Healthy Recipes Mealtimes Healthy Snack Recipes Healthy High-Protein Snacks 16 Gut-Healthy Snacks That Are High in Protein By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on April 30, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Enjoy one of these flavorful bites to help keep you satisfied until your next meal. Foods like dairy, legumes and whole grains pack these snacks with at least 7 grams of protein per serving, which can help support muscle recovery, satiety and digestive health. Plus, these ingredients, in addition to fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, are rich in prebiotics and probiotics that can help you maintain a healthy gut microbiome. Recipes like our highly-rated Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars are perfect with a cup of coffee before lunch. Or, try our Cottage Cheese Snack Jar for something cold, crunchy and refreshing between meals. 01 of 16 Everything-Seasoned Almonds Jennifer Causey Grinding up the everything bagel seasoning in a spice grinder will help it adhere to the almonds. View Recipe 02 of 16 Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco Enjoy these delightful carrot cake oatmeal bars, perfect for a snack or dessert alongside a steaming cup of coffee. Made with a blend of shredded carrots, oats and a hint of brown sugar, these easy bars capture the essence of carrot cake, while offering a boost of fiber and less sugar than cake. Portable and convenient, these bars can be enjoyed on the move. To make these bars gluten-free, opt for gluten-free oats. View Recipe 03 of 16 Cottage Cheese Snack Jar Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco This creamy, crunchy snack packs 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber in one small mason jar. Adding the chickpeas right before serving will keep them crunchy. If you want to store everything in one jar, opt for 1/4 cup rinsed canned chickpeas instead. View Recipe 04 of 16 Breakfast Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cakes Alexandra Shytsman Peanut butter is the star ingredient in these oatmeal cakes, providing not only flavor, but a boost of plant-based protein too. Hiding a bit in the center of each muffin is a fun way to ensure that peanut butter makes it into every bite. View Recipe 05 of 16 Roasted Spaghetti Squash Seeds Alexandra Shytsman When you prepare spaghetti squash, don't throw away the seeds! You can turn them into a crunchy, healthy snack to enjoy on their own or sprinkled over a salad. View Recipe 06 of 16 Raspberry Yogurt Cereal Bowl For breakfast, snack or a healthy dessert, try using yogurt instead of milk for your cereal. If making this as a to-go snack, keep the cereal separate and top just before eating. View Recipe 07 of 16 Bread with Peanut Butter This quick-and-easy snack is a hearty treat that is packed with protein and has heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. View Recipe 08 of 16 Cottage Cheese Snack Jar with Fruit Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Sue Mitchell, Prop stylist: Skylar Myers, Create a creamy and on-the-go snack by combining protein-packed cottage cheese with sweet chopped peaches. When peaches are out of season, opt for frozen or experiment with an alternative such as chopped strawberries or orange segments. Elevate the flavor profile by adding a hint of vanilla extract or cinnamon to the cottage cheese. For those with a sweet tooth, a drizzle of honey or maple syrup is the perfect finishing touch. View Recipe 09 of 16 Ricotta & Yogurt Parfait Reminiscent of a lemon cheesecake, this healthy breakfast recipe is easy to throw together in the morning. Or stir together the filling in a jar the night before and top with the fruit, nuts and seeds when you get to work. View Recipe 10 of 16 Sweet and Salty Roasted Nuts Spicy seasonings add a bit of zing to roasted nuts for an appetizer that's perfect for any occasion. View Recipe 11 of 16 Peanut Butter Yogurt Cup with Magic Shell Topping Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco This easy, high-protein snack tastes just like a Reese’s peanut butter cup. You can conveniently make it in the yogurt container for quick cleanup. Alternatively, if you don’t have a single-serve container, scoop 1/2 cup yogurt from a larger container into a small bowl. Any nut or seed butter would work well in this four-ingredient recipe. View Recipe 12 of 16 High-Protein Lemon-Blueberry Cake Cottage cheese is the secret star ingredient in this stunning cake. While the cheesy flavor is muted by the fruit, the inclusion of cottage cheese adds protein and keeps the cake moist. The tart flavor of the lemon is balanced by sweet blueberries. Enjoy a slice of this cake for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Or try crumbling it up and stirring into a bowl of cottage cheese or yogurt. View Recipe 13 of 16 Hard-Boiled Egg & Almonds This small snack packs a nutrient punch--it's loaded with protein, heart-healthy fats, vitamins and minerals to make eating healthy easy and yummy. View Recipe 14 of 16 Pizza Pistachios Jennifer Causey Nutritional yeast mimics the flavor of cheese, lending a pizza-like flavor to these playful spiced pistachios. View Recipe 15 of 16 Cucumber-Dill Ricotta Snack Jar Photography: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco This simple snack jar features herbaceous ricotta cheese alongside cucumber and bell pepper for dipping. Use any color mini bell pepper you have on hand. Cottage cheese can be substituted for the ricotta, if desired. Easily double this recipe to have a couple of snacks in the fridge. View Recipe 16 of 16 Edamame with Aleppo Pepper With fruity undertones and a slight cumin taste, Aleppo pepper gives this healthy protein snack some satisfying flavor. View Recipe Was this page helpful? 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