What are good low-calorie high-protein snacks?

A 170g strained Greek yoghurt tub (~100 cal, 17g protein), cottage cheese with vegetable sticks, a 95g tuna can, boiled eggs, or a whey shake in water (~110 cal, 24g).

Is chicken breast or fish better for protein per calorie?

Plain white fish edges ahead (~21g per 100 cal vs ~19g for chicken breast), but both are excellent — preparation matters more than the choice. Crumbing or creamy sauces change the maths entirely.

What plant foods are high in protein but low in calories?

Firm tofu (~11g per 100 cal) leads, with edamame and legumes close behind. Plant proteins generally carry more accompanying carbohydrate or fat, so serves need slightly more planning — see our vegetarian protein guide.

Do high-protein low-calorie foods help with weight loss?

They make a calorie-aware pattern easier to sustain for some people by supporting satiety and muscle maintenance — but weight change depends on total intake, activity and consistency, not any single food.

The foods that deliver the most protein for the fewest calories, ranked — egg whites, prawns, tuna, chicken breast, white fish, cottage cheese and more — with the per-serve maths and the swaps that upgrade everyday meals.

Low-Calorie, High-Protein Foods: Ranked by Protein per 100 Calories

Q: What food has the most protein for the least calories?

Egg whites — roughly 26g of protein per 100 calories. Prawns (~24g), canned tuna in springwater (~22g), white fish (~21g) and chicken breast (~19g) lead the whole-food list.

23 July 2026 | Category: Weight Loss Meals

Quick answer: the most protein per calorie comes from lean animal foods — egg whites (~26g protein per 100 calories), prawns (~24g), canned tuna in springwater (~22g), white fish (~21g) and chicken breast (~19g) — with cottage cheese and firm tofu leading the dairy and plant tiers. Fattier cuts, nuts and most "protein" snacks deliver far less protein per calorie, which is what matters when calories are capped.

This is a spoke of our complete high-protein meals guide; the budget protein list ranks the same foods by dollars instead of calories.

Why protein per calorie is the metric that matters

When you are eating calorie-aware, every food is competing for a limited budget — and protein is the macro most worth protecting, because it supports muscle maintenance and can help some people feel fuller between meals. So the useful question is not "is this food high in protein?" but "how much protein does it deliver per 100 calories?" A handful of peanuts and a tin of tuna both carry protein; one costs you ~170 calories for 7g, the other ~90 calories for 20g.

The rankings

Typical values, rounded, using lean/plain preparations — sauces, oil and crumbing change everything.

FoodApprox. protein per 100 caloriesPractical serve

Egg whites~26g4 egg whites ≈ 70 cal, 14g protein

Prawns, cooked~24g150g ≈ 130 cal, 31g protein

Canned tuna (springwater)~22g95g can ≈ 90 cal, 20g protein

White fish (barramundi, basa)~21g150g ≈ 150 cal, 30g protein

Chicken breast, cooked~19g150g ≈ 250 cal, 46g protein

Kangaroo fillet~21g150g ≈ 150 cal, 33g protein

Cottage cheese (low fat)~15g200g ≈ 160 cal, 24g protein

Greek yoghurt (strained, low fat)~14g170g ≈ 100 cal, 17g protein

Firm tofu~11g150g ≈ 180 cal, 19g protein

Lean beef mince (5-star), cooked~13g150g ≈ 280 cal, 40g protein

Whey protein isolate~22g30g scoop ≈ 110 cal, 24g protein

The swaps that quietly upgrade a day

Same meal, better ratio:

Creamy pasta chicken → tomato-based pasta with extra chicken breast: similar calories, roughly double the protein.

Peanut-butter toast breakfast → cottage cheese on the same toast: ~15g more protein for fewer calories.

Beef stir-fry with regular mince → the same dish with 5-star mince or chicken breast: 60–100 calories back, protein unchanged.

Crumbed fish → grilled white fish: the crumb often costs more calories than the fish.

Snack bar labelled "protein" → a 170g Greek yoghurt tub: usually more protein, fewer calories, shorter ingredient list.

Done for you

This ratio thinking is exactly how the Foober menu is built: every meal carries 35–55g of protein with calories controlled and printed on the label, so a calorie-aware week does not require doing this maths nightly. See weight loss meal delivery for how it works, or browse the calorie-controlled range and high-protein menu.

General nutrition information only. Figures are typical values from the Australian Food Composition Database and supermarket labels, rounded for planning — brands and preparations vary. Individual needs differ with body weight, training and health context; for personalised advice speak with a qualified health professional.

A note on this article. Foober blog articles are researched with the assistance of AI tooling for source-gathering and structural drafting, then reviewed and edited by Tee — Foober's founder and certified fitness trainer — for accuracy, tone, and relevance. Nothing on this blog constitutes medical, nutritional, dietetic, or fitness advice tailored to your individual circumstances. Foober is a meal delivery service, not a healthcare provider. For personalised guidance — especially regarding medications, medical conditions, allergies, pregnancy, or significant dietary changes — please consult a qualified healthcare professional (your GP, an Accredited Practising Dietitian, or equivalent).

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