Ready to slap on some size? The only real calculation for those looking to bulk up or slim down is a simple one: calories in vs calories out. However, if you’re looking to do more than just put on/lose weight and actually build solid muscle, you need to ensure that the calories you consume are composed of vital micronutrients and macronutrients - especially protein.

Getting plenty of protein into your diet can be a challenge. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, your diet may be a little lacking in protein if you’re not actively looking at protein content. If you’re none of these things, upping your protein intake outside of your main meals can be a challenge anyway.

For people who want to bulk up, it’s even harder to get the right amount of nutrient-rich calories into your diet. For starters, many of us who are trying to gain weight have to eat a LOT of calories - which you may not even have the appetite for.

Don’t worry - we’ve put together a list of five protein snack recipes that will help you stay on track and pack on size. Let’s get into it.

Greek Yoghurt & Protein Powder

Natural greek yoghurt is one of the most naturally protein-rich foods you can buy in a supermarket. So it’s little surprise you see bodybuilders all over the world spooning it into their mouths minutes after a workout - or even throughout the day to increase their calorie intake.

Depending on the brand, Greek yoghurt has around 6g of protein to every 100g and 133 calories. Combine it with whey protein powder, and suddenly, you’ve got a protein-packed snack that you can prepare in a matter of seconds.

Ingredients:

• Greek yoghurt - your choice of brand (try and stick to the non-fat-free variants if you’re trying to build mass)
• 1 scoop of Oatein Dynamic Protein
• 1 tbsp honey

Instructions:

1. Scoop your powder into your yoghurt
2. Add the honey
3. Mix well - and we mean it, mix it up as well as you can so you can avoid accidental chalky bits. A hand blender or similar tool will be useful here - but you can also use a spoon and some elbow grease.
4. That’s it - enjoy!

Peanut Butter Protein Balls

Peanut butter is just great, isn’t it? It’s packed with protein, tastes delicious and easy to pick up in virtually any shop across the country. It’s also super versatile - making it ideal for creating quick snacks you can enjoy on the move.

Peanut butter protein balls are just one example - even a simple slice of peanut butter toast is full of protein and added calories if you’re trying to gain weight. However, preparing a bunch of these in bulk means you’ve got access to some calorie-dense, protein-rich snacking whenever you need it.

Ingredients:

• 60g peanut butter
• 2 scoops of Oatein Dynamic Protein
• 120 grams of rolled oats
• 30g of dried fruit - cranberries or dates work.

Instructions:

1. Add all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl but keep a handful of oats and the rest of the jar of peanut butter to one side.
2. Combine by hand to form a sticky mixture. If it’s too tough, add some water.
3. Roll into balls over the loose oats and some more peanut butter for a coating
4. Place in a container or sandwich bag, then throw them in the fridge or freezer to solidify

Muscle dessert: protein brownies and whey ice cream

We’re about to blow your mind.

What if we told you that you could enjoy an absolutely delicious dessert that tastes unbelievably good, all whilst stuffing loads of protein into your diet and limiting unhealthy nutrients at the same time?

What if we told you all of that AND we said it contained ice cream?

Yeah, we thought so.

So, for this muscle-building dessert, you’ll need to make your own ice cream from frozen bananas. We know that sounds a bit...weird, but it’s a good way to limit sugars and artificial sweeteners.

For your brownie, you can either bake your own (brave) or opt for one of ours. Our protein brownie is a melt-in-your-mouth, protein-rich snack that you can heat up and enjoy alongside your ice cream. After all, try and name a more iconic duo than chocolate brownies and ice cream.

Ingredients:

• Bananas - 4-5 medium-sized ones will do
• 3-4 scoops of Oatein Dynamic Protein or another protein powder
• 300ml of soy yoghurt or greek yoghurt
• 50ml of full-fat milk.

Instructions:

1. Blend all of the bananas, protein powder, milk and yoghurt together. This will be messy - so stick a lid on the blender or get ready for a clean-up job.
2. Decant it into a container of your choice.
3. Throw it in the freezer. Stir every 15-30 mins for the first few hours.
4. Whenever you want to eat it, let it thaw naturally.
5. Microwave an Oatein protein brownie for 15 seconds, then spoon the ice cream on top of it.

Protein Pancakes

Everybody’s favourite breakfast treat just got even better. Did you know that by combining the magic of gym supplement protein powder with classic pancake ingredients, you can make a pancake that tastes amazing but also helps you build mass?

While it’s a little bit more complex than other grab ’n’ go snack ideas, this specific high protein snack idea is so tasty it’s justified - but honestly, it’s also really easy to make - you can be enjoying them in just a few minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1-2 scoops of Oatein Dynamic Blend
• 130 grams of oats
• 150g cottage cheese
• 220 grams of egg whites

Instructions:

1. Either buy pre-made egg whites or scoop out yolks until you’ve got enough.
2. Mix all of the above ingredients in a mixing bowl. You can do this by hand, but some form of mixer makes it easier. We’d recommend a hand whisk and slow, careful movement.
3. Preheat a pan with non-stick oil to medium-high heat.
4. Pour in your mixture and cook each side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown.
5. You’ll get around six large pancakes from the mix. Tweak to your liking.

Protein Bars

Okay, okay - this might seem like a cop-out. But hey, you’ve read this far - you know we’re taking these articles seriously.

And seriously, the best snack you can use to build muscle is the one you can actually be bothered to have. For many of us, the idea of preparing our own snacks is a luxury at best - with busy lives, accessibility challenges and more all preventing some people from ever wanting to set foot in their kitchen and blend ingredients up.

For those people, there’s no reason to give up hope when it comes to building mass and snacking on delicious high protein foods.

Grab yourself a box of Oatein’s high protein snack range. We’ve got everything from a protein-packed version ofMillionaire’s Crunch to Protein Flapjacks to our new and improved Hype Bar (due soon).

The best part? The instructions are this simple: buy, take with you wherever you go, eat at leisure.