Like a lot of people, I get the "munchies" or cravings for snacks pretty often. Most people snack on junk food that add too many calories and too few nutrients to our diets because they are fast / easy to get our hands on them. However, it doesn't have to be this way.
As I learnt from hubby and my personal trainers,
when done right, snacking can keeps your energy levels up and actually gives you more opportunities to get in all your nutritional needs throughout the day #eatclean #cheatclean
The key words are "when done right" though. If you're going to snack, you might as well snack on nutritious, high-protein snacks that are better than your typical nutritionally-poor titbits. Protein helps maintain muscle mass, promotes recovery
, keeps you fuller longer and is essential in any healthy diet.
These are currently my favourite
5 Healthy High-Protein Snacks I Love {in no particular order},
1. Quest Protein Bars
I've eaten a lot of protein bars through my swim training years and later through recommendations from hubby, and honestly, these are by far one of the best I've had in terms of nutritional value {20-21g of protein per bar, 4g net carb!} and flavour.
Some protein bars taste like cardboard but Quest bars taste like awesome candy bars and come in 16 delicious flavours!! So far, I've tried most of them -
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Cookies & Cream, S'mores, Double Chocolate Chunk, Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Strawberry Cheesecake, Apple Pie, Mixed Berry Bliss, PB & J, Peanut Butter Supreme and I think
Lemon Cream Pie.
All of them have a firm, chewy texture and some people recommend warming them in the microwave before eating. You can barely tell that they are not actual candy bars! The variety of chocolate flavours taste pretty similar, but my top 3 choices would be
Double Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter Supreme &
Apple Pie.
I like that they fulfill my sweet cravings while providing me with the protein and fiber I need. Quest bars are small yet big on nutrition and one bar is enough to keep me satisfied until my next meal or give me a quick energy boost after my workout.
I always keep a box at the office and a few in my gym bag. They already taste great on their own but some fans have gone one stop further to use them in other healthy dessert recipes. I've bookmarked them to try when I've more time!
2. Quest Protein Chips
With 21g of high-quality protein, only 5g of net carbs and 120 calories per bag, Quest Protein Chips are the first-ever {only??} high-protein potato chips you can enjoy at the gym, on-the-go, or as an anytime snack completely guilt-free.
Do note that on average, most chips have over 25g of carbohydrates, 10g of fat, 190+ calories, and negligible, if any, amount of protein.
For Quest chips, not only is the protein quality and total gram amount very high for what you’re getting, but the carb and fat content is also extremely low. Since one of my meal goals is to increase protein intake with minimal additional carbs and fats, these chips fit well into my overall diet.
Made mainly from a protein blend {milk protein isolate & whey protein isolate} and dried potatoes, Quest Chips come in 5 savoury flavours -
BBQ, Sea Salt, Cheddar & Sour Cream, Salt & Vinegar, and Sour Cream & Onion. Hubby and I usually get
Salt & Vinegar and
BBQ although I'd like to try
Cheddar & Sour Cream the next time we order.
They are like crunchy crisps and not overly salty too. Unlike the usual potato chips, they are thinner and lighter.. texture is kinda like papadums?
3. P28 Whey Protein Peanut Butter
In general, peanut butter is a healthy, energy-packed high-protein food. Although it is high in calories and fat, peanuts contain monounsaturated fat, which is much better for your heart than other types of fat. Peanuts are also a rich source of vitamin E and minerals like magnesium and copper. Many athletes consider peanut butter to be a super sports food.
However, since I need a protein-dense diet, I go for P28 Peanut Butter which is made 100% from whey isolate and has 14g of protein per 2 tablespoons {standard serving}, gluten-free and no sugar. In contrast, standard peanut butter has about 7g of protein for a standard serving which is still pretty decent, but if something else has less fat / carbs and has twice as much protein, I might as well go for that!
There are 5 interesting flavours available -
Classic, Almond {almonds & whey protein},
Banana Raisin, White Chocolate, Gingerbread and
Signature Blend. My favourite is the
Signature Blend which features a delicious blend of almond, peanut, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, cinnamon and whey protein.
It's very satisfying and satiating, although it does seem oilier than the usual peanut butter. As a snack, I like to just scoop a spoonful from the jar and eat it plain on their own ٩(◕‿◕)۶
4. Flapjacked Mighty Muffins
I like quick microwave desserts because I can just make one serving, and don't have to spend hours mulling over the it or have a lifetime of leftovers {see my recipe for
strawberry bread pudding} but they don't tend to be that healthy #oops
I'm so stoked that there's now protein-packed and high-fiber, single-serve muffins that can be made with the microwave available! And you don't even need to wash any dishes after! heh.. Simply add water, microwave for 35sec for a delicious, hot muffin that's so soft and moist. Yum yum yum...
Mighty Muffins are certified gluten-free, non-GMO and has 20g of protein {from whey protein isolate}, 6g of fiber and 220 calories in each serving {1 container}. Interestingly, these muffins have the added benefit of probiotics, which support immune health as part of a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
There are 2 flavours available -
Double Chocolate and
Cinnamon Apple. I think you know which flavour I like best haha.. For extra oomph, I like to add a spoonful {or 2!} of P28 Peanut Butter on top of my chocolate muffin #proteinpowercombi
5. MyProtein Pasta
I love eating Shirataki noodles!! Shirataki {しらたき} noodles are thin and gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam {devil's tongue yam}. "Shirataki" means "white waterfall" in Japanese and describes the appearance of these noodles. Largely composed of water and glucomannan, a water-soluble dietary fiber, they are very low in carbs and calories, and have little flavor of their own.
MyProtein Pasta is Shirataki noodles and has only 7 calories per serving. They are a great addition for anyone looking to lose fat. Like normal noodles, they fill you up pretty well without the added calories. By itself, you can't consider this as "high-protein" but the way I eat them, they are haha.
You can see how I cook and use them a lot in my meal-preps on
Facebook or Instagram {#AiFoodPrep}. Each box has 6 individual packets and as a quick snack, all I do is just rinse with water, add a dash of Bragg's Liquid Aminos {a healthier alternative to soy sauce but taste just like it} and eat with an egg or mince meat. A very fast, simple and delicious Asian snack.
All these healthy snacks can be found at
The Fitness Grocer, an online store based in Singapore. They provide a fantastic range of fitness-focused, nutritionally-balanced food for everyday living and bring in new items regularly. As the owners are athletes themselves, they understand to the need to eat clean and smart to fuel training and performance.
The Fitness Grocer is sole distributor to some of the best health food brands in Singapore too i.e. some of the things you find in their store, you cannot find elsewhere locally. Even then, their prices are pretty competitive and definitely beats ordering the products from overseas which may have exorbitant delivery charges and take forever to arrive.
They offer free delivery to Singapore addresses for purchases above S$75 and you can even choose to self-collect at Clementi if that's more convenient.
Hubby and I have been purchasing from them for almost a year already but recently, they got in touch with me to see if I'd like to share more about their products on the blog. I'm already a loyal customer, so of course I would! As a blogger, it is always a dream come true when brands you already adore approach you to work with them on projects o((*^▽^*))o
If you're
really into active living and healthy eating, I highly recommend that you check out their store and follow them on
Facebook for more promotions and fitness tips.
Are you eating enough protein in your meals?
What healthy snacks do you like to eat?
Disclosure: This is a review for The Fitness Grocer. All opinions are my own.
