High-protein snacks under 100 calories
Every snack we track at 100 calories or less, ranked by protein per calorie, plus a few that just miss.
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"Under 100 calories" is one of the most common snack filters there is, and it's a useful one if you're trying to keep protein up without eating much. The catch: most 100-calorie packs are crackers, cookies and chips with almost no protein in them. So we went through all 143 products on our leaderboard and pulled out every one with a published serving of 100 calories or less, then ranked them by grams of protein per 100 calories.
The honest headline first: only 8 of our 143 products make the cut, from 6 distinct products by 4 brands (Chomps, Oikos, StarKist, siggi's). Protein snacks are usually built bigger than 100 calories. But the ones that fit are very good.
High-protein snacks at 100 calories or less
| # | Item | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Leaderboard rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | StarKist Light Tuna in Water (2.6 oz pouch) 1 pouch (74 g) | 17 g | 70 | 24.3 | #1 | label |
| 2 | StarKist Albacore White Tuna in Water (2.6 oz pouch) 1 pouch (74 g) | 17 g | 80 | 21.2 | #4 | label |
| 3 | siggi's Skyr – Plain Nonfat 3/4 cup (170 g) | 19 g | 100 | 19.0 | #15 | label |
| 4 | Oikos Pro Shot (3 flavors) Mango, Mixed Berry, Strawberry · 1 bottle (93 mL) | 10 g | 60 | 16.7 | #33–35 | label |
| 5 | StarKist Premium White Chicken (2.6 oz pouch) 1 pouch (74 g) | 13 g | 80 | 16.2 | #36 | label |
| 6 | Chomps Turkey Sticks – Original / Pepperoni 1 stick | 12 g | 80 | 15.0 | #50 | label |
Flavors with identical label numbers are grouped. Leaderboard rank is out of all 143 products.
What stands out
A tuna pouch is the best snack on the whole site. The StarKist Light Tuna in Water (2.6 oz pouch) has 17 g of protein for 70 calories, or 24.3 per 100 calories. That's #1 out of all 143 products, not just in this list. The albacore pouch (21.2) and StarKist's chicken pouch (16.2) are also here. If you can eat a snack with a fork, these are hard to beat.
Plain skyr gives you the most protein under the limit. siggi's Skyr – Plain Nonfat is exactly 100 calories for a 3/4 cup (170 g) serving, with 19 g, the most protein of anything in this list. It scores 19.0, so it's nearly as efficient as the tuna, and it's a lot easier to eat at a desk.
The smallest option is a yogurt shot. Oikos Pro Shots are just 60 calories a bottle with 10 g of protein (16.7). Ten grams isn't a lot, but if you want something tiny between meals, nothing we track is lower in calories. All three flavors have the same numbers.
The most portable pick is a meat stick. Chomps Turkey Sticks – Original / Pepperoni are 12 g for 80 calories (15.0). That's the lowest score in this list, but it's still higher than any protein bar we track except David Gold. We have a brand-site price for these: $2.56 a stick, or $2.13 per 10 g of protein.
Just over the line: 101 to 130 calories
If you can stretch the budget a little, a few more strong options open up:
| # | Item | Protein | Calories | Protein / 100 cal | Leaderboard rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chick-fil-A Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) 1 item (as listed) | 25 g | 130 | 19.2 | #11 | label |
| 2 | Oikos Pro Drink (3 flavors) Mango Pineapple, Peach, Strawberry Banana · 1 bottle (207 mL) | 23 g | 120 | 19.2 | #12–14 | label |
| 3 | Oikos Pro Yogurt Cup (7 flavors) Vanilla, Strawberry, Mixed Berry, Peach, Cherry, Banana, Key Lime · 1 cup (150 g) | 20 g | 130 | 15.4 | #40–46 | label |
| 4 | siggi's Skyr – Vanilla Nonfat (5.3 oz cup) 1 cup (150 g) | 16 g | 110 | 14.5 | #51 | label |
Oikos Pro Drinks add 60 calories over a Pro Shot but more than double the protein (23 g). Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets (8 ct) sneak in at 130 calories with 25 g, which makes them the only restaurant item anywhere near this list. See our Chick-fil-A ranking for the rest of that menu.
How to use this list
- Most protein per calorie: tuna pouches, then plain skyr.
- Smallest snack: an Oikos Pro Shot.
- Bag or desk drawer: meat sticks or tuna pouches, which don't need a fridge before opening. Check the package for storage after opening.
- Want something dessert-like? None of the bars, pastries or donuts we track fit under 100 calories. The flavored Oikos Pro Shots are the closest thing to a treat here. See our yogurt ranking.
What's missing
Lots of classic low-calorie protein snacks aren't on our leaderboard yet: hard-boiled eggs, string cheese, cottage cheese cups, edamame, turkey slices and jerky. That's a gap in our data, not a judgment on them. If you want one added, tell us via the steps in how we rank.
Caveats
The 100-calorie cut is for the serving as the brand lists it: 3/4 cup (170 g) for the skyr and 1 pouch (74 g) for the tuna. Eat more and you eat more calories. Numbers are from labels, which round. Prices are from the brand's site at the pack size shown on the leaderboard, not store prices.
See every product side by side on the full leaderboard.
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Disclaimer: All numbers come from manufacturer labels, brand websites and restaurant nutrition pages on the dates shown on the leaderboard. They can change without notice, vary by location, flavor or customization, or differ from the product in your hand. Always check the current label. This article is general information only and is not medical, dietary or health advice.