You should be eating breakfast, lunch, dinner–all low carb/high protein.  However, you are supposed to eat every 3-4 hours, so you need a snack before lunch, before dinner and after dinner…..6 protein meals in all for the day.  What could you have as a protein snack?

15 Protein Snack ideas:

1.  Skim or low-fat cheese sticks or mini Baby Bells.  No carbs and about 80 calories in one.

2.  Hard-boiled egg.  No carbs and about 70 calories in one.

3.  Turkey slices.   4 ounces.  About 2-4g carbs and about 140 calories.

4.  A quarter cup of nuts.   About 4-9g carbs.  About 180-200 calories.    (25 pistachios is about 100 calories)

5.  Cottage Cheese with Nuts or Flaxseed.   Cottage cheese is packed with energy-boosting lean protein.  Sprinkle two tablespoons of ground flaxseed or one tablespoon of nuts on a half cup of fat-free or 1 percent reduced-fat cottage cheese for a nutritious, filling snack. 4-7g of carbs.  130-140 calories.

6.  Two tablespoons of peanut butter or almond butter (on celery or on a spoon).  About 6g of carbs, 150 calories.

7.  A cup of Edamame.  About 12g of carbs.  About 15o calories.

8.  Veggies with Guacamole or Hummus
Guacamole and hummus (made from nutrient-rich, high-fiber chickpeas) both make great snacking dips. Try a quarter cup of either with sliced vegetables for your next mid-afternoon pick-me-up.  13g of carbs, 120-150 calories.

9.  Sunflower seeds, half a cup of shelled ones— is a good snack-sized portion.  4g of carbs, 120 calories.

10.  Sliced cucumbers, baby carrots, or pepper strips and pair with a half cup of nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese.  10g of carbs (the veggies mostly) and 110 calories.

11.  Sliced small apple and topping it with a level tablespoon of natural peanut butter.  22g of carbs (the peanut butter is 3g per tablespoon..it is the apple that carries the carbs here.  166 calories.

12.  Six-ounce container of calcium-rich non-fat plain or artificially sweetened yogurt with two tablespoons of ground flaxseed . For added variety, swap the flaxseed for 1 tablespoon chopped almonds, pecans, or walnuts.  Greek Yogurt (depending on the brand, has less carbs–like Dannon Lite and Fit GREEK.  150 calories, 20 g carbohydrates.  And most PLAIN Greek Yogurts are very low in carbs.

13.  Sugar-free ice popsicles.  4g of carbs, 15 calories.

14.  Sugar-free baked items.  Examples:  http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/chocolate-angel-food-cake.aspx, http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/sour-cream-coffee-cake-with-cinnamon-and-walnuts.aspx and http://www.joybauer.com/healthy-recipes/chocolatehazelnut-biscotti.aspx and my recipe https://skinny-rules.com/2013/05/28/you-can-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too/

15.  Smart Carb frozen dessert (ice cream)