Protein... I talk about it a lot.
Why? Because it is SO important to your lean muscle mass growth!
Your body can only be comprised of what you put inside of it. Read that again!
If you want a higher metabolism (which is achieved through increased muscle mass), you need to put more of those building blocks into your body.
Not only does protein help you gain more muscle which will in turn increase your metabolism, it also helps keep you satiated for a longer.
Protein needs more time for your body to breakdown over any other macronutrient. This means you will want to snack less!
Consuming high protein snacks will help give you faster results from your workouts and keep you from counting down the minutes until your next meal!
I am showing some protein snack ideas and recipes below!
Keep in mind that all the recipes are for a snack size portion (around 200-300 calories; 5-15g of protein per serving).
Ok, please don't judge me until you've tried this one. I know that tiny fish from a can sounds weird but it's actually very delicious. And sardines have 18g of protein per serving (SUPER high!), are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and are a sustainable fish choice. Take a serving size of any crackers that you like (usually around 11-15 crackers) and put the sardines on top. I love this option when I don't have a lot of time to prepare a snack but I need something to fill me up!
With 18g of protein per serving, greek yogurt is a powerhouse snack. You could repurpose greek yogurt into overnight oats or a smoothie but for a snack, I like to keep it simple. You don't have to purchase Chobani but do make sure you are looking at the sugar and fat content of your yogurt. It doesn't need to be fat or sugar free but there should more grams of protein than fat or sugar in the brand or style that you choose!
#4 Kidney Bean Snack Soup
The protein from the kidney beans plus the water from the broth in this soup will help you conquer the hunger distance from lunch to dinner. This type of soup is supposed to be a little lighter in calories and quantity than a meal time soup but can still be satisfying in the afternoon!
Here is the recipe for a 5 day make ahead batch:
-1 28 oz can of diced tomatoes
-2 14oz cans of kidney beans
-1 pound green beans (trimmed and cut in half)
-32 oz vegetable broth carton
-1 white onion (diced)
-2 garlic cloves (diced)
-1 tsp italian seasoning
- 1tbsp olive oil
Heat olive oil in pan. Saute white onion for 5 min or until translucent. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Drain diced tomatoes and add to pan with drained kidney beans and green beans. Add the vegetable broth and italian seasoning. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10 min. Add salt and pepper to taste.
If you have a refrigerator at your workplace, then you need to keep a hummus container there! Dip veggies into two tablespoons of hummus to enjoy a filling and results-boosting snack. Personally, I LOVE the lemon hummus from Whole Foods with carrots.
#6 Mini Cobb Salad
Packed with protein and micronutrients, a mini version of a cobb salad keeps you full until dinner time! I haven't included the bacon or avocado in my version of a mini cobb but feel free to add if you like those items! I'm keeping them off of mine because I eat other fatty foods throughout the day.
Here is the recipe for a 5 day make ahead batch:
-5 hard boiled eggs (halved)
-1 container grape tomatoes (halved)
-1 small container of spinach
-1 14oz can of white corn (drained)
-1 package of blue cheese crumbles
Make Cobb Salad Dressing. You may either get 5 containers and make your daily salad ahead of time or follow these directions each day you would like to make the salad. Place two handfuls of spinach at the bottom of your container. Put 6-8 grape tomatoes on top, 2 halves of hard boiled egg, ~1/4 cup of white corn, 2 tbsp of blue cheese. Pour dressing on top shortly before eating.
#7 Peanut Butter Snack Sandwich
Another mini version of a meal time favorite! Not only is this a great snack to fuel results, it's also a go to pre-workout snack as well. For this recipe, you will need to make a fresh sandwich each day. The bread will get too soggy if you try to make ahead of time. Here is the per day recipe:
-1 piece of Multigrain Bread (I like Dave's Killer Bread)
-2 tbsp of Peanut Butter or any nut butter that you like
-1/2 banana (cut into little disks; as shown in picture)
-1 tsp honey (optional)
Cut the piece of bread in half. On one piece of the halved bread slice, apply peanut butter and place banana pieces on top. Drizzle honey on top if you like. Place the other halved bread slice on top.
Thank you for taking a look at my high protein snack and recipe ideas!
Please share this post with anyone who needs help making a better snack choice!
