5 High Protein Snacks -that aren’t yogurt or cottage cheese!
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3pm hits… you’re hungry… and you don’t know what to eat! You heard somewhere that you should be eating high protein snacks, but when you’re looking at all the things you want to eat, you have no idea what is “high protein” means… trust me, we’ve all been there!!
I am going to give you an easy guide AND some ideas to go with it!
Why the focus on protein?
Having protein in our snacks help us stay fuller for longer and help our energy last longer. It also helps with muscle recovery, maintenance and even growth. So why does this matter to you?
As a women going through perimenopause or in menopause, you likely need more protein than you once needed to get the same effect. As your estrogen levels change, your muscle breaks down more than it used to, you become more sensitive to carbohydrates, and your muscles are less responsive to stress and protein than they used to be. A higher dose of protein helps all of these things!! You can still see progress in body composition and maintain muscle mass through perimenopause and menopause if you’re getting enough protein! If you want specific recommendations, we’d love to work with you to create a customized nutrition plan!
What is considered a high protein snack?
So what should you look for in a snack? A high protein snack is generally 10-15g of protein. It is good to pair your protein with a color (fruit or vegetable), starch, or a healthy fat.
While I LOVE cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, I have heard so many women desperately seeking other options- either because of lactose intolerance or just being flat our bored of those options! If you are not one of those women, then eat away!!
If you’re struggling with how to eat to support your body during perimenopause or menopause, we can help build you a customized nutrition plan to support your weight and health goals!
5 High Protein Snacks
Tuna
Serving size suggestion: 1/2 can tuna has 10g of protein!!!
How to eat: pair with some whole grain crackers (for a couple more grams of protein) or veggies! I always like to flavor with pickle juice, mustard or lemon pepper!!
Other Tips:
Low mercury brands are available. Safe Catch and Wild Planet are two!
Choosing “chunk light” and “in water” will be a lower mercury choice over other options.
Edamame
Serving size suggestion: 1/2 cup shelled has about 10g of protein
How to eat: You can add all types of flavor, but I like to just add salt! Pair it with a rice cracker for a more robust snack!
Other tips:
You can buy already shelled edamame in the frozen aisle of most grocery stores. This makes it a great snack to always have available.
Cheese Sticks
Serving size suggestion: 1 cheese stick has 7g of protein! Have two or eat with some whole grain crackers to get that 10-15g!
How to eat: With whole grain crackers and some fruit… you basically have a charcuterie board…not really, but…
Other tips:
Cheese sticks are one of the few items I buy low-fat because nothing is added in them to keep them low-fat. They are just made with skim milk!
Roasted Chickpeas, Pumpkin Seeds & Popcorn:
Serving size suggestion: 1/4 cup roasted chickpeas have about 5g of protein. 2 TBSP of pumpkin seeds have 7g of protein.
How to eat: Use the serving size suggestions above and add some popcorn to make it a savory and crunchy snack!
Other tips:
You can roast/pop your own of all of these OR buy them already prepared and make your own mix.
Ricotta Cheese:
Serving size suggestion: 1/3 cup of ricotta cheese has 7g of protein!
How to eat: Mix with some honey and serve on a piece of toast topped with fruit or use as a fruit dip!
Other tips:
I know this is kind of like cottage cheese and Greek yogurt, BUT most people don’t know that it is also high in protein!
I hope these add some more variety to your 3pm snack game!! And if you are wanting more help optimizing your nutrition and fitness during perimenopuase or menopause, we’d love to help you!