The short answer: the best high protein snacks are Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, turkey or tuna, edamame, roasted soybeans, cheese and jerky.
- Top pick: a 6 oz cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt (about 17 g protein, 100 calories)
- Biggest combo: chicken salad on cucumber slices (about 27 g)
- Cheapest: a hard-boiled egg, about 19 cents for 6 g
- Next step: Put snacks on your weekly plan with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99). Free download: the daily food log (we email it to you).
Protein and calories are from USDA FoodData Central and the egg price is the BLS U.S. average for September 2026, checked November 5, 2026.
Our picks for high protein snacks
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High protein snacks are snacks with about 10 grams of protein or more, built on foods like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, lean meat, fish, soy foods and beans. Below are 50 ideas sorted by how much work they take, each with grams of protein and calories, so you can pick one that fits your day. Numbers are rounded from USDA FoodData Central for plain versions. Flavored or brand products differ, so check the label.
Top 10 high protein snacks
| Snack | Protein | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken salad (3 oz chicken) on cucumber slices | 27 g | 156 |
| Greek yogurt with 1/2 cup berries and 1 oz pumpkin seeds | 26 g | 283 |
| Turkey and string cheese roll-ups (2 oz turkey) | 24 g | 169 |
| Overnight oats with milk and Greek yogurt | 24 g | 333 |
| Firm tofu bites (1/2 cup) | 22 g | 181 |
| Tuna (3 oz) on 1 oz whole-wheat crackers | 19 g | 193 |
| Edamame, shelled (1 cup) | 18 g | 188 |
| Ricotta toast on whole-wheat bread | 18 g | 252 |
| Greek yogurt (6 oz) with 1/2 cup berries | 18 g | 127 |
| Tuna (3 oz) with cucumber slices | 17 g | 89 |
No-prep high protein snacks (grab and go)
These need nothing but a fridge or a bag. They are the best picks for work, school pickup and road trips.
| Snack | Protein | Calories | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked chicken breast, 2 oz | 18 g | 94 | Use leftovers. |
| Plain nonfat Greek yogurt, 6 oz | 17 g | 100 | Work fridge. |
| Canned salmon, 3 oz | 17 g | 110 | Eat with crackers. |
| Canned or pouch tuna, 3 oz | 17 g | 73 | Desk drawer. |
| Sliced turkey breast, 2 oz | 17 g | 84 | Quick lunch box add. |
| 2 hard-boiled eggs | 13 g | 155 | Make a dozen on Sunday. |
| Roasted soybeans, 1 oz | 12 g | 126 | Shelf stable and crunchy. |
| Cottage cheese, 2%, 1/2 cup | 12 g | 92 | Single cups travel well. |
| Kefir, plain lowfat, 1 cup | 9 g | 104 | A drinkable snack. |
| Beef jerky, 1 oz | 9 g | 115 | Car or gym bag. |
| Hemp seeds, 3 tbsp | 9 g | 166 | Sprinkle on yogurt. |
| Pumpkin seeds, 1 oz | 8 g | 157 | Nut-free option. |
| Milk, 2%, 1 cup | 8 g | 122 | After school. |
| Soy milk, 1 cup | 8 g | 132 | Dairy-free pick. |
| String cheese, 1 stick | 7 g | 85 | Lunch boxes. |
| Swiss cheese, 1 oz | 8 g | 110 | Fold into a wrap. |
| Cheddar cheese, 1 oz | 7 g | 115 | Pair with fruit. |
| Peanuts, dry-roasted, 1 oz | 7 g | 164 | Cheaper than tree nuts. |
| Pistachios or almonds, 1 oz | 6 g | 160 | Measure the portion. |
5-minute high protein snacks
| Snack | Protein | Calories | Sweet or savory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken salad on cucumber slices | 27 g | 156 | Savory. |
| Greek yogurt, berries and pumpkin seeds | 26 g | 283 | Sweet. |
| Shelled edamame, 1 cup, microwaved from frozen | 18 g | 188 | Savory. |
| Turkey and string cheese roll-ups | 24 g | 169 | Savory. |
| Salmon (3 oz canned) on whole-wheat crackers | 20 g | 229 | Savory. |
| Smoothie: 1 cup milk, 100 g Greek yogurt, 1 banana | 20 g | 286 | Sweet. |
| Tuna on whole-wheat crackers | 19 g | 193 | Savory. |
| Ricotta toast (1/2 cup part-skim ricotta) | 18 g | 252 | Either. |
| Greek yogurt with berries | 18 g | 127 | Sweet. |
| Egg toast (2 eggs on whole-wheat bread) | 17 g | 236 | Savory. |
| Tuna with cucumber slices | 17 g | 89 | Savory. |
| Jerky and string cheese | 16 g | 200 | Savory. |
| Cottage cheese with 1 oz whole-wheat crackers | 15 g | 211 | Savory. |
| Ricotta with berries | 14 g | 197 | Sweet. |
| Egg and string cheese | 13 g | 163 | Savory. |
| Cottage cheese with berries | 12 g | 118 | Sweet. |
| Peanut butter toast | 11 g | 272 | Either. |
| Hummus (1/4 cup) with a hard-boiled egg | 11 g | 220 | Savory. |
| Cheddar and whole-wheat crackers | 10 g | 234 | Savory. |
| Apple or banana with 2 tbsp peanut butter | 8 g | about 290 | Sweet. |
| Swiss cheese with an apple | 8 g | 205 | Sweet. |
Make-ahead high protein snacks
Batch these once and snack all week. Egg dishes like egg muffins keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, and hard-boiled eggs in the shell keep about a week. Bake a tray with our egg muffins recipe when you want the muffin-tin version.
| Snack | Protein | Calories | Batch tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight oats (1/2 cup oats, 1 cup milk, 100 g Greek yogurt) | 24 g | 333 | Make 4 jars at once. |
| Firm tofu bites, baked (1/2 cup) | 22 g | 181 | Bake a whole block. |
| Egg muffins (2 eggs plus parmesan) | 17 g | 214 | Bake 12 in a muffin tin. |
| Peanut butter oats (1/2 cup oats, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp peanut butter) | 17 g | 369 | Portion into jars. |
| Egg white bites (4 whites) | 14 g | 69 | Freeze extras. |
| Chia pudding (1 tbsp chia, 1 cup soy milk) | 10 g | 200 | Set overnight. |
| Black bean dip (1/2 cup beans) with baby carrots | 8 g | 143 | Blend a big batch. |
| Popcorn (3 cups) with 1/2 oz parmesan | 7 g | 152 | Pop and bag it. |
| Roasted chickpeas (1/2 cup) | 6 g | 111 | Store loose, not sealed, so they stay crisp. |
| Hummus (1/2 cup) with baby carrots | 5 g | 172 | Pre-pack dip cups. |
Edamame, roasted soybeans, tofu bites, roasted chickpeas, pumpkin seeds and peanut butter toast are the plant-based picks above. For whole snack menus, see our healthy snacks, and for protein at meals see high protein meals and high protein meal prep. When you also want fewer carbs between meals, browse our low carb snacks list.
How much protein a snack should have
Many people aim for 10 to 20 grams in a snack. For scale, the FDA Daily Value for protein on U.S. labels is 50 grams a day, so a 17-gram yogurt covers about a third of it. Your own needs depend on your size, age and activity, so ask your doctor or a dietitian if you have a goal in mind.
Cheap high protein snacks
Eggs are the budget star. The BLS U.S. average for a dozen large eggs was $2.272 in September 2026, so one egg costs about 19 cents ($2.272 ÷ 12). A cup of whole milk was about 26 cents at the $4.106 average gallon price ($4.106 ÷ 16 cups). Dried beans, peanuts, peanut butter and canned tuna are other low-cost picks. Our guide to how to grocery shop on a budget covers more ways to cut the bill.
Plan snacks with your meals
Write two or three snacks into the week in the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) so the eggs, yogurt and cheese land on the same grocery list as dinner. Keep your egg muffin and energy bite recipes in the Family Recipe Binder ($6.99), or get both in the Family Life Admin Bundle ($15.99, $23.95). Browse all printables and bundles.
If you already have an appropriate daily calorie target, the macro calculator converts a chosen carbohydrate, protein and fat split into grams; it does not measure the nutrients in a recipe.
Need protein you can keep in a desk drawer? See these healthy snacks for work that need no refrigerator.
Plan the week's meals and shop once
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Frequently asked questions
What are good high protein snacks? Good high protein snacks include Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, hard-boiled eggs, turkey and cheese roll-ups, tuna on crackers, edamame, roasted soybeans, string cheese and jerky. A 6-ounce cup of plain nonfat Greek yogurt has about 17 grams of protein for 100 calories, based on USDA FoodData Central.
What snack has the most protein? Among single foods on our list, 2 ounces of cooked chicken breast gives about 18 grams of protein, and 3 ounces of canned tuna or a 6-ounce cup of Greek yogurt about 17 grams. Combos like a turkey and cheese roll-up or chicken salad on cucumber slices reach 24 to 27 grams.
What are high protein snacks with low calories? Low calorie high protein snacks include egg white bites, tuna with cucumber slices, turkey roll-ups, nonfat Greek yogurt and cottage cheese. Each one on our list has at least 12 grams of protein for under 120 calories.
What are cheap high protein snacks? Eggs are one of the cheapest high protein snacks. At the September 2026 BLS U.S. average of $2.272 a dozen, one large egg costs about 19 cents and gives about 6 grams of protein. Milk, peanut butter, dried beans and canned tuna are also low cost.
What are vegan high protein snacks? Vegan high protein snacks include edamame, roasted soybeans, roasted chickpeas, tofu bites, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, peanut butter toast and soy milk smoothies. A cup of shelled edamame has about 18 grams of protein.
How much protein should a snack have? Many people aim for about 10 to 20 grams of protein in a snack so it holds them until the next meal. For reference, the Daily Value for protein on U.S. food labels is 50 grams a day, though your own need depends on body size and activity.
Are protein bars a healthy snack? Some protein bars are a convenient choice, but many have a lot of added sugar. Read the Nutrition Facts label and compare the protein to the added sugars. Whole-food snacks like yogurt, eggs and nuts are often cheaper.
How do I plan high protein snacks for the week? The Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has room for meals and snacks plus an aisle-sorted grocery list, so the eggs, yogurt and cheese for the week go on one list.
Where can I save make-ahead snack recipes? The Family Recipe Binder ($6.99) from HomeBase Paper Co. has fillable recipe pages and dividers, so egg muffin, energy bite and roasted chickpea recipes stay together where you can find them.
Is there a bundle with the meal planner and recipe binder? Yes, there is a bundle with the meal planner and recipe binder. The Family Life Admin Bundle ($15.99, $23.95 bought separately) from HomeBase Paper Co. includes the Meal Planner & Grocery List, the Family Recipe Binder and three more household printables.
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Sources
- USDA FoodData Central fdc.nal.usda.gov
- FDA: Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels fda.gov
- BLS average price data: Eggs, grade A, large, per dozen data.bls.gov