves gut health, promotes healthy aging, and strengthens bone health.

As we age, our protein needs increase, despite sometimes decreasing appetites. So it’s important to be intentional about protein intake.

If you’re looking for guidance in your health journey, we would love to help. Reach out to our clinic or pick up a copy of my book Healthy Gut, Healthy You for additional support.

The Ruscio Institute has developed a range of high-quality formulations to help our patients and audience. If you’re interested in learning more about these products, please click here. Note that there are many other options available, and we encourage you to research which products may be right for you.

Dr. Michael Ruscio is a DC, Naturopathic Practitioner, researcher, and clinician. He serves as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Bridgeport and has published numerous papers in scientific journals as well as the book Healthy Gut, Healthy You. He also founded the Ruscio Institute of Functional Health, where he helps patients with a wide range of GI conditions and serves as the Head of Research.