Snacking can be a lifesaver for your energy levels, metabolism, and blood sugar balance…when done right. The problem? Many popular snacks are packed with added sugar, unhealthy fats, and empty calories, leaving you feeling unsatisfied, sluggish and craving more.
As a registered dietitian nutritionist and board certified diabetes educator, I know firsthand how the right snacks can prevent energy crashes, support balanced blood sugar, and curb cravings. So today, I’m sharing some smart, high-protein snack swaps that will fuel your body without the sugar spikes or sluggish aftermath.
Ready to snack smarter? Let’s dive into some nutrient-packed food swaps that keep you full, energized, and satisfied so you can continue to take on the day!
Why Smart Snacking Matters (Especially for Blood Sugar Balance)
Snacking doesn’t serve the purpose to only curb hunger between meals… it’s a powerful tool for supporting your metabolism, work performance, preventing overeating, and maintaining steady blood sugar levels. This is especially for those managing diabetes, insulin resistance, or weight management. Making the right snacking choices can help prevent energy crashes, curb sugar cravings, and keep your body fueled with the nutrients it needs.
However, the challenge lies in the quality of snacks available today. There are thousands of snacks available on the market that claim to be “healthy”. But, many of these packaged “healthy” snacks such as granola bars, protein drinks, crackers, flavored yogurts, and colorful trail mixes, contain high amounts of refined carbohydrates, sneaky added sugar, and unhealthy fat. These ingredients cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, followed by an inevitable crash, leaving you ready for a nap, hungrier, and more likely to reach for another quick fix.
Over time, poor snacking habits can contribute to insulin resistance, weight gain, and unstable energy levels, making it harder for your body to regulate glucose properly. This is why choosing nutrient-dense snacks is essential.
The good news? There are plenty of delicious, high-protein, and blood sugar-friendly healthier snacks that can help you stay fuller for longer, support muscle health, and prevent unhealthy cravings; without sacrificing flavor or convenience.
What Makes a Healthy Snack?
A truly healthy snack should do more than just taste good, it should also nourish your body, provide long-lasting energy, and keep blood sugar levels stable. The best healthy foods will contain a combination of protein, fiber, and healthy fats to prevent spikes and crashes, keeping you full and satisfied for a couple of hours. A good rule of thumb is for the carb minus fiber content to be less or equal to the protein! (carb – fiber ≤ protein)
When choosing healthier snacks, focus on:
Protein (8-15g)
Protein is essential for satiety, muscle maintenance, and blood sugar stability. Key word, satiety. High-protein snacks help slow digestion and keep you feeling full, all while preventing glucose (sugar) from entering the bloodstream too quickly. Some good examples include Plain Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, jerky, protein bars, and nuts.
Healthy Fats (5-14g)
Healthy fats (from nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil) provide a steady source of energy, support brain health, and help control hunger. Unlike saturated fat found in many processed snacks, unsaturated fats from nuts, seeds, and avocado promote heart health and insulin sensitivity. Fats can also slow down digestion, keeping you feeling fuller, longer.
Fiber (at least 3g)
Fiber helps slow carbohydrate absorption, keeping blood sugar stable and preventing energy crashes. Snacks containing fiber from foods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, and berries support digestion, your gut microbiome, and weight management.
Low to No Added Sugar (under 5g)
Ideally, you’d pick a snack that has zero added sugar, but hey, nobody’s perfect. Excess added sugar can lead to blood sugar spikes, increased cravings, and inflammation, which is why reading nutrition labels is key when choosing healthier snacks. But here’s where it gets tricky: Many snacks marketed as “healthy” contain hidden sugars under different names. You may already look out for ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup and cane sugar, but what about agave, honey, brown rice syrup, coconut nectar, or dates? While these might sound more natural, your body still processes them as sugar, and they can still spike blood glucose levels. Ideally, choose snacks with less than 5g of added sugar per serving to keep blood sugar stable. Instead, opt for snacks that use fresh fruit, small amounts of maple syrup or honey, or low-glycemic sweeteners like monk fruit or stevia if tolerated.
Wondering the best way to read a food label? Check out my Food Label Reading book!
Carbohydrates (under 15g per serving)
It’s not just about avoiding added sugar… the total carbohydrate content matters, too! Even if a snack has only 4g of added sugar, it might still contain 30g of total carbs, which can spike blood sugar rapidly if not balanced with protein or healthy fats. Fast-digesting carbs like oats, refined grains (flour), and dates quickly break down into glucose, impacting insulin levels and energy stability. The key is to balance carbs with protein or healthy fats, (like an apple with the skin on & almond butter) which slows digestion, potential blood sugar spikes, and provides longer-lasting energy than just having the apple alone. Under 15g of total carbs per snack can help maintain stable blood sugar, reduce cravings, and support steady energy throughout the day.
Now that you know what makes a great snack, let’s explore some simple, high-protein snacking swaps that will keep you full, energized, and feeling your best!
8 Healthy Snack Swaps
1. Instead of Chips, Try Wilde Chips
10g protein per serving | No refined grains or added sugar | More nutrient dense
Potato chips may be crunchy and satisfying, but they’re high in refined carbs, saturated fat, and sodium. A better option if you’re craving chips? Wilde Chips! They’re made from real chicken breast, providing protein and healthy fats for longer-lasting satiety. This snacking swap curbs cravings while keeping you full longer than traditional chips. Find them at Sprouts and Whole Foods.
2. Instead of Granola Bars, Try a High-Protein Bar
Most granola bars and “energy” bars might give you energy for a few minutes, but will be quickly followed by an energy crash. These kinds of bars have added sugar (think brown rice syrup, date syrup, coconut nectar, honey), heavily processed grains, and not enough protein. Instead, look for a higher-protein bar with these things:
At least 8g of protein
Little to no added sugar.
One without a “fiber” as the first ingredient.
Net carb is less than or equal to protein
Calories under 230
Our Fave Protein Bars?
BTR bars are low carb, have zero sugar alcohols or oils, 2g of sugar, plant-based protein, and less than 170 calories per bar!
Mosh bars have 12 grams of protein, <180 calories calories, and contain B12, D3, Omega-3’s ashwagandha and lion’s mane for brain and mood support.
NuGo Slim Bars have 16g of protein, 7 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of added sugar all at 180 calories. Plus, they’re nationwide at Whole Foods and Sprouts!
3. Instead of Fruit Roll-Ups or Dried Fruit, Try Jerky or a Meat Stick
8-12g protein per serving | No sugar spikes| Perfect for on-the-go snacking
Dried fruit and fruit snacks may seem healthy, but they’re often loaded with concentrated sugars that spike blood glucose. Instead, swap them for grass-fed beef jerky or a high-quality meat stick like, Chomp, Snack Mates, or Paleo Valley for a protein-packed, energy and muscle friendly snack. Go amino acids!
👉Want more healthy snacks for weight loss? Check out my favorite picks here!
4. Thirsty? Instead of Soda, Try a Vinegar-Based Drink or Seltzer
Sugary drinks are one of the biggest culprits of blood sugar spikes. And yes, diet-soda can actually cause your blood sugar to spike! Instead of soda, try:
Plain seltzer w/ lemon
Plain seltzer w/ 1-2 tbsp of OJ or unsweetened cranberry juice
Poppi (25 calories, 5 grams of sugar & prebiotic fiber for the gut)
Spindrift (4-15 calories, 0-2 grams of sugar)
These healthier choices support digestion, hydrate you, and help curb sugar cravings.
👉 Need more diabetes-friendly snack ideas? Check out my list of the best snacks for diabetics!
4. Instead of Sweetened Yogurt, Try Greek Yogurt with Fresh Fruit
15g protein | <100 Calories | Supports gut health with probiotics | Keeps you full for hours
Flavored yogurts are sneaky sugar bombs, but plain Greek yogurt is a protein powerhouse. Add fresh berries or your favorite fruit for natural sweetness and extra fiber. We love Fage 0% or 2% or for plain and classic or Too Good if you need a little extra flavor!
5. Instead of Goldfish Crackers, Try Seed-Based Crackers
8g protein per serving | loaded with fiber | high in omega 3’s
Your kids’ snacks might be easily available and tasty, but they’re mostly processed carbs with little nutrition. Instead, opt for almond flour or seed-based crackers, which are higher in protein and fiber.
We love: Flackers & Ella’s Flats
6. Instead of Crackers, Try Pumpkin Seeds
7g protein per serving | loaded with zinc and magnesium | high in omega 3’s
Most crackers are made from refined flour, leading to quick digestion and hunger spikes. Pumpkin seeds, however, are rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats (as long as they’re not roasted in oil).They’re packed with magnesium and zinc for blood sugar and immune support, as well as omega-3’s for brain health and inflammation! We love Eden brand because they’re organic and have zero added oils. They also come in single serve packets– perfect for on the go!
7. Instead of a Fruit Smoothie, Try a Protein Smoothie
At least 17g of protein | Less than 250 calories | good source of fiber | low sugar
Traditional fruit smoothies often contain as much sugar as a can of soda and little to no protein. A better choice? A protein smoothie with:
<5 grams of added sugar
At least 15 grams of protein
<220 calories
No caiseins or artificial sweeteners
Koia is an excellent plant- based protein drink to pick up in the store and be found at Sprouts, Tarket, and Whole Foods.
Or, make your own using unsweetened almond milk or water, frozen berries, and a high-quality protein powder like Sun Warrior, Truvani, and Ancient Nutrition
👉 Need more diabetes-friendly snack ideas? Check out my list of the best snacks for diabetics!
8. Instead of a Sugary Latte, Try a Hot Bone Broth
10-15g of protein | No added sugar | Very low carb | Supports gut health, joints, and skin
That afternoon latte snack habit might be sabotaging your blood sugar and making you hungrier. Many flavored lattes pack 30g or more of sugar and 300 calories leading to energy crashes and cravings.
A better swap? Bone broth! We love Dr. KellyAnn and Bare Bones. They come in single serve powder packets and are easy to keep in your desk drawer or purse. Just add hot water!
All in all, snacking doesn’t have to derail your health goals and it can absolutely taste good too. By making simple, higher protein and lower sugar swaps, you can enjoy yummy, satisfying snacks while keeping blood sugar stable, cravings under control, and energy levels steady.
Which of these snack swaps are you excited to try? Let me know in the comments! Meanwhile, find more of my favorite swaps on my Instagram; full of foodie finds and nutrition tips!
