Easy high protein snacks include plain Greek yogurt (about 17 grams of protein in a 6-ounce container), canned tuna, cottage cheese, roasted soybeans, edamame, beef jerky, eggs, cheese and pumpkin seeds. Below are 20 ideas with approximate protein per serving from USDA data, plus simple pairings and tips for reading labels.
This is general information, not medical advice. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation.
These amounts are rounded estimates calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy data). Brands and recipes vary, so check the Nutrition Facts label on whatever you buy.
Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 6-ounce container: about 17 grams
Low-fat (2%) cottage cheese, 1/2 cup: about 12 grams
Low-fat (1%) milk, 1 cup: about 8 grams
Part-skim mozzarella, 1 ounce: about 7 grams
Cheddar cheese, 1 ounce: about 6 grams
Hard-boiled egg, 1 large: about 6 grams
Light tuna canned in water, drained, 3 ounces: about 17 grams
Smoked salmon, 2 ounces: about 10 grams
Beef jerky, 1 ounce: about 9 grams
Sliced turkey breast, prepackaged, 2 ounces: about 8 grams
Firm tofu, 1/2 cup: about 11 grams
Dry roasted soybeans, 1/4 cup: about 10 grams
Edamame, cooked, 1/2 cup: about 9 grams
Soy milk, original, 1 cup: about 8 grams
Chickpeas, cooked, 1/2 cup: about 7 grams
Hummus, 1/4 cup: about 5 grams
Pumpkin seed kernels, 1 ounce: about 9 grams
Peanut butter, 2 tablespoons: about 7 grams
Almonds, 1 ounce (about 23 almonds): about 6 grams
Pistachios, dry roasted, 1 ounce (about 49 kernels): about 6 grams
MedlinePlus offers a handy rule of thumb: 1 ounce of meat, fish or poultry, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup of tofu or 1/2 cup of cooked beans or lentils each has about 7 grams of protein.
Pairing a protein food with fruit, vegetables or whole grains turns it into a more complete snack. Here are some easy combinations, using the amounts above:
Greek yogurt and pumpkin seeds: 6 ounces of yogurt plus 1 ounce of seeds, about 26 grams
Roasted soybeans and milk: 1/4 cup of soybeans plus 1 cup of 1% milk, about 18 grams
Tuna and crackers: 3 ounces of tuna gives about 17 grams before you count the crackers
Hummus and edamame plate: 1/4 cup of hummus plus 1/2 cup of edamame, about 14 grams, with raw vegetables for dipping
Egg and cheese: 1 hard-boiled egg plus 1 ounce of part-skim mozzarella, about 13 grams
Cottage cheese and fruit: 1/2 cup of cottage cheese, about 12 grams, topped with berries or pineapple
Apple and peanut butter: about 7.5 grams, almost all from 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, since a medium apple adds only about half a gram
Prep ahead to make the easy choice the default. Boil a few eggs at the start of the week, portion nuts into small containers, and keep yogurt and cheese at eye level in the fridge.
The FDA's guide to the Nutrition Facts label has a few points that matter for snacks:
Start with the serving size. All the amounts on the label, including calories and protein, refer to one serving. If you eat two servings, double them. The FDA notes that the serving size is not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Look at grams of protein. A percent Daily Value (%DV) for protein is only required when the package makes a protein claim, so many labels show grams only.
Check what comes with the protein. The FDA suggests choosing foods lower in %DV for saturated fat, sodium and added sugars. As a guide, 5% DV or less per serving is low and 20% DV or more is high.
Compare similar products. Use the label to compare two yogurts, two jerkies or two protein bars side by side, and pick the one that fits your goals.
Protein bars and shakes are convenient, so read their labels the same way you would any other packaged food.
There's no official number for a snack. MedlinePlus puts the recommended protein intake for healthy adults at 10% to 35% of total calorie needs, and your own target is a good question for your doctor or a registered dietitian. Most snacks on the list above land between about 5 and 17 grams, so it's easy to pick one that fits your day. For daily targets, see our guide to how much protein you need a day.
Cleveland Clinic notes that GLP-1 medicines lessen hunger, so it suggests working with a dietitian to figure out how much protein you need. It recommends putting protein first at every meal so you don't get full before you have it, and lists foods like chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans and lentils. It adds that protein powders and shakes can help when you're eating smaller, more frequent meals, but to be intentional about which ones you choose.
Protein is only part of the picture. Our guide on how to prevent muscle loss during weight loss covers strength training too.
You take a GLP-1 or another weight-management medicine and aren't sure you're eating enough.
You have a health condition, or you've been told to follow a special diet.
You're pregnant or breastfeeding.
You have a food allergy, such as to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy or fish, and need safe swaps.
You're losing weight without trying.
On this list, plain Greek yogurt and canned light tuna lead at about 17 grams per serving. Ounce for ounce, dry roasted soybeans come out on top, at about 12 grams per ounce.
They add some: about 6 grams per ounce of almonds and about 9 grams per ounce of pumpkin seeds. They're also high in calories, at about 164 calories per ounce of almonds, so portion size matters.
Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, cheese, edamame, roasted soybeans, tofu, chickpeas, hummus, nuts and seeds all work.
Two tablespoons have about 7 grams of protein and about 190 calories. It's a modest protein source, so pair it with something like Greek yogurt or milk if you want more.
Sturdy: Strength on GLP-1 is an iPhone app for adults using GLP-1 or other prescribed weight-management medication. It lets you log protein by meal period with favorites, saved meals and entries from food labels, alongside an editable weekly strength plan, and it never suggests medication doses. It needs no account, has no ads and is free with an optional Sturdy Pro subscription.
Get Sturdy free on the App Store