Protein is an essential nutrient when it comes to optimal health. It plays a lot of critical roles in the body, such as building muscle mass, regulating hormones, repairing tissues, and helping with digestion. Protein bars, protein shakes, and protein powders are a quick, easy way to incorporate extra protein into your diet, but if you’re looking for something else with a more meaty flavor, there are plenty of other protein snacks available ready to fill you up on the go.
In our quest for protein-rich foods that are instantly ready but are in fact actual, recognizable foods, we’ve come across a few companies that make some excellent eats. Listed below are some of the best high-protein snacks perfect for road trips, travels, or those days when you don’t have the time and energy to whip a meal. From little bits and bites to sticks and jerky, we have it covered.
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Mission Meats Beef Bars
Mission Meats brings an ultimate high-protein snack that’s delicious and healthy. These beef bars are made with 100% grass-fed pasture-raised beef so you can feel confident that you’re feeding yourself just good stuff. There are no MSG, gluten, sugar, and nitrites which means they are perfect for those on a keto or paleo diet. While we’ve got one brand here, we also have a bigger and better list of great beef jerky brands that you may want to check out.
Perky Jerky Original Turkey Jerky
Perky Jerky is a brand known for its great texture and rich flavors, and the Turkey Jerky is no exception. The meat is marinated overnight to deliver a genuine jerky indulgence of delightful and lasting flavors. Offering up to 11 grams of protein and 80 grams of calories per serving, this jerky is a nice protein snack that won’t leave you unsatisfied and will make you feel good about eating. It comes in a variety of bold, mouth-watering flavors, including Jammin’ Jamaican, Sweet and Snappy, Tasty Teriyaki, and Brewmaster’s Pale Ale. It does not contain artificial preservatives, added MSG, nitrites, and nitrates.
Bada Bean Bada Boom Roasted Broad Beans
First, to be clear, a “broad bean” is really just a rebrand of the fava bean. Mmmm … delicious, right? Especially when eaten by the handful on their own? Well, yes, actually, they are a delight, when they have been roasted to a crunch and come in flavors like Zesty Ranch, Sweet Cinnamon, and Jalapeño Popper. Enlightened offers packets of roasted broad beans that have seven grams of protein and just three grams of fat, and they’re perfect for snacking when you’re trying not to load up on calories.
Akua Kelp Jerky
Any list about protein-rich foods that aren’t bars or powders or
Bumble Bee Snack on the Run! Tuna Salad with Crackers
Tuna is a no-fail solution if you’re looking to increase your protein intake. Bumble Bee on the Run! Tuna Kit with Crackers makes for a great standalone snack that can you devour whenever you’re on the go, although you can also incorporate it into your pasta, sandwich, salad, and other dishes. It contains soybean oil and egg for added flavor. It contains 6 grams of protein for every can serving.
Epic Salmon Bites
These salmon bites from Epic are an ideal grab and go snack. Made with 100% wild-caught Alaskan salmon, each bite consists of 9 grams of protein. It’s certified gluten-free and doesn’t have sugar so you can rest assured that you’ll enjoy that real seafood taste (plus a maple-glazed and smoke flavor). The resealable pack is an added bonus that makes it perfect for all-day snacking. You can grab a pouch for $6 or a pack of for for $31.
Olli Salumeria Snack Packs
If you think a snack pack from Olli Salumeria (that’s a salami maker, FYI) looks like an adult Lunchable, then you’re right, that’s what it looks like because that’s basically what it is. But instead of wretched cheese-like slabs and meat-like strips and awful crackers, in these, you’ll find foods like Genoa salami with Fontina cheese, sliced chorizo with Manchego, and prosciutto with mozzarella. They are essentially perfect little charcuterie platters packed for enjoyment on the go. And Olli also offers shelf-stable pre-sliced meats that require no refrigeration.
Peckish Perfectly Boiled Hard Boiled Eggs
The company Peckish is not playing loosely with the language when it says perfectly boiled. Each egg (two eggs per box) in the box is literally the ideal hard-boiled egg, just cooked through, not dried out or rubbery in the least. That alone would just about sell anyone, but each little egg box also comes with a dipping cup with flavors like “Salt & Pepitas,” “Rancheros,” and “Everything” (like the bagel) that add a bounty of flavor. And actually, there’s always too much seasoning included, so you can toss the extra over other stuff, even your own likely less-than-perfect eggs. Refrigerated (obviously) Peckish eggs have a multi-week shelf life, so we advise you to keep a few on hand for when you want real breakfast food but you only have 4 seconds to prepare it.
Peckish is available at Whole Foods but you can also sign up for a subscription. You can opt for a bi-weekly subscription for $55 or a monthly subscription for $55. Use promo code: 15SPECKS for $15 off your first order.
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