The ultimate list of protein-packed healthy snacks (with suggestions on how to maximize flavour, fullness and versatility.)
1. Greek yogurt
What makes it so good: Greek yogurt is the ultimate low-fat, high-protein snack food. In addition to being a good source of calcium, a 1-cup serving has around 20 grams of protein.
How to eat it: Plain, with fresh or frozen fruit, as a dip (mix with chopped fresh herbs and lemon zest), in a yogurt parfait, with chia seeds, stirred into oatmeal, topped with muesli or granola and cinnamon.
Snacking tips: Decant Greek yogurt from a tub into single-serving containers if not using individual containers. Store Greek yogurt in a cooler for a healthy snack while you’re on-the-go; keep toppings separate or mix them in ahead of time.
2. Hard-boiled eggs
What makes it so good: One hard-boiled egg contains 6 grams of protein and is a good source of essential B vitamins.
How to eat it: Seasoned with salt and pepper (or your choice of herbs and spices), mashed with Greek yogurt and spread on toast or rye crackers, thinly sliced and layered on top of savoury oats, with cut-up veggies, crumbled into hummus or guacamole.
Snacking tips: Make hard-boiled eggs by the dozen and store the eggs in the original carton (use a marker to indicate the eggs have been cooked), this way you’ll always have a high-protein snack on hand for hunger emergencies.
3. Roasted chickpeas
What makes it so good: A half-cup serving of roasted chickpeas serves up 6 grams of protein and over 7 grams of fibre — an impressive combination that will leave you feeling full for hours after you’ve eaten.
How to eat it: Roasted with your favourite combination of seasonings, added to a salad, tossed with kale chips and nutritional yeast (also known as “nooch”), layered in a yogurt parfait, with a small handful of dried fruit.
Snacking tips: Commercially-made roasted chickpeas are typically quite shelf stable, which means they’re ideal for storing in desk drawers, glove compartments and any other “snack-zone” you might need to keep equipped with sustenance.
4. Edamame
What makes it good: Besides being an excellent source of protein (a one-cup serving comes in at 17 grams of protein), edamame provides more than 100 per cent of your daily folate needs.
How to eat it: Dipped into soy sauce, puréed into hummus, added to a jar salad, tossed with rice vinegar, mashed with ripe avocado, stirred into pasta or bean salad.
Snacking tips: You can find still-in-the-pod edamame in the frozen vegetable section of your local supermarket, the pods help preserve the edamame flavour while slowing down the snacking process.
5. Tuna
What makes it good: As well as being an excellent source of selenium and vitamin D, water-packed tuna contains almost 20 grams of protein per ½ cup.
How to eat it: Mixed with a dollop of Greek yogurt and halved grapes, as an easy sandwich filling, topped with sliced hard-boiled egg and pickles, with apple slices and a handful of almonds, stuffed into cucumber or sweet pepper boats.
Snacking tips: Shelf-stable tuna packets are small enough to be stashed in a purse, diaper bag or laptop bag. Look for low-salt options whenever possible, and buy in bulk when your favourite kind goes on sale.