DISCLAIMER: the food and snack ideas in this article (and on this entire website) are for informational purposes only. They are not intended as nutritional advice. Please consult a health professional before starting any diet or exercise regimen.
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the focus on proteins and whole foods
If you’re on a health and wellness journey, especially if you’re on a weight-lifting and muscle-building journey, then you know the importance of not only eating well, but specifically getting enough protein in your diet.
Now, admittedly, I am fairly new to the world of working out and tracking what I eat. I’ve never been one to count calories. I still don’t. But, I do understand that building muscle is a science. We know how it works, we don’t need to guess.
I know that if I want to achieve my fitness goals, there does need to be some level of planning and tracking, not just guessing and hoping.
Another disclaimer here because I am not a scientist nor a doctor nor a fitness expert, but what I understand is that the basic premise behind gaining muscle is: training your muscles (i.e. doing some type of exercise that breaks your muscles down) and feeding your body enough protein (along with other nutrients) to support your body as it repairs and rebuilds your muscles, leading to growth.
Now, which exercises to perform and how much protein to eat? Those are questions for someone much more qualified than I.
But coming up with delicious, creative, high-protein meal and snack ideas? That’s where I come in!
Sure, you could chug several protein shakes a day and, purely from a numbers standpoint, you might reach your protein intake goals. However, if you’re here, I’m guessing that you know that that’s not a great long term strategy and you’re looking for some simple, high-protein snack ideas made with real, whole foods.
the search for quality, simple foods
There are so many reasons why people these days are seeking more simple, healthy snacks and meals.
Do you relate to any of these reasons?
-You’re on a health and wellness journey and want to make it simple as possible for yourself to reach your goals.
-You’re working out consistently and want your diet to support and help multiply all of the gains you’re making in the gym.
-You have this primal urge to get back to basics when it comes to food (i.e. less processed foods).
-If you live in America, you’re tired of the expensive, heavily processed foods that we’re accustomed to consuming and want to break free of your cravings for, may I even say addiction to, them.
Whatever your reason is for being here and searching for healthier snack options, I think it’s great.
I’m proud of you and I hope you can find some inspiration here!
I’ll definitely be sharing a lot more high-protein meal and snack box ideas, so be sure to check out my other posts.
Let’s get into 10 delicious, high-protein, simple, whole food snack ideas.
10 savory, high-protein, whole food snack ideas
1. greek yogurt dips
When you think of of yogurt, does your mind immediately go to sweet or savory? I’d say many people first think of sweet. They might think of cups of strawberry or vanilla flavored yogurt that you’d eat for breakfast. However, as a savory snack girly, I think of savory yogurt.
Many cultures have been using yogurt in their cuisine’s savory dishes for ages—Greek tzatziki sauce, Indian raita, and even Persian ash-e doogh.
My current favorite way to eat greek yogurt is by making onion dip with it.
I simply combine greek yogurt and dry onion soup mix, mix well, let it set for a couple of hours, then enjoy with baby cucumbers.
2. roasted chickpeas
Roasted chickpeas are a wonderful and inexpensive plant-based protein source, especially if you are roasting them yourself.
You can enjoy them plain as a snack or on top of bowls and salads.
Have fun experimenting with spices and seasonings to create a roasted chickpea flavor that you love.
Here are some flavor ideas to try:
- simple salt + garlic powder
- teriyaki
- korean bbq
- ranch
- hickory + maple
- old bay + lemon
If you don’t feel like roasting your own, nowadays, you can purchase bags of roasted chickpea snacks at health food stores.
3. pinwheels
Pinwheels are an easy snack to make. There are also so many filling options. Anything you can make as a sandwich can probably be made as a pinwheel.
Some filling ideas to try:
- turkey + hummus
- salami + cheese
- barbecue chicken
- turkey bacon + lettuce + tomato (BLT)
4. canned chicken
Canned chicken is such a great protein hack—there’s so much you can do with it.
It’s a quick way to get your protein without having to touch raw chicken, marinate, then cook and clean up.
Add canned chicken on top of your salads, make a chicken + greek yogurt salad, heck, I’ve even seen a pizza crust made out of canned chicken.
5. cheese
When it comes to cheese, there are so many options! You can buy a block of your favorite cheese from the grocery store then cut it into slices or cubes. If you do this, I’d recommend using gloves and a clean cutting board. You don’t want any bacteria contaminating your cheese, especially if you’re preparing snack boxes ahead of time that will be sitting in the fridge.
I prefer to buy individually wrapped snack cheeses in bulk from Costco. Currently I’m liking mozzarella string cheese, Tillamook cheddar squares, and BabyBel cheeses.
Mini snack cheeses are so easy to throw into snack boxes or grab from the fridge for a quick protein boost.
6. korean mayak eggs
This one’s a little unconventional, but is going to become your new favorite way to enjoy eggs.
The word “mayak” in Korean translates to “narcotic” or “drug”. These eggs are called mayak eggs due to their addictive quality.
Korean mayak eggs are jammy, soft boiled eggs that are soaked overnight in a soy sauce marinade.
You can enjoy mayak eggs however you want. I like to eat them over a bowl of rice with a side of kimchi, and with extra green onions on top.
I think they make a great breakfast or snack.
If you love eggs but are tired of eating plain boiled eggs or are tired of the everything bagel seasoning, give these Korean mayak eggs a try.
7. hummus
Whether you make your own or buy a tub from the store, hummus is a great, healthy dip that can be added to your meals or snacks to get some extra protein in.
I enjoy hummus most with some sweet baby peppers or cucumbers, but it goes well with almost any veggie.
Hummus is also great to add to snack boxes. I pack a couple of tablespoons into my stainless steel ramekins with silicone lids and they fit perfectly into my glass snack boxes.
8. jerky
Beef jerky, turkey jerky, salmon jerky, ahi tuna jerky, mushroom jerky. Everything just tastes better turned into jerky.
Jerky is probably my favorite high-protein snack, but I have to make a conscious effort not to go overboard with it because it can have high sodium and fat content.
When it comes to jerky, not all brands are created equal. Here are some things you can look for in jerky to ensure you’re picking a quality, relatively healthy brand:
-low in fat
-low in sodium
-low in sugar
-made with grass-fed beef
-free of artificial preservatives
-free of added nitrites and nitrates
-made with simple ingredients
I’m also planning to start making my own turkey jerky using organic lean ground turkey to save time and money, and to have full control over what goes into my jerky.
9. deli turkey or chicken slices
Cold cuts or deli slices are another easy way to get some extra protein in.
You can eat slices plain, with cheese and crackers, in sandwiches, in pinwheels, and more!
Use similar criteria as above when looking for quality deli slices.
10. edamame
Edamame is the Japanese name for immature soybeans.
You can buy them still in their green pods or shelled.
The ones still in the pods hold onto sauces and flavor better than shelled ones, but they’re also messier to eat.
If you’re prepping an edamame salad for the week and/or planning on bringing your salad to school or work, you may want to opt for the shelled edamame so your hands don’t get sticky and messy when you eat them,
However, if you’re just making some edamame to snack on home, go for the ones still in their pods so they can soak up all the delicious flavor of your sauce.
You can make a yummy salad with some cucumber, edamame, and soy sauce-based Asian sauce.
Enjoy it plain or with some rice and nori snack sheets.
