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Healthy, quick, inexpensive, and easy to throw together, these protein snack boxes will help keep you and your health on track!
I haven’t been doing a very stellar job with my healthy eating. Yes, I’m busy (who isn’t?!) but man, I’ve got to figure something out!
Enter this little nugget of a recipe, though can you even call it that? Just a bunch of protein-rich snack foods in plastic containers that stay put in my fridge until I need a snack. Something small I can make ahead and save my future self’s butt. Figuratively and literally. If I make something ahead and have it ready and waiting, I am way more likely to eat it. Make an inconvenient food into a very convenient one and just like magic, it becomes easier to eat healthy. You’ll be thanking yourself later!
The last few weeks, I’ve been trying to have intention when preparing something healthy, like these Protein Snack Boxes, so instead of reaching for cake or cookies or the bag of chocolate chips (because I’m desperate and have nothing else in the house) I reach for one of these. It’s definitely something you can feel good about eating that has waaaay more nutrition than those chocolate chips that will keep you fuller longer.
I filled mine with: peanut butter, grapes, celery, crackers, cheese and a hard boiled egg, though here is a bigger list that you can mix and match in your snack boxes. Use what you have or what is on sale.
- turkey or ham lunch meat
- cheese strings, laughing cow cheese, mini babybel cheese
- beef or turkey jerky
- berries, sliced apple, green grapes, sliced pear, oranges, kiwi, dried fruit, etc..
- carrots, cucumber, olives, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, edamame, etc..
- hummus, almond butter, sunflower butter, etc..
- cashews, almonds, pistachios, etc..
- 1/2 protein bar
- rice cakes, pretzels, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc..
I’m not too concerned about getting a certain amount of macros in each day, but I find that as long as there is *something* prepped in the fridge and ready to eat, I will eat it whether that is healthy or unhealthy. If lasagna is in the fridge, I’ll find it and eat it. In the moment, I usually don’t have will power and am just hungry. Plus most of the time, I just need something fast before I head out here or go do that. So, these have been super helpful having around and I thought I’d share today! 🙂 What do you make ahead to help your future self out? Prep veggies? Pre-make meals? Let me know in the comments below!
Have a great day, friends!
Homemade Protein Snack Boxes
Ingredients
- 4 hard boiled eggs
- 6 oz peanut butter four, 1.5 oz packs
- 32 wheat crackers
- 2 cups grapes
- 4 oz cubed cheese
- 4 stalks celery
Instructions
- Open four plastic sandwich-sized containers. Fill each container with one hard boiled egg, one pack of peanut butter, eight crackers, 1/2 cup grapes, 1 oz of cheese and 1 stalk of celery.
- Seal with lid and refrigerate up to 5 days.
Does the peanut butter harden while in the fridge?
THANK you for posting this. I’ve been struggling with snacking. This reminded me that I can prep and plan and have something ready so I make the right choice.
Snack boxes idea is amazing. Wonderful design. I like it.
I love this list! I have purchased the dual sided snack boxes (Target has several types) so I can keep the crackers fresh and they won’t get soggy. I was in a cheese and crackers rut so thank you for the inspiration!
[…] Homemade Protein Snack Boxes […]
I love these ideas. Always looking for healthier lunches for my daughter who is T1D.
Saving this for lunch ideas! My kids request that I leave the crackers packed separately – they say the crackers are soft by lunch.
Leave out the Crackers & Grapes to make it TRULEY Hi Protein Low Carb Friendly. Add another Low Carb Veg like Baby Carrots. Their NOT really needed & TRUE High Glucose Spikers !!! 😊
Snow peas, dried bananas and 10-12 chocolate chips. For on the go I also grab Special K Choclatety or Special K Strawberry cereal in a baggie, sans milk, and eat it like granola.
I put a little bit of lemon juice on my apples to keep them from turning brown.
As a teacher, my days are pretty full. This will be a life saver at work!
Does everything end up tasting like egg? How do you keep your apples from browning?
To keep your apples from browning, if you slice/chop them, toss them with some Fruit Fresh or other pectin. You can find it in the aisle at the grocery store where they have canning supplies. It doesn’t add any flavor.
Do I go ahead and peel the eggs?
I did, but you don’t have to.
I am on a low carb diet. Will these work for me?
The only carb would be crackers and fruit on this list. Some vegetables would have carbs as well, but celery does not. Melon, Berries, and peaches contain lower carbs than an apple or banana, and cucumber, celery, mushrooms for vegetables.
Trying to get better organized this Summer so that I’ll be more on track come the Fall!
This is a great idea. I need to try this.
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Stupid question maybe. What containers are those?
Just Ziploc sandwich containers.
Yeah , I figured that out after taking a better look , but thanks for getting back to me.
Great mindset Lauren! I love the sargento’s balanced break cheese snacks also but found much cheaper to make. Bulk pepper jack cheese that I dice, honey roasted nuts (or almonds) each in a snack sized ziploc bag along with a small box of raisins. Easy grab, less expensive and healthy!
I’ve been making these snack boxes as an easy and quick work lunch, especially when using your pressure cooker hard boiled egg method. Thank you for the simple but great idea!
Love this idea!
Great ideas for go to snacks! I find that I will eat healthy if it is prepped and ready to go too! Love your blog!
Lauren, this is a great idea. Thanks so much!
How do the crackers hold up after 5 days? I love this idea but would like to know if the crackers get soggy at all.
It depends on how watery the egg is. You can always throw them into a snack bag IN the tupperware.
Thank you! I’m going to put some of these together for a road trip!
I’m so glad I saw this…because tomorrow I’m picking up granddaughters up from school and I will have one of these packed and ready for each of them.. I didn’t know they sell little PB packs. I’ll pick up some of those tonight!
This is perfect! I joined Weight Watchers recently, and with their new program, most of what you suggested is zero points!! I need to do this… it will give me no excuses for eating bad stuff!
This is a great idea for the kids’ sack lunch at school. Or heck, I’d even bring this to work for lunch. It’s way healthier than most other things I would end up grabbing to eat. I am going to try this. Thanks Lauren!
Grandaughter is alergic to dairy, do you have other suggestions . Thank you..no eggs, cheese or yogurts.
Here is the list that she put in the post, minus the one line of dairy.
turkey or ham lunch meat
beef or turkey jerky
berries, sliced apple, green grapes, sliced pear, oranges, kiwi, dried fruit, etc..
carrots, cucumber, olives, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, edamame, etc..
hummus, almond butter, sunflower butter, etc..
cashews, almonds, pistachios, etc..
1/2 protein bar
rice cakes, pretzels, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc..
Great Idea, will have to try this!!
I love this list! I have purchased the dual sided snack boxes (Target has several types) so I can keep the crackers fresh and they won’t get soggy. I was in a cheese and crackers rut so thank you for the inspiration!
Thanks for the great idea. I keep several of the items in the fridge in ziplocks but I always dislike standing on my head trying to gather stuff to put on a plate for a snack.. I love the idea of just grabbing a premade assortment, Also helps with portion control, too!! Thanks again!!