Let’s face it, we all love to snack. It’s not only a cure for hunger, but for boredom too. Unfortunately, snack foods are generally unhealthy side, packed with fats and carbohydrates to give us that quick sugar rush.

The good news is that you can use snacking to your advantage by making sure that you stick to protein-rich snacks.

Protein keeps you full for longer, gives you sustained energy, and helps build muscle. That used to mean sticking to nuts, hardboiled eggs and other not-so-appetising snacks, but recently, more and more protein-rich snacks have come on the market that taste just as good as all your favourites.

So, ditch the chocolates, chips and sugary drinks and switch to these five protein-rich snacks:

Ready-made protein shakes

Even petrol stations now stock ready-to-drink protein shakes that you can grab and enjoy on your drive to work. It’s an easy way to get some protein on the go.

Protein bars

If you prefer your snacks in solid form, we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to protein bars these days. Be sure to check the label though. Those with a sugar content of more than 23 g per 100 g are no better than a chocolate bar.

Protein balls

You used to have to make these yourself, but nowadays you’ll find ready-to-go protein balls in every supermarket’s health food aisle. Just don’t overdo it with these energy-dense orbs of protein goodness. A little goes a long way.

Protein cookies

If you’re not mad about they gooey texture of most protein bars, you can now also get your protein fix in cookie form! These taste just as good like the real thing, without as many kilojoules.

Protein iced coffee

If you ever go look at the nutritional info on a ready-to-drink iced coffee, you’ll be shocked at just how much sugar and fat it contains.

So much for trying to be healthy, right? Thankfully, some forward-thinking companies are now making protein-rich iced coffee drinks that give you that much-needed caffeine boost without expanding your waistline.

Protein chips

For those who don’t have a sweet tooth, protein chips are a low-fat, low-carb alternative that are perfect for snacking. They’re baked instead of fried to cut down on oil and can contain up to 17 times as much protein compared to normal potato chips.

Next time you go snack shopping, remember that no matter what your fix is, there’s probably a protein-rich alternative readily available. Just give them all a try and you’re sure to find a new favourite!