Long-life, easy-to-prepare proteins:

Protein is important for all sorts of reasons. For everything from muscle synthesis to blood health we need to eat enough protein to be healthy. The problem with many protein-rich foods is that they take a lot of preparation time before you can eat them, and for busy people that's a problem.

There are, however, four sources of protein that are easy to prepare and have a long shelf-life - making them the perfect snack foods.

1. Nuts

A handful of mixed, raw nuts contains good levels of protein and fats and will keep you feeling full for a long time. I like to have these on hand in my office and even in the car in order to grab a snack on the run.

2. Protein powder

This is good as a meal or a snack and contains a very high percentage of protein per gram and is low in calories. Plus, if you get a good one, there are some great flavours out there.

3. Biltong

Yes, biltong is expensive. I don't buy it all the time, but if a store has a special I buy in bulk and freeze it in portion-sized quantities. It's tasty, nutritious and tough to eat, so you'll feel satisfied.

4. Eggs

An egg contains around 7 grams of protein and they last a long time on the shelf. Boiled eggs are a good choice for snacking as you can carry them easily, but they are easy to prepare no matter how you like them. Omelette, scrambled, fried in coconut oil or butter, poached - whatever. As an added benefit they contain a good amount of healthy fat.

Add some of these foods to your pantry today.

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