The 15 best healthy snacks for weight loss

Is eating a snack a good strategy for healthy weight loss? The truth is that it can be helpful for some but not for others. What you snack on also matters — a lot. We believe the best snacks provide plenty of protein per calorie, fit the diet you follow, and work with your lifestyle.

In this guide, we’ll let you know how to make smart snack choices. Plus, we’ll share the foods we think are the 15 best healthy snacks for weight loss.

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Is snacking beneficial for weight loss?

Research on how snacking affects weight loss is mixed. While several studies suggest that people lose similar amounts of weight whether they snack or not, one trial found that eating two large meals a day was more effective than eating several small meals daily.¹ On the other hand, eating protein-based snacks was found to provide a weight loss edge in some trials.²

Snacking’s impact on weight loss can vary among individuals. Some people may be more successful when eating smaller meals with a snack or two, while others may do better if they eat two or three larger meals without any snacks.

How do you know which approach applies to you?

Having a healthy snack can be a smart move if you get hungry between meals — especially if your last meal was low in protein or calories and your next one is a few hours away.

Depending on your diet and how active you are, you may even get hungry between meals that contain adequate protein and calories. Therefore, a healthy snack may keep you on track and prevent unhealthy snacking or overeating at the next meal.

However, many people snack for reasons other than hunger, such as habit.³ If you’re accustomed to having a snack at a certain time every day, you may reach for it even though you’re not truly hungry.

Other common reasons for non-hunger-related snacking include boredom, anxiety, and the wide availability of tempting snack foods.

The bottom line? While snacking can be helpful under certain circumstances, it isn’t necessary. If you’re not hungry between meals, don’t snack.

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Choosing snacks for healthy weight loss 

How can you select the best snacks for weight loss? Choose healthy weight loss foods, which minimize calories while maximizing nutrition and satiety, which is the feeling of being comfortably full and satisfied. These foods share some common features, including:

• High protein percentage: Foods that promote healthy weight loss get a high percentage of their calories from protein. This nutrient supplies the essential amino acids your body needs to maintain muscle and perform many other important functions.⁴ Studies show that getting plenty of protein can also help you feel full, keep your metabolism up, and lose body fat.⁵
  A food’s protein percentage tells you how much of its calories come from protein instead of fat and carbs.⁶ To lose weight in a healthy way, we recommend that you mainly eat foods — including snacks — that provide plenty of protein per calorie.
• Low energy density: “Energy density” refers to the calories (or energy) in a specific weight of food. It is typically expressed as the number of calories per gram of food (calories/gram). The lower the number, the fewer calories a given amount of food contains.

  A food’s energy density is based on its protein, carbohydrate, fat, water, and fiber content. Foods containing a lot of water or fiber have lower energy densities than those with less water and more fat.

  This is because protein and carbs each provide 4 calories per gram, fat provides 9 calories per gram, water provides zero calories per gram, and fiber is estimated to provide less than 1 calorie per gram.⁷ Examples of foods with very low energy densities are above-ground vegetables and low-sugar fruit.

  According to studies, when people eat mostly foods with low energy densities, they often naturally take in fewer calories than they do when they eat mostly high energy density foods.⁸

• High in fiber: Studies suggest that fiber — the non-digestible portion of carbs found in plants — can help people feel full, eat less, and absorb slightly fewer calories from mixed meals.⁹

  These trials tested fiber’s effects in people who were eating standard (higher carb) diets. So, whether keto and low-carb eaters will also experience these potential benefits is unclear. However, because fiber is bulky and stretches the stomach, it may help you feel fuller short-term, no matter what diet you follow.

When selecting snacks, it’s also important to choose foods that fit the diet you follow, whether it’s low carb, keto, high-protein, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, or any combination of these weight loss approaches.

Finally, the best snacks for healthy weight loss will work with your lifestyle. You might be able to portion out a chilled snack from your fridge at home or heat up something in the microwave at work. But If you have little time to prepare snacks or won’t have access to refrigeration or appliances, you’ll need shelf-stable, grab-and-go options. 

No matter what your eating preference and needs, we’ve got you covered with plenty of snacks in the next section!

	Dark green	Light green	Yellow	Orange-red	Red
Protein percentage	51 to100%	31 to 50%	21 to 30%	10 to 20%	Less than 10%
Energy density	0.1 to 1.0 calories/gram	1.1 to 2.3 calories/gram	2.4 to 3.5 calories/gram	3.6 to 5.0 calories/gram	More than 5.0 calories/gram

For healthy weight loss, choose mostly foods with protein percentages and energy density ranges in the green columns.

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The 15 best snacks for healthy weight loss

All of our best healthy weight loss snacks have at least 10 grams of protein and no more than 160 calories per snack-sized serving.

We’ve included each snack’s nutrition information, protein percentage, and energy density.¹⁰ Plus, we let you know whether it’s a good fit for your weight loss approach and lifestyle.

In no particular order, here are our 15 best snacks for healthy weight loss.

1. Plain Greek yogurt

Creamy Greek yogurt is packed with protein, calcium, and other minerals. In some studies, eating more dairy foods has been found to boost weight loss.¹²

Should you choose nonfat, low-fat, or full-fat dairy products to lose weight? Although non-fat and low-fat Greek yogurts provide more protein for fewer calories, it’s fine to opt for full-fat if you prefer the taste, especially if you eat a low-carb or keto diet.

Enjoy Greek yogurt alone or mixed with a bit of cinnamon, vanilla, and optional sweetener, if you like.

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2. Turkey pepperoni

Regular pepperoni is a tasty and convenient snack, but its protein percentage is only 20%. For a weight-loss-friendly alternative, go for turkey pepperoni. You’ll get the same zesty flavor as traditional pepperoni with a lot more protein per calorie. And it’s a compact, portable snack you can take anywhere.

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3. Black beans with salsa

Beans and legumes provide protein and fiber that can help you feel full.¹³ If your eating plan allows more carbs, try black beans and salsa for a high-fiber, plant-based snack with a bit of heat.

It’s a snap to prepare: Simply take ¾ cup of canned black beans and mix with 2 tablespoons of your favorite salsa.

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4. Smoked salmon

Salmon is rich in protein and several vitamins and minerals. Like sardines and other oily fish, salmon is an excellent source of omega-3 fats, which some studies have credited with potential health benefits.¹⁴

Smoked salmon is cured in salt for several days, smoked at a low temperature, packaged, and sold ready to eat. It needs to be refrigerated, so choose canned (cooked) salmon instead if you want a shelf-stable snack with the same nutritional profile.

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5. Dry-roasted edamame

Edamame is another name for green soybeans. Unlike most plant proteins, soy is considered to be a complete protein source because it provides all nine essential amino acids in the amounts your body needs.¹⁵

During dry roasting, edamame loses a lot of its water. The result is a crunchy snack that’s more concentrated in protein than steamed edamame. 

Dry-roasted edamame is usually seasoned with sea salt. If you prefer it spicy, go for a wasabi-flavored version.

6. Cottage cheese with berries

Tangy cottage cheese is made by adding bacteria to milk, which causes casein (a protein) to curdle or form curds. The curds then separate from the whey, resulting in the familiar lumpy texture of this popular dairy food. 

Like Greek yogurt, cottage cheese comes in nonfat (0%), low-fat (1% or 2%), and regular or full-fat (4%) versions. Since all types of cottage cheese have high protein percentages and low energy densities, they’re all excellent healthy weight loss options. 

While cottage cheese is good on its own, we also like it paired with berries for a bit of sweetness and fiber.

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7. Seitan (vital wheat gluten)

Seitan is an excellent protein-rich meat substitute for people who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. It is made from gluten (a protein) but contains very few carbs, unlike bread and other grain-based products.

People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid gluten. But if you tolerate gluten and are looking for a protein-rich plant-based snack, seitan is a good option. 

Seitan is typically seasoned with soy sauce and sold at natural markets and some grocery stores. You can find it in the refrigerated section, right next to the tofu. Heat it up on the stove or in the microwave after seasoning with spices, wasabi, or other seasonings.

8. Turkey and cheese roll-ups

Deli meat with cheese is a quick, tasty snack with minimal carbs. However, many processed meats like salami and bologna don’t provide much protein per calorie. For a healthy weight loss snack, reach for better options like sliced turkey, roast beef, or lean ham. 

To make a roll-up, place one slice of cheese on top of a slice of deli meat, roll up, and enjoy.

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9. Hard-boiled eggs

Eggs are versatile, inexpensive, and packed with protein and other essential nutrients. In studies, eating eggs has been found to help people feel full and satisfied.¹⁷

Hard-boiled eggs make a great snack to eat at home or on the go. Boil them ahead of time and grab a couple when you need them. Just sprinkle with salt and pepper and dig in.

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10. Canned tuna

Tuna is a popular fish that provides a lot of protein per calorie. When canned, it makes a convenient, economical snack that’s ideal for healthy weight loss. 

Like all canned fish, tuna is cooked, and you can eat it straight from the can or tin. Sprinkle it with salt, herbs, or even a little mayo if you don’t love it plain.

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11. Zero-sugar beef jerky

Beef jerky and dried meat sticks are excellent portable snacks. Although many brands are made with sugar, sugar-free versions exist. Choose beef jerky and meat sticks that provide at least 10 grams of protein per serving. Check nutrition labels for carb counts, especially if you follow a keto or low-carb diet.

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12. Tempeh

Soy products are a good source of high-quality plant protein. Some studies suggest that eating soy may help people lose weight.¹⁸

Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans that are pressed together in a block, which can be sliced like tofu. However, tempeh is firmer and has a lumpier texture than tofu because it contains soybeans that have been split rather than ground soybean curds.

Tempeh is prized for its nutty, earthy flavor. ​​You’ll find it in the refrigerated section of most grocery stores, near the tofu. Steam or pan-fry tempeh straight from the package, or apply your favorite marinade or dry rub before cooking.

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13. Cheese with cucumber slices

Cheese with sliced cucumber is a great healthy weight loss combo that can help tide you over to your next meal.

However, cheese is a food that can be tough to stop eating because it’s so tasty. So cut a slice for your snack and put the rest away to avoid going overboard.

Below, we’ve paired part-skim mozzarella cheese with cucumber to keep the protein percentage of this snack above 35%.  Use full-fat cheese if you prefer.

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14. Nonfat Greek yogurt with chopped apple

As described in snack #1, plain nonfat Greek yogurt provides a lot of protein per calorie. Why list it again here? Because when you pair it with chopped apple, you get a delicious, healthy weight loss snack that deserves its own spot. 

Based on your preferences, feel free to replace the apple with an equal amount of berries, pear, or other fruit.

Although Greek yogurt with fruit is too high in carbs for keto and most low-carb diets, it can work well with most other dietary approaches.

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15. Lupini beans

Italian lupini beans are similar to chickpeas (garbanzo beans) in taste and texture, but they’re shaped more like lima beans. Like all beans, lupini beans (lupins) provide protein and fiber. However, because lupins are also low in net carbs, they’re a good snack for most diets.

They’re usually pickled in brine, which gives them a salty, tangy taste. Lupini beans come ready to eat in jars and convenient snack pouches.

Summary

In some cases, the best snack may be no snack. If you’re not hungry, there’s no need to eat in between meals — especially if you want to lose weight.

But if you are hungry and feel as though you need a snack, make sure to choose one that maximizes satiety per calorie, fits your dietary approach, and works well with your lifestyle.

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