Why Snack In The First Place?

The chances of you hitting your daily protein intake requirement with a muffin for breakfast and maybe 2 real meals a day... 

or 2 "so-so" meals and a bad snack void of protein (which is what many women do) is hard to say the least so... 

"supplementing" your diet with 1-2 protein packed snacks in between meals is a great way to curb cravings and reach your daily protein goals which will help you...

> lose fat

> drop "scale" weight and...

>  keep your lean muscle.

The short video above was shot at BJ's (which is similar to like a Costco)

It shows you my favorite protein bars, protein shakes, protein chips and even my little evening treat...

the calorie friendly peanut butter cups by Quest which satisfies my chocolate craving in a big way!

My favorite bars are: 

The Fit Crunch Bar, Pure Protein Bar or Atkins Protein Bar. (15-20 grams of protein)

My favorite protein shake: 

Premier Protein Shake - I love chocolate but they have vanilla, caramel and more...(30 grams of protein) 

There are also plant-based protein shake options like OWYN (these have 20g of protein per shake)

Feel free to also purchase protein powder so you can make your own shakes...

I have plenty of recipes and options below.

Personally, I like the convenience of having the ready-to-drink protein shakes because I'm always on the go but everyone is different!

My little treat: 

The Quest Peanut Butter Cups: more like a treat, not great for protein but low carb and better than a chocolate bar or Hershey kisses!

My favorite healthy "chip": 

The Quest Protein Chips - these chips have 20 grams of protein per bag and I love that they are in individual bags so you're not going to overeat them the way we would if we opened an entire bag of chips.

I *highly* recommend you have one protein shake daily and one protein bar daily OR....2 shakes daily (without the bar.)

This will almost guarantee (provided you eat 2 additional meals per day) that you will reach your daily protein intake requirements.

Now I'm going to overdeliver for you...

Not only do you have my favorite protein bar and shake suggestions but... 

I've created an additional 20 smart "protein-packed" snacks below that *ALL* contain between 15-20 grams of protein and between 150-200 total calories.

So if you're someone who doesn't like bars and shakes and wants to avoid them, I got you covered also!

The days of eating fruit alone (bad choice for fat loss), finishing a giant jar of nuts (also a bad idea for calorie control) or choosing the wrong protein bar or protein shake are over...

Select from the menu below and you'll be just fine! Enjoy!

Snack Idea 1: Greek Yogurt Parfait
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt (12g protein, 6g carbs, 0g fat)
1/4 cup of mixed berries (1g protein, 4g carbs, 0g fat)
1 tablespoon of sliced almonds (2g protein, 2g carbs, 4g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 15g, Carbs: 12g, Fat: 4g

Snack Idea 2: Protein Bar
1 protein bar (15g protein, varies in carbs and fat based on brand and flavor)
Total Calories: Approximately 200 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 15g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: Varies

Snack Idea 3: Whey Protein Shake
1 scoop of whey protein powder (20g protein, 2g carbs, 1g fat)
8 ounces of unsweetened almond milk (1g protein, 1g carbs, 3g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 21g, Carbs: 3g, Fat: 4g

Snack Idea 4: Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie
1 medium banana (1g protein, 27g carbs, 0g fat)
1 tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter (4g protein, 3g carbs, 8g fat)
1/2 scoop of whey protein powder (7-10g protein, 1g carbs, 0.5g fat)
1/2 cup of unsweetened almond milk (1g protein, 1g carbs, 15g fat)
Ice cubes (optional)
Total Calories: Approximately 170-180 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 13-16g, Carbs: 32g, Fat: 23-24g

Snack Idea 5: Almond Butter and Greek Yogurt
1 tablespoon of all-natural almond butter (3g protein, 3g carbs, 9g fat)
1/2 cup of Greek yogurt (12g protein, 6g carbs, 0g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150-160 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 15g, Carbs: 9g, Fat: 9g

Snack Idea 6: Cottage Cheese with Pineapple
3/4 cup of low-fat cottage cheese (21g protein, 9g carbs, 1g fat)
1/2 cup of diced pineapple (minimal protein, 13g carbs, 0g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150-160 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 21g, Carbs: 22g, Fat: 1g

Snack Idea 7: Cheese and Turkey Roll-Ups
1 ounce of low-fat cheese (6g protein, 0g carbs, 4g fat)
2 slices of low-sodium turkey breast (10g protein, 0g carbs, 1g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 140 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 16g, Carbs: 0g, Fat: 5g

Snack Idea 8: Hard-Boiled Eggs and Veggies
3 hard-boiled eggs (18g protein, 1g carbs, 15g fat)
1 cup of assorted sliced veggies (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 210-220 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 15g

Snack Idea 9: Ham and Cheese Roll-Ups
2 slices of low-sodium ham (10g protein, 1g carbs, 1g fat)
1 ounce of low-fat cheese (8g protein, 0g carbs, 4g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: 1g, Fat: 5g

Snack Idea 10: Greek Yogurt with Nuts
3/4 cup of Greek yogurt (18g protein, 9g carbs, 0g fat)
1 tablespoon of mixed nuts (2g protein, 2g carbs, 5g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 190 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 20g, Carbs: 11g, Fat: 5g

Snack Idea 11: Greek Yogurt with Berries
3/4 cup of low-fat Greek yogurt (18g protein, 12g carbs, 0g fat)
1/2 cup of mixed berries (minimal protein, 10g carbs, 0g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: 22g, Fat: 0g

Snack Idea 12: Cottage Cheese with Almonds
1/2 cup of low-fat cottage cheese (14g protein, 5g carbs, 1g fat)
1 tablespoon of almonds (2g protein, 3g carbs, 6g fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 160 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 16g, Carbs: 8g, Fat: 7g

Snack Idea 13: Hard-Boiled Eggs with Veggies
3 hard-boiled eggs (18g protein, 2g carbs, 15g fat)
Assorted sliced veggies (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 220 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: 2g, Fat: 15g

Snack Idea 14: Grilled Chicken Skewers
3 ounces of grilled chicken breast (25g protein, minimal carbs, 3g fat)
Assorted sliced vegetables (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 25g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 3g

Snack Idea 15: Shrimp Skewers
3 ounces of cooked shrimp (18g protein, 0g carbs, 1g fat)
Assorted sliced vegetables (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 1g

Snack Idea 16: Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
3 ounces of grilled shrimp (18g protein, 0g carbs, 1g fat)
Lettuce leaves for wrapping (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Sliced cucumbers, bell peppers, and carrots for added crunch and flavor (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 1g

Snack Idea 17: Grilled Chicken Lettuce Wraps
3 ounces of grilled chicken breast (25g protein, minimal carbs, 3g fat)
Lettuce leaves for wrapping (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Sliced tomatoes, onions, and avocado for added taste (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 150 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 25g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 3g

Snack Idea 18: Ground Turkey Lettuce Wraps
3 ounces of cooked ground turkey (18g protein, 0g carbs, 6g fat)
Lettuce leaves for wrapping (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Diced tomatoes, onions, and cilantro for added freshness (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 180 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 18g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 6g

Snack Idea 19: Ground Beef Lettuce Wraps
3 ounces of cooked lean ground beef (20g protein, 0g carbs, 6g fat)
Lettuce leaves for wrapping (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Sliced pickles, red onions, and mustard for a tangy kick (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 200 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 20g, Carbs: Varies, Fat: 6g

Snack Idea 20: Grilled Shrimp and Avocado Lettuce Wraps
3 ounces of grilled shrimp (18g protein, 0g carbs, 1g fat)
Lettuce leaves for wrapping (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Sliced avocado for creaminess and healthy fats (1g protein, 3g carbs, 6g fat)
Diced tomatoes and red onions for added flavor (minimal protein, carbs, and fat)
Total Calories: Approximately 180 calories
Macronutrient Breakdown: Protein: 19g, Carbs: 3g, Fat: 7g