High Protein Snacks that Satisfy (52 New Foods, Week 41) October 15 2013, 5 Comments

high protein snacks nuts 52 new foods

Bring on the snacks! But when you do, make them high protein snacks.


Should I limit snacks to once a day like the French? Or serve them up every few hours to beat back mid-afternoon meltdowns? Debate on this topic is fierce. After many trials, I’ve found it’s best for my kids (and me) to snack—with a caveat. When we snack, we choose high protein snacks.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts may be high in calories, but they are also a great source of protein. They have an added benefit as well. They’re packed with omega-3 fats—the kind of fat that healthy bodies need. Although it’s better to source your omega-3 fats from fish, nuts provide another helpful source according to Walter Willett, Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at Harvard’s School of Public Health.

Walnuts top our list, and we usually enjoy them with something equally crunchy like an apple. Our visit to the market this week uncovered an apple the size of a walnut, which made for a fun and nutritious snack. Simple and easy.

For kids with nut allergies, seeds can offer similar benefits. Our school is nut free, so our healthy protein snack of choice is an easy no bake cookie made with sunflower seeds, honey and oats.

More High Protein Snacks

Nuts are a great high protein snacks, but there are many others. Here are a few more favorites that regularly appear on our family table:

Beans: Edamame and chickpeas are great sources of protein. Try them in a healthy homemade hummus.

Greek Yogurt: Go Greek and nearly double your protein. Try it with homemade granola and a drizzle of maple syrup or blended into a pineapple smoothie.

Which are your favorite high protein snacks? Share your ideas!

A mother of two, Jennifer Tyler Lee is the creator of the award-winning healthy eating game, Crunch a Color®, and author of the upcoming book, The 52 New Foods Challenge (Penguin/Avery 2014), a week-by-week playbook to get your family eating healthy, one new food at a time. Like most parents, she struggled to get her kids to eat healthy, balanced meals, so she decided to make it into a healthy eating game and she’s giving back to support non-profit kids’ nutrition programs. Winner of the Dr. Toy and Parent Tested, Parent Approved awards, Crunch a Color® has been featured by Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, Rachael Ray's Yum-O!, Laurie David’s Family Dinner, Kiwi Magazine, Dr. Greene, and Yum Food & Fun For Kids, among many others, as a simple, fun and playful way to get kids to eat healthy and try new foods. Jennifer’s passion is making mealtime fun and healthy for busy families. Her easy recipes, quick tips, and new food adventures are regularly featured at Pottery Barn Kids, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, The Huffington Post, and on her weekly recipe blog at crunchacolor.com.