The 10 Best High-Protein Snacks — Top-Rated Picks You Can Buy (2026)

The 10 Best High-Protein Snacks

The high-protein snacks people actually buy and rate highly — Quest, Chomps, Jack Link's, KIND and more. Each one clears a real protein bar, is checked so its macros add up to its calories, and comes with a plain reason it made the list. Want your daily protein target first? Run the protein calculator.

1. 1. Quest Nutrition Tortilla Protein Chips, Nacho Cheese — 18g protein, 150 cal, 330mg sodium per 1 bag, at Walmart. Rated 4.3/5 (7,551 reviews). Our most-reviewed pick — a baked tortilla chip with 18 g protein per bag for 150 calories, so you get real crunch without the empty carbs of a regular chip.
2. 2. Chomps Original Grass-Fed Beef Sticks — 9g protein, 90 cal, 290mg sodium per 1.15 oz, at Sprouts. Rated 4.9/5 (4,521 reviews). A near-perfect 4.9★ grass-fed beef stick with a short, clean ingredient list and no sugar — 9 g protein for 90 calories, and shelf-stable for a bag or desk drawer.
3. 3. IQ BAR Keto Protein Bars, Toasted Coconut Chip — 12g protein, 180 cal, 135mg sodium per 1, at Sprouts. Rated 4.7/5 (3,521 reviews). The cleanest pick on the list — plant-based, just 1 g sugar and low sodium, with 12 g protein and a 4.7★ rating across 3,500+ reviews.
4. 4. Jack Link's Original Beef Jerky — 13g protein, 80 cal, 590mg sodium per 1 oz, at Walmart. Rated 4.7/5 (3,223 reviews). The household-name classic — 13 g protein for 80 calories and a 4.7★ rating from thousands of shoppers. Sodium runs high (590 mg), as jerky does.
5. 5. KIND Protein MAX Bars, Caramel Peanut — 20g protein, 240 cal, 190mg sodium per 1, at Sprouts. Rated 4.2/5 (1,980 reviews). The most protein on the list — 20 g per bar with just 1 g sugar, from a recognizable better-for-you brand. The closest thing here to a meal replacement.
6. 6. Old Trapper Peppered Beef Jerky — 11g protein, 70 cal, 590mg sodium per 1 oz, at Walmart. Rated 4.7/5 (1,732 reviews). Bold smokehouse flavor for 70 calories and 11 g protein, with a loyal 4.7★ following. One of the saltier picks (590 mg), so pace it.
7. 7. Country Archer Teriyaki Beef Jerky — 10g protein, 70 cal, 220mg sodium per 1 oz (28g), at Raley's. Rated 4.6/5 (984 reviews). The lowest-sodium jerky here by a wide margin (220 mg) — all-natural, 10 g protein, 70 calories, and a 4.6★ rating. The pick for sodium-watchers.
8. 8. TRUBAR Key Lime Protein Bars — 12g protein, 190 cal, 70mg sodium per 1 bar (50 g), at Walmart. Rated 4.7/5 (978 reviews). A plant-based bar that eats like dessert — 12 g protein and the lowest sodium on the list (70 mg), at a 4.7★ rating. Higher sugar (8 g) is the trade-off.
9. 9. Bridgford Sweet Teriyaki Beef Jerky — 10g protein, 78 cal, 520mg sodium per 1, at Walmart. Rated 4.4/5 (658 reviews). Sweet-and-savory (Sweet Baby Ray's) jerky with 10 g protein for 78 calories and a solid 4.4★ rating — a crowd-pleaser if plain jerky is too austere.
10. 10. Pure Protein Popped Protein Crisps, Hickory BBQ — 12g protein, 156 cal, 330mg sodium per 36.0 g, at Walmart. Rated 4.4/5 (318 reviews). A baked, popped crisp that scratches the chip itch — 12 g protein for 156 calories and a savory alternative to yet another sweet protein bar.

How this list is built

Every product is selected from a large database of branded grocery items — popular, well-rated picks you can actually buy — then ranked by popularity among snacks that clear a real high-protein bar. Each item is checked so its protein, fat, and carbohydrate add up to its stated calories. MyPlate.food is independent and not affiliated with any retailer or the USDA.

What counts as a high-protein snack?

A practical bar is roughly 10 g of protein or more per serving, ideally with more protein than calories would suggest. Every pick here clears that bar — from beef sticks and jerky to protein chips and bars.

How are these ranked, and why is each one here?

We rank by popularity — aggregated shopper review counts and ratings — among products that first clear a real high-protein bar and pass a data check. Each pick also carries a short reason it earned its spot, drawn from its protein, sodium, sugar, ingredient quality, and rating.

Can I buy these on Amazon?

Yes. Every product is a recognizable national brand carried on Amazon — the "Shop" button (and the product name and photo) opens an Amazon search for that product. As an Amazon Associate we may earn a commission, which never affects the ranking.

Is jerky actually a healthy high-protein snack?

Jerky and beef sticks are genuinely protein-dense, but they're also higher in sodium — often 300 to 600 mg per serving. We show sodium on every pick and call it out in the reason, and the list mixes in lower-sodium options like protein bars and chips.

Where does this data come from?

A proprietary database of about 1.87 million branded grocery products from major US retailers, with nutrition facts, ingredients, ratings, and dietary tags. We validate and rank the data rather than republishing it raw, and we're independent — not affiliated with any retailer or the USDA.

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