As a longterm juggler of mutiple dietary requirements, I know how tricky it can be to get adequate nutrition when dealing with lots of moving parts. I recently published a roundup post high protein low FODMAP snacks, so today we are doing the same with gluten free high protein snacks.
I am dividing this post into three categories for ease of use. First: store bought high protein snacks. Second: gluten free high protein snack ideas. Finally: gluten free high protein snack recipes you can make at home.
Gluten free high protein store bought snacks
The allergen content of store bought snacks will differ in various countries around the world. Make sure you read the label before buying! If you are coeliac, look for a gluten free certification to ensure what you are buying is free from contamination.
Meat sticks, biltong and some jerky
If you eat meat, these snacks are an easy way to sneak in a good amount of protein. Check the labels to be sure that the brand you are buying is gluten free, of course, as not all products are gluten free. Original flavours are generally the safest bet as some spice mixes contain gluten. Jerky is often made with soy sauce, so be sure to check the label to ensure it is gluten free. Some gluten free brands at the time of writing include:
- Chief Nutrition (all of the range here)
- Kooee brand (all flavours in the jerky and beef sticks)
- Barbells biltong and meat sticks
- Chomps meat sticks
Dried legume snacks
If you are lucky enough not to have low FODMAP constraints, dried legume snacks are an easy way to get fibre and protein in at once. Dried edamame, chickpeas and fava beans are all great options and some in some great flavours these days. In Australia, I like The Only Bean edamame snacks and The Happy Snack company fava bean snacks.
High protein Greek yoghurt
As long as we’re not doing any outlandish flavours, high protein yoghurts are generally gluten free. I like Chobani for a portable sized snack. In Australia, there are also some dairy free high protein yoghurts on the market these days. I haven’t tried them yet but they are an option if you need to be dairy free as well. Make sure you read the label to ensure it remains gluten free.
High protein yogurt drinks are also an option, provided they are gluten free. Check the label to be sure!
Protein puddings and milks
Protein milks are all the rage these days! There is no denying that they are a handy on-the-go protein snack. I like Rokeby Nutrition in Australia for their straightforward ingredient list. In the USA, Fairlife seems to be the most commonly available option and does not use gluten containing ingredients. For my UK readers, UFit and Barebells seem to be free from gluten containing ingredients.
In Australia, we have Rokeby Nutrition, Wicked Sister, Pauls and Fancy Plants protein puddings available. At the time of writing, none of them list protein containing ingredients. Check the labels and be wary of any fancy flavours.
Some protein bars
Given that gluten free became ‘trendy’ for a while there, a lot of store bought protein bars are gluten free. This heavily depends on the brand and flavour, though, so you might have to do a bit of label reading before you purchase. Some gluten free protein bars in Australia include Fodbods, Smart Bars, Noway Collagen bars and Chief Collagen bars. There are plenty more on the supermarket shelves as well!
Canned tuna
Many flavours of canned tuna are naturally gluten free. Check the label of any soy based flavours, highly flavoured options or ‘meal in a can’ varieties. I am a Sirena chilli tuna girl myself. A single serve can of tuna can contain anywhere from 15-25g protein.
Protein cheese (and cheese in general)
Protein cheese is a thing now, but many cheese varieties are naturally high in protein. Parmesan, for example, contains approximately 11-12g protein per 30g serve!
On the ‘protein cheese’ front, we have Bega, Babybell protein cheese and Eat Lean in Australia. Eat Lean has quite an extensive range in the UK which I am quite jealous of.
Cottage cheese
The flavour of my youth is a pot of either pineapple or chive cottage cheese. Provided you have no lactose issues (and there are a few lactose free options if you do) cottage cheese is a great high protein snack. A 200g pot of cottage cheese contains approximately 24g protein. There are also high protein cottage cheese brands in Australia.
Canned bean snacks
Canned bean snacks are an easy and portable way to get in some protein and fibre. There are so many varieties available these days, but as always check the ingredient list before buying. A lot of Edgell Snack time varieties list no gluten containing ingredients but you might need to buy a plain variety if you are coeliac.
Protein crisps
I am a new fan of the humble protein crisp! Available in soy and whey in Australia, they are a fun and easy to get some protein in. The versions available to us Aussies generally use either tapioca or rice flour as the other ingredient, but be sure to check the label before purchasing.
Gluten free high protein snack ideas
A few easy snack ideas to get you on your way.
Canned bean snacks or canned tuna with high protein gluten free bread
I mean, it’s probably a given that you would pair your can of tuna or beans with something else. You’re not a monster! My recommendation is a slice of my gluten free high protein bread in the recipes below. Stay tuned, too, for a high protein gluten free cracker recipe.
High protein yogurt or pudding with berries and hemp seeds
An easy and delicious snack: high protein yoghurt, a tablespoon of hemp seeds and some fresh berries or a frozen berry compote. Hits the spot every time!
Hard boiled eggs or egg salad with gluten free crackers or bread
One extra large egg contains approximately 7g protein and is a very portable, naturally gluten free snack. Personally I get the egg ick quite easily, so I like to pair it with another texture (bread or crackers) and some sort of flavouring. Stay tuned for a high protein, low FODMAP egg salad recipe.
Protein smoothies
The old faithful, a protein smoothie, can really pack a nutritional punch. I like to use whey protein isolate (my gluten free, minimal ingredient go-to brand is Bare Blends) high protein yoghurt and low FODMAP berries. If I am in the mood, I also like to add a bit of peanut butter which bumps the protein up further.
Gluten free wraps with a protein of choice inside
I am obsessed with my gluten free wrap recipe; so much so that I have made it with almost all the gluten free flours I could think of. The buckwheat wraps are probably the highest protein (around 9g per wrap if you use a high protein Greek yogurt). Throw in some easy protein (a can of beans, a can of tuna) and some salad and you have a 35g+ protein snack in a flash. Reminder: buckwheat is 100% gluten free and bears no relation to wheat.
Gluten free high protein snack recipes
Finally, our gluten free high protein snack recipes! These are all recipes on my website that have low FODMAP options as well.
Gluten free breakfast muffins
These muffins look very wholesome but they pack a punch. With the suggestions in the recipe, a serve of 2 muffins contains approximately 12g protein and 6g fibre, as well as 5 fruit and veg.
Gluten free high protein bread
In the height of the cottage cheese frenzy, I decided to develop this high protein gluten free bread. We’re sneaking in cottage cheese and some optional hemp seeds in order to bake a gluten free loaf with 10-12g protein per slice.
Of course, not everyone can eat dairy. With that in mind, I also developed a gluten free vegan high protein bread which uses beans! That recipe, which is low FODMAP per serve, contains approximately 10g protein per slice.
Gluten free high protein bagels
Where there is bread, there must be bagels! Inspired by the bread recipes above, I developed these gluten free boiled bagels. Each bagel contains approximately 12g protein before any toppings are added.
High protein Ninja Creami recipe
I have a number of high protein Ninja Creami recipes, including an e-book of 10 exclusive recipes, which you can find here. If I had to choose a place to start, I’d suggest my Ninja Creami protein ice cream, 5 ways and the recipe linked below.
Protein crisp bars
A fun and delicious high protein dessert that can easily be made vegan and dairy free. These protein crisp bars contain 11-15g protein, depending on how many you make from a batch.
Chocolate protein chia pudding
Blended chocolate chia pudding reminds me so much of the chocolate pudding snacks of my youth. This recipe uses whey protein isolate (or your chosen protein powder) and contains approximately 37g protein and 8.5g fibre with the ingredients in the recipe card.
Gluten free cottage cheese pancakes
I love making a big batch of pancakes and packing them as a snack. This recipe is gluten free, xanthan gum free and contains 22-30g protein per serve.
Cottage cheese chocolate mousse
A high protein treat, this recipe uses cottage cheese, dark chocolate and maple syrup as a sweetener (among other ingredients). It contains approximately 12-20g per serve depending on ingredients and portions.
Gluten free protein mug cakes and pancakes
In my experience, gluten free proteins perform so differently in the same recipe. That is why I published a bunch of gluten free protein mug cake and gluten free protein pancake recipes.
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