Protein snacks for work

santa_nethy

Hi,

Any body have any good ideas for cheapish, simple protein snacks? I'm struggling to get my protein upto 30%.

I've heard almonds are good, but there seem to be different types. Ground almonds have similar carb and protein ratios

I used to buy Herbalife protein bars as they were recommended by my gym, and I do love the taste of them, but they're too expensive to have long-term.

Any ideas welcome! I work in an office, and don't fancy baking my own protein bars... I'm not great at cooking!
Thanks,
Catherine

Elen_Sia

Hard-boiled eggs.

katrwal

i get the blue diamond dark chocolate mint dry-roasted almonds - 24 almonds in a service, 160 calories, 5g protein - taste like thin mint girl scout cookies - the bag at my grocery store is about $6, and there are usually at least 8 servings per bag.

CLDKess

low fat beef snack stick
cottage cheese
string cheese

Cpsnisi

Boiled eggs
Low fat cottage cheese

santa_nethy

As I said I'm not great at cooking... do you peel the egg shell after hard boiling the egg?
http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/eggs/how-to-boil-an-egg.html

We have chickens so there are always eggs around

These blanched almonds seem to have a higher protein count than carbs, but then they are high in fat, good fats though http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=254914365

taylor5877

bars aren't likely to help, unless you eat really high protein meals outside of work.

Nuts suck...good luck catching up on the fat...

beans, same as nuts, too many carbs

(disclaimer right here...nuts and beans are good foods to have in a healthy diet. However, in a high protein diet you'll realize quickly that they are not great sources of protein. They are fat and carb sources, respectively)


I personally have whey powder, casein powder, muscle milk (40% protein, basically a "meal replacement"), no sodium added canned fish, and some precooked chicken breast fajitas in the freezer.

To reitterate, you'll have hell hitting 30% protein if you down 2 servings of nuts as your high protein snack.

Bars typically are around 25% protein at best...so they'd still put you behind on your macros leaving you with likely having to eat an almost pure protein source (chicken breast not cooked in oil for example) with a green vegetable or no side at all to "catch up" on your macros at one of your meals (assuming 3 squares with snacks model).

zoeluiisa

I struggle with this too. I don't eat protein shakes or bars as I'm not crazy about mysterious ingredients. I'll eat a banana, or a bit of cheese, but other than that I'm a bit stuck. Just try to have protein in my lunch and not really snack, but if anyone's got a better idea I'd love to hear it!

alpine1994

I take these to work almost every day:

Special K Protein Meal Bar (my favorite is strawberry) for breakfast. They are $1 each at grocery store and 170 cals.
Breakstone's cottage cheese doubles. fav is pineapple and apples & cinnamon, each has 100 cals
Emerald cocoa roast almonds, the 100 calorie packs are perfect
Chobani greek yogurt - this is my afternoon snack to power me thru my workout after work!
beef jerky
salads with lots of spinach and grilled chicken on top (easiest way to get a LOT of protein)
low sodium lunch meat

sometime's I'll have a protein shake (just protein powder and almond milk) after a workout if I need to get more calories/protein in.

CLDKess

They have them ready grocery store

McLifterPants

Do you have a fridge at work? I eat a ton of fat free greek yogurt. At home I eat the plain kind with some added honey and fruit, but for an easy work snack, the flavored ones by Fage are pretty decent. My favorite is the apple cinnamon!

santa_nethy

Yeah there is a fridge... although the last time I put a yoghurt in there it mysteriously disappeared!

Thanks, cottage cheese on ryvita might be a go-er, as well as fat free greek yoghurt. I used to have that with my granola in the morning, but have switched to fat free natural yoghurt. Maybe time to switch back. Think I'll get some almonds as well though.

I always tend to go for chicken as my main meat to get protein, but I don't have this everyday. I'd get sick of it.

I'll have a look for fage yoghurt - are you based in UK - hopefully you are so I can get it!
Thanks everyone

celtic_girl

In Asda and Sainsburys I buy crudites with cheese and chive dip. They also have crudites with hummous but I don't like hummous. Both packs are about 100 calories and low carb and cost £1 each. I find them quite filling.

JenaePavlak

I make banana protein "muffins" only 125 cals each, 8g protein, 1g fat, 21g carbs

I eat one before I run (for lunch) and one after lifting at the gym..

The recipe is on my blog..
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/JenaeSmith/view/banana-protein-muffins-399738

santa_nethy

What are crudites?

suzmagana

I keep tuna in my desk drawer. For those days that I didn't pack my lunch well, I have that to fall back on when I get hungry in afternoon.

Drussander

I make beef jerkey using a dehydrator and buy lean meat on sale. It makes a great protein snack.

santa_nethy

Yeah tuna is good - I have tuna salad for lunch a few times a week. I love it!

aguilla112

I'd say hard-boiled eggs are good. But in my opinion, nothing is better than a quality protein powder, whether whey, egg, soy or hemp.
I would honestly stay away from Muscle Milk, EAS (basically the stuff that you can find in the service station cooler).
Optimum Nutrition is the best to me, but they do cost a bit more. Another good brand is Isopure. They tend to cut down on the sugar and fillers. GNC's Wheybolic brand is also pretty good, as well as Bodybuilding.com's protein line.
Hope this helps.

DarkFlutter

I have Nature Valley brand Protein bars that I keep in my desk.
Muscle Milk is also good as it has 20-25g depending on if it's light or not.

MissyMissy18

Right now, at work, I am eating a "snack pack" bag of seapoint farms shelled edamame.

90 cal, 8 carb, 2.5 fat, 8 protein for one serving (there are 2 servings in a bag)

omnomnomnomnomnomn

zoeluiisa

What are crudites?

Chopped raw veg for dipping. Carrot sticks etc.

MissyMissy18

Also turkey jerky (if you don't mind the sodium), string cheese, cottage cheese, soynuts, or a hard boiled egg make great proteiny snacks

MissyMissy18

I make beef jerkey using a dehydrator and buy lean meat on sale. It makes a great protein snack.

what is a dehydrator, and where can I get one!?

LesleeBeAlive

IF you drink protein at all there is a good super quick protein ball recipe I can give ya


If not here it is for anyone else interested.

Makes 14 balls.
1 scoop chocolate protein
1/2 cup natural peanut butter, ( I have used Jiff regular but its chunky and doesn't cream awell)
1/4 cup Agave, (You can use honey, the thickness makes the creamy a little slow)
3Tbls of Oatmeal (You can use Flax seed, I just don't have any nor can I find any..)

Mix it all together and roll into balls Put int he ridge to harden a little bit and you are good to go!
83 cals with the Natural PB and Agave
123 With Jiff and Honey.

zoeluiisa

Yeah there is a fridge... although the last time I put a yoghurt in there it mysteriously disappeared!

Thanks, cottage cheese on ryvita might be a go-er, as well as fat free greek yoghurt. I used to have that with my granola in the morning, but have switched to fat free natural yoghurt. Maybe time to switch back. Think I'll get some almonds as well though.

I always tend to go for chicken as my main meat to get protein, but I don't have this everyday. I'd get sick of it.

I'll have a look for fage yoghurt - are you based in UK - hopefully you are so I can get it!
Thanks everyone

I'm in the UK - Fage is called Total here. It's the one you get everywhere in the white tub with blue writing.

jessicahelene

Yeah I agree with a previous poster... nuts are not a good source of protein, sorry. They are delicious and healthy but not going to up your protein very much.

I do get some protein from shakes (2 shakes a day... 24g each shake and we buy the 10lb bags of Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard protein powder and mix with water. Vanilla Ice Cream flavor is the best)

Edamame is packed with protein and fiber and is very yummy. We buy it frozen at our grocery store and boil or steam it.

Greek yogurt and string cheese are good dairy options.

I buy the Luna protein bars sometimes and you can usually find coupons for those on ebay.com for 50 cents off per bar which my kroger doubles so it ends up being free with the coupon...

Also I have been cooking a whole chicken in the crockpot on the weekend (get the gross stuff out of the inside, place in crock pot, put garlic powder and paprika on it and cook it on low for 7 hours). Then shredding up the meat and taking that to work for lunch or snack to up my protein.

White fish is a good source of lean protein as well.

Hope that helps!

edited for error

livityliv

I just had my high protein snack at work....I find it really does keep me full until dinner. My go to is a fat free Greek yogurt of some kind (usually 12-14g protein depending on brand) with a half cup serving of Hi-Lo Cereal (12 grams protein) mixed in for a little crunch! The cereal is also high fiber, and really fills me up. Not all grocery stores carry it, but a good sub might be Kashi Go Lean if you can't find Hi-Lo. Today, my snack totaled 220 calories and 24 grams protein.

erinmick2

I'm sure these are all ideas that have been posted, but...

-Cottage cheese
-Greek yogurt
-String cheese
-Morningstar burgers (usually around 100 calories and about 10g protein)
-Smashed banana with vanilla protein powder... yummy!!

Also, I found these protein chips from Kay's Naturals that go great with hummus or on their own. You can get a box of 12 on Amazon for like $10 and each bag has about 10-12g protein.

http://www.kaysnaturals.com/about.html

jesss5885

hard boiled egg whites
apple/peanut butter
peanut butter
anything with peanut butter!
protein shakes (i've made them the night before and brought them to work for an afternoon snack)

yecatsml

Tuna
Cottage Cheese
Greek Yogurt
Diced chicken
Protein shakes
Hard Boiled Eggs

I do a yummy mix of 1/3C cottage cheese, 1/3C plain greek yogurt, chia seeds, flax meal and some cinnamon! (a few drops of vanilla stevia if I'm craving sweet)