The dynamic duo: protein and fiber.

Besides its role in building your muscles, hair, skin, and nails, protein also helps maintain your cells, organs, and hormones. We need protein to make neurotransmitters, fuel reactions in our bodies, bring oxygen to our working muscles, and the list goes on.¹

When fiber is combined with protein, it can help curb cravings and overeating. Fiber slows down food digestion to help you feel full longer, while protein stimulates the release of appetite hormones that tell your body it’s full. Fiber also helps support gut health, digestion, and the immune system, and it helps lower cholesterol.²

Powerful, portable snacks.

Convenient, smart snacks can help curb your appetite between meals or throughout the day. Create your own grab-and-go protein-fiber combos—and elevate them with toppings that make them even more nutrient-dense.

Pick your protein.

• 1 cheese stick
• ¼ cup of nuts
• Single pack (1–2 tbsp) nut butter
• Turkey roll-ups (roll spinach inside)
• 1–2 hard-boiled eggs
• 5.3 oz Greek yogurt
• 5.3 oz cottage cheese
• Single pack of tuna
• 8 oz bone broth

Choose your fiber.

• Fruit—1 medium apple, peach, or orange; 1 cup of berries or cherries
• Veggie—1 cup of spinach, carrots, or cucumbers
• 1/2 cup of beans
• Individual bag of lightly salted popcorn
• On-the-go applesauce or a fruit pouch

Dietitian tip: Consider on-the-go produce that doesn’t need refrigeration.

Add a topping.

Wheat germ: Sprinkle it in oatmeal, applesauce, yogurt, or a smoothie for a slightly nutty flavor along with vitamin E and folic acid. Plus, 2 tablespoons of wheat germ has 4 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber. ³

Nutritional yeast: Add a cheesy spin to egg salad, cottage cheese, or popcorn. Just 2 tablespoons is an excellent source of all the B vitamins (especially B12)⁴—plus it has 2 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber.⁵

Hemp seeds: Top yogurt, oatmeal, overnight oats, cottage cheese, peanut butter, or avocado toast, mix in a smoothie, or add to trail mix. Three tablespoons has 9 grams of protein and 1 gram of fiber.⁶

Chia seeds: Put them in overnight oats for a pudding or tapioca consistency. In 1 ounce, you get 5 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.⁷

Happy snacking.

Simply bring together your protein, fiber, and topping selections to create a mindful, purposeful snack with minimal prep time. Check out more ideas in our article about snacks to curb any craving.

We are here to help! For questions about purposeful snacking—like “How do I select a balanced snack for a picky eater?”—please feel free to email our team of dietitians.

For the love of you.

Choosing how you eat is uniquely personal. It’s about your needs, your preferences, and your goals. As your wellness ally, we’re in your corner with fresh ideas, recipes, and wellness icons that make it easier to shift toward wiser food choices. It’s all about you, at your very best.

Sources

¹He, Wenliang, and Guoyao Wu. Metabolism of Amino Acids in the Brain and Their Roles in Regulating Food Intake. PubMed. Accessed March 4, 2025.

²Fiber and Cholesterol Control. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. May 2018. 3U.

³U.S. Department of Agriculture. Cereals ready-to-eat, Sun Country, Kretschmer Wheat Germ, Regular. FoodData Central. April 1, 2019.

⁴Panoff, Lauren. Is Nutritional Yeast Healthy? All You Need to Know. Edited by Katherine Marengo. Healthline. March 8, 2023.

⁵U.S. Department of Agriculture. Nutritional Yeast Seasoning, Nutritional Yeast. FoodData Central. November 1, 2021.

⁶U.S. Department of Agriculture. Seeds, Hemp Seed, Hulled. FoodData Central. April 1, 2019.

⁷U.S. Department of Agriculture. Seeds, Chia Seeds, Dried. FoodData Central. April 1, 2019.