Beef Jerky Protein Snacks Under 180 Calories, Ranked
Oberto Classics Thin Style jerky wins: 14g of protein for 70 calories. Grazly beef sticks tie it per calorie, and No Man's Land gives the most per bag.
Top picks
Best jerky per calorie
Oberto Thin Style Peppered Beef Jerky14 g protein · 70 cal · 20 g per 100 cal
Resealable 7 oz bag, 3g carbs.
- Amazon
- Amazon
AmazonBest zero-carb jerky
People's Choice Old Fashioned Original16 g protein · 110 cal · 14.5 g per 100 cal
- Amazon
15 jerkies and meat sticks ranked by protein per calorie
- 14 g7020 g
- 10 g5020 g
- 12 g6020 g
- 17 g9018.9 g
- 9 g5018 g
- 9 g5018 g
- 14 g8416.7 g
- 10 g6016.7 g
- 13 g8016.3 g
- 11 g7015.7 g
- 12 g8015 g
- 16 g11014.5 g
- 15 g14010.7 g
- 10 g1486.8 g
- 12 g1756.9 g
Jerky vs sticks
Jerky and sticks tie at the top on protein per calorie. Sticks win on carbs: plain sticks from Grazly, Righteous Felon and Chomps list 0g. If you avoid sugar glazes, a plain stick is the safer blind buy.
Glazes
Teriyaki, sweet and hot, and chili-lime styles carry the carbs. Country Archer's grass-fed jerky lists 16g of carbs and lands last here. Peppered, original and old-fashioned styles mostly stay low. Read the panel, not the flavor name.
Meat and cheese
Cheese adds calories faster than protein.
- Oscar Mayer Bites Turkey trio: 16g for 150 calories, but 19g carbs from the crackers. Keep it refrigerated.
- Righteous Felon Beef & Cheddar: 14g for 140 calories. The best shelf-stable pack.
- Jack Link's jerky and cheese combos: 8g for 130 to 150 calories, so they miss the rule.
Sodium
Jerky is salty, and our catalog doesn't carry sodium. Read the Nutrition Facts panel, and check any low-sodium claim against the actual milligrams.
How we rank
Every product here lists more than 8g protein, 180 calories or fewer per serving. Anything that misses either line is out, with no exceptions.
We rank by protein per 100 calories, using the protein, calories and price on the Amazon listing as last checked on Nov 5, 2026. Listings whose numbers can't all be true are held back until we check the label. Confirm the live listing and the package before you buy.
180cal earns a commission on Amazon purchases. It never changes which products pass or how they rank.
Questions about beef jerky protein snacks under 180 calories
Which beef jerky has the most protein per calorie?
Oberto Classics Thin Style lists 14g protein for 70 calories, or 20g per 100 calories. No Man's Land Premium Beef Jerky is close behind at 17g for 90 calories.
Is a meat stick better than jerky?
Not on protein per calorie: Oberto Thin Style jerky and Grazly sticks tie at the top. Sticks win on carbs. Plain sticks from Grazly, Righteous Felon and Chomps list 0g, while glazed jerky often lists 6g or more.
Are meat and cheese snack packs under 180 calories?
Some are. Righteous Felon Beef & Cheddar lists 14g protein for 140 calories. The cheese costs protein density, though. Jack Link's beef jerky and cheese combos list 8g protein for 130 to 150 calories, so they miss the rule.
Do meat and cheese packs need refrigeration?
Some do. The Oscar Mayer Bites tray says keep refrigerated. Righteous Felon's beef and cheddar sticks are sold as shelf stable. Check the storage line on the package before packing one for later.
Why does teriyaki jerky have more carbs?
The glaze. Wenzel's Farm Teriyaki lists 9g carbs for 10g protein, while plain styles like People's Choice Old Fashioned list 0g. Teriyaki, sweet and hot, and chili-lime styles carry the most carbs.