Treat yourself to the best protein snacks for a boost on-the-go

Gains galore!

A woman drinking a protein and fruit smoothie

by Isabel Martins |
Updated on

Alright, we'll be honest, getting 100, 150 or even a whopping 200 grams of protein every day is pretty difficult. And as most of us don't love eating cans of tuna for breakfast, we've learned to turn to protein powders and high-protein snacks instead.

What are protein powders?

For those who take fitness more seriously, protein powders are an essential component of the routine.

Protein powder is exactly what it says on the tin - concentrated powdered sources of protein. This is usually consumed in a shake form, or some of us like to bake it into our breakfast oats or mix it into our pancakes, too.

As important as it is to reach a certain amount of protein and track our macros, it's equally significant that the protein powder and snacks that we eat taste amazing, too. No one wants to be drinking or eating something they don't enjoy.

We've scoured the market for the best protein snacks available right now, and we've tried most of them (yes, it was a delicious task), so you won't have to eat bars that taste like drywall to find your new favourite.

We've rounded up the cream of the crop, and many of them taste like you're having a full-on dessert. Honestly, getting a high amount of protein in has never been so easy!

The best protein snacks of 2023

Editor's pick

With a whopping 20 grams of protein per chocolate slab, this chocolate bar is a fantastic way to indulge in any chocolate cravings, whilst also eating plenty of protein and meeting your macros.

Tried and tested, Isabel Martins: "I was in disbelief when I tried this. It tasted amazing, just like a normal piece of chocolate, I could easily have eaten more".

Nutritional info:

Calories: 438 kcal

Protein: 20g

Fat: 31g

Carbohydrates: 12g

Best sweet tasting

If you're into your fitness, chances are you'll have seen people rave about the Carb Killa bars. The brand offers several different flavours and each bar has 20 grams of protein per serving. This peanut butter and jelly is a relatively new flavour and we can confirm, it's delicious! Tried and tested, Isabel Martins: "Ideal if you have a sweet tooth, these are super indulgent and rich".

Nutritional info:

Calories: 230 kcal

Protein: 20g

Fat: 10g

Carbohydrates: 20g

Upbeat drinks aren't only seriously tasty, but they're very low in calories and packed with a minimum of 10g of protein. This mixed berry flavour is spot on when it comes to flavour and packed with 3000mg of BCAAs to support your muscles and reduce fatigue. Perfect for sipping on pre, post or during a workout.

Tried and tested by Health & Fitness writer, Bryony Firth-Bernard: "I love the drinks from Upbeat. Not only are all the flavours delicious, but it's such an easy way to get that all-important protein into your diet. There's three different flavours — zesty orange, tropical and mixed berry — that latter definitely being my favourite. It's just a delightful drink — basically like drinking squash — with great macros and little calories. Also, I like the fact I know it's helping me stay hydrated too. What's not to love?"

Nutritional info:

Calories: 62 kcal

Protein: 10g

Fat: 0g

Carbohydrates: 0g

Best protein snack for flavour and bulking

This tastes exactly like a dessert, and it comes with 15 grams of protein per serving. Ideal for anyone trying to up their protein intake, without compromising on the flavour. We would also recommend this for people bulking, as it has 28g of carbohydrates per serving, which is a higher than usual carb serving size per protein bars and snacks. Tried and tested, Isabel Martins: "Absolutely delicious. Tasted exactly like a decadent dessert".

Nutritional info:

Calories: 271 kcal

Protein: 15g

Fat: 11g

Carbohydrates: 28g

Recommended

Another amazing product from myprotein, it's super-rich and sweet, leaving you full for several hours. Similar to the other products in this roundup, it has 20 grams of protein per bar/serving. It also features a slightly lower fat percentage per serving than other protein snacks. Tried and tested, Isabel Martins: "Would completely recommend it, I also love that it's super filling".

Nutritional info:

Calories: 236 kcal

Protein: 20g

Fat: 9g

Carbohydrates: 20g

Best protein snack for high protein dose

If you don't want to go through the trouble of making your protein shakes, then these delicious Carb Killa Shakes can do the trick. As far as protein snacks go, it's relatively low cal and has a whopping 24 grams of protein per serving. Tried and tested, Isabel Martins: "Uber-sweet and delicious, it's ideal for anyone with a sweet tooth and I love that it has 24 grams of protein."

Nutritional info:

Calories: 198 Kcal

Protein: 24g

Fat: 7.3g

Carbohydrates: 8.9g

Recommended

If you love Reese's Peanutbutter cups, then you're going to need to try these. Whilst we admit they don't quite taste the same, they taste pretty close to the real thing. The only downfall is that it only has 6.5 grams of protein per cup, meaning you'd only be getting 13 grams of protein per serving. Tried and tested, Isabel Martins: "Really loved how much they tasted like Reese's, and that each pack comes with two peanut butter cups".

Nutritional info:

Calories: 126 kcal

Protein: 6.5g

Fat: 9.9g

Carbohydrates: 3.4g

Nutritional info:

Calories: 248 Kcal

Protein: 13g

Fat: 8.1g

Carbohydrates: 37g

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Isabel Martins is a Commercial Content Writer for WhatsTheBest, specialising in lifestyle and fitness topics. She also writes for Yours, Closer, heatworld, Modern Gardens and more.

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