High Protein Vegan Snacks that Taste Outstanding
These days, almost everyone seems to follow a funky diet, and the world is adjusting along with us. Now you can grab a meatless burger, cheeseless cheese, and even ice cream without the cream! There are literally entire sections in the grocery store dedicated to animal-free foods - it’s about time.
Just look around - there’s never been a better time to eat a plant-based diet, and more people are getting on board with this lifestyle each year as they discover the benefits for their bodies and the planet. We’re pretty sure that passes the vibe check.
Still, vegans run into problems when the topic of protein comes up. If you’ve sworn off animal products of all kinds, you know that hitting your daily recommended amount of protein can put a serious wrench in your plans.
60 grams, 70 grams, 80 grams, even more? How are you supposed to do it when meat, eggs, and dairy are no longer on the table? Finding snackable protein sources for vegans is even trickier, especially when you’re hella busy, like most of us are.
That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to low carb, high-protein snacking for those vegans out there struggling to hit those daily goals. Read through this list and throw some of these things in your grocery cart the next time you’re shopping!
Grab-and-Go Snacks
If you’ve been living the vegan life for a while, you’re probably pretty familiar with the vegan section at your local grocery store. The chips, the puffs, the savory veggie strips - they all look so good in their packages and often have the taste to back it up.
These grab-and-go snacks have cute labels and are marketed to inspire good vibes, but when’s the last time you actually checked out the nutrition labels? You’re probably being shorted on protein when you eat the majority of vegan snacks from the store.
Take a closer look at these labels the next time you’re strolling the aisles, especially if you’re lagging in the protein department. Make sure that in each serving, you’re getting at least five solid grams of protein - hopefully, double that.
These types of vegan snacks are few and far between, so grab your laptop and start researching (and if you dive down a Wikipedia click-hole on the way, we don’t blame you)! Don’t avoid your favorite snacks if you don’t have to, but simply recognize that boosting your protein intake takes some deliberate effort.
Since protein tends to fill you up more than starch, you’ll find yourself snacking less when you make this adjustment, which is definitely a bonus if you’re prepping for bathing suit season.
Prioritizing whole foods like edamame, pistachios, or pumpkin seeds can help ensure that you're getting a healthy snack that doesn't require preparation.
You can even pack your own trail mix with dark chocolate chips, walnuts, popcorn, hemp seeds, or your other favorite treats for a snack that's high in taste and low in calories.
All-Natural Noshes
Maybe you’re backing off the store-bought snacks for a while and trying to make some magic happen in your home kitchen. This is a great way to make sure you get more protein in your diet and eat more mindfully in general!
Your first step is to load the fridge up with classic vegan protein sources like tofu, tempeh, and seitan (have you seen the recipes for making seitan on TikTok? Because we have, and it’s crazy). You should also fill the pantry with cans of chickpeas, white beans, lentils, and other legumes that deliver big on protein. Why not grab some grains while you’re at it? Quinoa is a favorite because of its stellar protein content, so start with that.
You’ve got the makings of a straight-up feast already, but your goal is to make snack-sized versions of your favorite vegan foods, so you have something to shovel down at any time of day.
How do you do this? Cut down the portion sizes and break out your inner chef like you would with non-vegan ingredients like meat and cheese!
For example, marinate your proteins in various sauces (sweet, spicy, whatever) and cut them into strips that can fit snugly in wraps or veggie vehicles. These cute little roll-ups fit perfectly into a baggy or sealed container, so you can take a bunch with you wherever you go.
You can also make some tasty grain bowls with your tofu or seitan that you can throw in your bag for when you head to the office or out on a day trip. Maybe these aren’t the most convenient snacks, but where there’s a will, there’s a way.
It’s also worth checking out some different ways to roast those chickpeas and beans to make your very own crunchy snacks from scratch. Use your favorite seasonings and quality olive or avocado oil to get that heavenly crispy exterior. Big batches are easy to make, and you’ll never be without a protein-packed snack when you leave home!
Pair these crunchy snacks with dips and a healthier alternative to tortilla chips. Make your own hummus with chickpeas, or craft a tasty guacamole with avocado, tomato, onion, and nutritional yeast.
There are also some easy, all-natural snacks that should always be within arm’s reach. Nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew) is a classic, and it pairs well with crackers, fruits, and veggies like celery. Say hello to snacking heaven!
Making your own high-protein vegan snacks requires some extra effort, but it’s well worth the work when you unlock your favorite flavor combos and master the process.
The Almighty Smoothie
If you’ve made the vegan commitment and but you aren’t making smoothies on the regular, what’s the hold up?
A delicious, protein-packed smoothie is amazingly easy to make and shouldn’t take more than a few minutes out of your day. Just learn the basics, and you can freestyle all kinds of smoothies that utilize anything in your fruit basket or veggie drawer in the fridge. And the best part is that if green juice seems weird as hell to you, when you make your own smoothie, you’re totally in control of the ingredients.
All you need to do is follow some simple steps, first loading your blender up with solids before adding liquids and extras. Sliced apples, bananas, spinach, flax seeds, peanut butter or almond butter, avocado - they all go in first, followed by your favorite dairy-free milk like coconut milk or soy milk, or water.
Add in a scoop of protein powder and maybe some nut butter for another boost of nutrition and flavor. Blend it all up, and you’ve got one of the world’s healthiest snacks in a matter of minutes!
Taking your smoothie on the road doesn’t have to be a hassle, as long as you have a protective thermos that retains cold temps and a fridge or cooler at your place of work.
If you’re not a morning person (we know we aren’t), the actual prep work of a smoothie is out of the question when you’re just trying to wake up enough to walk in a straight line, try making the smoothie the night before. You can freeze it into ice cubes, toss those back into the blender, and have a delicious, creamy smoothie without all the morning work.
Baker’s Delight
Some of the best protein superstar snacks can be baked in the comfort of your own kitchen, with ingredients that you probably already have in the house.
Thanks to quarantine, many of us have become master bakers. And guess what—your baked goods can be delicious and vegan, too, especially when they help you hit your protein goals.
Start off with some simple energy bar recipes that use nut butter, protein powder, and maybe some superfood ingredients like chia seeds or hemp hearts. Those little nuggets may not look very impressive (you’ll know what we’re talking about when you look at these lumpy brown things), but we promise that they’re yummy.
If bars aren’t your thing, try rolling up that dough into balls and coating them with seeds or chopped hazelnuts. These are dense snacks, so you really only need to pop one to get the job done.
You may be tempted to go overboard on the sugar or salt when making these goodies, but you don’t need much to achieve major flavor. If you’ve got a little sweet tooth, try to stick with natural sources like agave syrup, honey, or fruit such as dates or figs.
Protein granola is another great recipe to add to your baking repertoire. The components are easy to assemble, the process is simple, and you end up with a big batch of delicious, nutrient-dense granola that you can munch on anywhere, any time.
Learn the basics of granola-making so you understand the fundamentals, then start adding your own twists to the recipes. Nuts, seeds, and oats make for a great baseline, and you can work in those superfoods like goji berries and other favorites.
Some creative vegans also like to add some tahini to the mix for extra protein and flavor, while others make their own tofu crumble to take things to the next level. There are no rules when it comes to granola, so learn to love experimenting with different ingredients. You’ll quickly see that your homemade granola is leagues better than the store-bought stuff.
Rip Open a Bag
Every now and then, you’ll want an easy snack that takes no preparation or forethought—people are fundamentally lazy, and we’re totally cool with that. We understand - life moves fast, and you don’t always have time to make something from scratch!
After countless disappointments with the standard snack options, we at Outstanding Foods decided to put protein-packed snacks back on the menu for our vegan friends and family.
We formulated bagged snacks that taste phenomenal, are loaded with protein, and satisfy your craving for crunch. These Pig Out Pigless Pork Rinds were our first smash hit, so start with those if you want 25 grams of protein per bag!
After the success of Pig Out, we followed up with Outstanding Puffs - delicious classic snacks that also deliver on protein and complete nutrition. Just check out some of our no-nonsense flavors to see why everyone loves our stuff.
Vegans, it’s time to get lit, because with this list of foods, you can snack to your heart’s content while getting all the protein you need.
Sources:
32 Best Healthy Vegan Post-Workout Snacks High in Protein | nutriciously.com
Healthy High Protein Snacks | Healthline
21 High Protein Vegan Snacks to Crush the Munchies | Yurielkaim.com
