6 High Protein Snacks for Building Muscle

Looking to gain muscle mass? Then you know that protein is essential for this process.

In fact, getting enough protein throughout the day is one of the key factors, along with strength training and consuming the right amount of calories, for muscle growth.

👉 You might be interested in: How to Gain Muscle?

How High-Protein Meals Boost Muscle Growth

When you consume high-protein meals, your blood amino acid levels rise, which in turn increases muscle protein synthesis. For muscle development, it's essential that muscle protein synthesis exceeds its breakdown (1,2,3).

Research suggests that to maximize muscle mass gain, an optimal protein intake is between 1.6 to 2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day (this recommendation assumes you're doing strength training) (1,4,5).

Moreover, it's ideal to spread your protein intake throughout the day rather than consuming it all in one or a few meals. Aim for each meal to provide between 0.4 - 0.55 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. This means you should have at least four meals a day to meet your total protein requirement (1,2,6).

That's why high-protein snacks are essential during this process. Use these 6 snack ideas to inspire your meal planning.

Remember, the Fitia app offers these and thousands of other snack ideas. In the app, you can also adjust ingredient quantities, add new ingredients, or remove ones you don't like, with nutritional information updating instantly based on your changes. Download Fitia for free here.

👉 You might be interested in: 7 Benefits of Proteins Backed by Science

1. Ham and Chicken Roll Ups

⌛️ Preparation time: 10 minutes

🍽 Servings: 4 rolls

🔥 Nutritional Information for 4 rolls (6.3 oz - 180 g)

• Calories: 219 kcal
• Protein: 35 g
• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Fat: 6 g

🍴 Ingredients for 4 rolls.

• Chicken breast - 2.5 oz (70 g) 
• Yogurt - 2 tbsp or 1.1 oz (30 g)  (we recommend you to choose low fat Greek yogurt)
• Ham - 2 slice or 2.1 oz (60 g) (we recommend you to choose turkey ham) 
• Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon or 0.5 oz (15 g)
• Mustard - 1 teaspoon or 0.2 oz (5 g) 

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. For this recipe it will be necessary to have the chicken previously cooked.
2. Grind the chicken with a food processor or chop very finely with a knife.
3. In a bowl, mix the natural yogurt with lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper.
4. Mix the shredded chicken with the dressing until a thick paste is formed.
5. Place the mixture on each slice of ham.
6. Roll up, cut in half and serve. You can decorate with some parsley leaves.

📲Open the recipe in Fitia here

2. Tuna and Egg Sandwich

⌛️ Preparation time: 15 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1 sandwich.

🔥 Nutritional Information per 1 sandwich (6.9 oz - 195 g).

• Calories: 363 kcal
• Protein: 30 g
• Carbohydrates: 37 g
• Fat: 10 g

🍴 Ingredients for 1 sandwich.

• Whole Egg - 1 count or 1.9 oz (55 g) 
• Tuna - Canned in Water - ½ can or 2.1 oz  (60 g) 
• Slice Bread - 2 slices or 2.8 oz (80 g)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Boil water in a small pot. Cook the egg for 10 minutes.
2. After that time, remove, drain, reduce the temperature with cold water and remove the shell.
3. Cut the egg into small pieces.
4. Drain and crumble the tuna and mix it with the chopped egg.
5. Assemble the sandwich by placing the tuna and egg on one of the breads. Cover with the other top.

📲Open the recipe in Fitia here

3. Blueberry Parfait

⌛️ Preparation time: 10 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1 parfait

🔥 Nutritional information per 1 serving (8.5 oz - 241 g)

• Calories: 226 kcal
• Protein: 19 g
• Carbohydrates: 19 g
• Fat: 8 g

🍴 Ingredients for 1 serving (8.5 oz)

• Blueberries - ¼ cup OR 1.3 oz (37 g) 
• Greek yogurt - ¾ cup or 6.3 oz (180 g)  (we recommend using a low-fat version)
• Oats - 1 tablespoon or 0.4oz  (10 g) 
• Coconut Oil - 1 teaspoon or 0.1 oz (3 g)  (we recommend you choose a cold-pressed coconut oil)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. For this recipe you can use coconut oil or whatever oil you have at home.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan and as soon as it gets hot, add the oatmeal. Toast over medium heat, and if desired, add stevia and/or cinnamon powder. Set aside.
3. Place the oatmeal in the base of a glass. Alternatively, you can sweeten the yogurt with stevia and/or combine with vanilla/cinnamon essence.
4. Place half of the yogurt and half of the blueberries in an interleaved manner.
5. Add the blueberries and serve chilled. You can garnish with a few mint leaves.
6. Remember that you can replace the stevia with the sweetener of your choice. For example: erythritol, sucralose, xylitol, monk fruit, etc.

📲Open the recipe in Fitia here

4. Ham and Bell Pepper Stuffed Eggs

⌛️Preparation time: 20 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1 serving

🔥 Nutritional Information per 1 serving (6.7 oz - 190 g).

• Calories: 255 kcal
• Protein: 20 g
• Carbohydrates: 4 g
• Fat: 17 g

🍴 Ingredients for 1 serving.

• Egg - 2 count or 3.9 oz (110 g)
• Ham - 1 slice or 1.1 oz (30 g) (we recommend you to choose turkey ham)
• Bell Pepper - 1/4 count or 1.1 oz
• Lemon Juice - 1 tablespoon or 0.5 oz 
• Olive Oil - 1/2 tablespoon or 0.2 oz

👨‍🍳Instructions: 

1. Place the egg in a pot of boiling water, boil for 8 to 10 minutes.
2. After the time, drain, remove the shell and cut in half.
3. Remove the yolks with a teaspoon and set aside.
4. Simultaneously, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat while chopping the mushrooms along with the garlic and ham.
5. When it comes to temperature, sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. In a bowl mix the sofrito with the egg yolks, one of the egg white halves and low-fat mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Fill the egg whites with the mixture, garnish with chopped tomato and some herbs of your choice. Serve.

📲Open the recipe in Fitia here.

5. Chicken, Cream Cheese and Tomato Toast

⌛️ Preparation time: 15 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1 toast

🔥 Nutritional Information per 1 toast (4.9 oz or 138 g).

• Calories: 282 kcal
• Protein: 24 g
• Carbohydrates: 19 g
• Fat: 12 g

🍴 Ingredients (for 1 toast)

• Chicken Breast - 2.8 oz (80 g)
• Whole Wheat Bread - 1 slice or 1.4 oz (40 g)
• Tomato - 2 slice or 0.7 oz (20 g)
•  Cream Cheese - 1 tablespoon or 0.5 oz (15 g) (if you can, choose a low-fat cream cheese)
• Oil - 1 teaspoon or 0.1 oz (3 g)  (we recommend choosing extra virgin olive oil)

👨‍🍳 Instructions:

1. Place the frying pan over high heat, while seasoning the chicken breast with salt and pepper.
2. Pour the oil and add the chicken. Cook 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat.
3. Once ready, remove and cut into slices.
4. Meanwhile, in another pan, toast the bread on both sides over medium-low heat. Be careful not to let it burn.
5. Spread the cream cheese on the toast.
6. Place the tomato slices and the chicken on top. Season with salt and pepper.
7. You can accompany with a few leaves of arugula and/or spinach.

📲Open the recipe in Fitia here

6. Protein Chocolate Pudding

⌛️ Preparation time: 8 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1 pudding

🔥 Nutritional Information per 1 pudding (7.8 oz 222 g).

• Calories: 220 kcal
• Protein: 21 g
• Carbohydrates: 29 g
• Fat: 5 g

🍴 Ingredients for 1 pudding

• Milk - ¾ cup or 6.3 oz (180 g) (we recommend choosing skim or semi-skim milk)
• Protein Powder - 1/2 scoop or 0.5 oz (17 g) (the one of your choice, we recommend a whey protein)
• Cocoa Powder - 1 tablespoon or 0.5 oz (14 g)
• Cornstarch - 1 tabloespoon or 0.4 oz (10 g) 
• Ground Cinnamon  - 1/2 teaspoon or 0.04 oz (1 g) of 
• Ground Cloves -1 teaspoon or 0.07 oz (2 g) 

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Dilute the cornstarch and whey protein in a small bowl with 1/3 of the cold milk.
2. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining milk over low heat and dissolve the cocoa, stevia, cinnamon powder and add the cloves.
3. When it is about to boil, remove the cloves and add the cornstarch and protein diluted in the milk.
4. Stir slowly until it starts to thicken and that's it.

📲Open the recipe in Fitia here